occurs on a tyg of the same general character as Toft’s dishes, belongs to that county.
Shawe.—Ralph Shawe, of Burslem, “earth potter,” in 1733 took out a patent for improvements in earthenware (see Vol. I. p. [110]). In 1736 he commenced an action for infringement of his patent right, against John Mitchell, an extensive potter of the same town, but was defeated (p. 111). He removed with his family into France, where he carried on his trade, but his family, about 1750, returned to Burslem. About 1710 Aaron Shaw was a maker of stone and dipped wares in Burslem, with a house adjoining his works; and Moses Shaw (surely two brothers, Aaron and Moses!) made stone and freckled goods at the same place, with a house in the middle of the town.
John Mitchell.—In 1736, this potter having succeeded in producing ware very similar to that of Ralph Shawe, an action was commenced against him by Shawe for infringing his patent. This was tried at Stafford, but the defendant, being fully supported by his pottery neighbours, gained the verdict, the judge concluding with the memorable words, “Go home, potters, and make whatever kind of pots you like.” Aaron Wood was at one time employed by Mitchell, whose principal productions were white stoneware and salt-glazed ware. In 1743 an agreement was entered into between Aaron Wood, of Burslem, “earth-potter,” and John Mitchell, of the same town, “earth potter,” by which the former bound himself to the latter for seven years at 7s. a week, and 10s. 6d. on each 11th November.
Cartwright.—The name Cartwright is stated by Shaw to occur on some butter-pots, along with the date 1640. This maker, Cartwright, at his death, in 1658, gave twenty pounds yearly to the poor of Burslem for ever. Burslem, which, as I have already shown, was famed for its butter-pots (in 1670 these were ordered to be made to contain not less than 14 lbs., and to be of hard quality), was to some extent known as the “butter-pot manufactory.”
Rich.—Shaw (1829) describes a crouch-ware dish, bearing the name W. Rich, 1702.