Fig. 368.—The Ivy House, Burslem.
The “Ivy House” might originally have been roofed with thatch or mud, like the other buildings of the district, but it was afterwards tiled, as shown in the engraving. In front was a small garden enclosed with a low wall, and a brick pathway led from the gate to the doorway. The front faced the open space called the “Green Bank,” and adjoining was a low, half-timbered, thickly-thatched building, afterwards known as the “Turk’s Head,” and beyond this again was the maypole, on “Maypole Bank,” on the site now occupied by the Town Hall. At the opposite side of the house from the Turk’s Head was a gateway leading into the yard of the works, which made up one side of Shoe Lane, the pot-works of John and Thomas Wedgwood, with which they were connected, being on the opposite side of the lane. These works and house have the reputation of being the first roofed with tiles in the district—the usual roofing being thatch, or oftener still, mud. At the Ivy House Josiah Wedgwood carried on the manufacture of his ornamental goods, his more ordinary ware, I believe, being produced at the Churchyard. At the Ivy House works he produced many things far in advance of his day, and to the Ivy House itself he brought home his bride, and there lived happily with her for several years.
Lakin and Poole.—Messrs. Lakin and Poole were in business in Burslem, and doing a very extensive trade, at the latter end of the last century. Their billhead in October, 1792, was simply “Burslem, Staffordshire, Bought of Lakin & Poole,” and in the front of the heading was a garter and star, surrounding a vase, on which was “Manufacturers of Staffordshire Earthenware. Table Services Enamelled or Painted with Arms, &c., &c.” On the garter “Burnished gold got up as in London.”[47] In 1793 (July) a new billhead was used—“Burslem, Staffordshire, Bought of Lakin and Poole. Blue Painted Table Services, &c., and Coloured in all its various Branches.” At the front is a standing figure of Commerce, with an anchor, against which is an oval tablet with “Table Services Enamelled with Arms, Crests, Cyphers, &c., &c.,” to which the figure is pointing. In many of the billheads I have seen the word “Painted” is altered to “Printed” with a pen, and the word “Ware” is written between (over) “coloured” and “in.” This heading was used till the early part of 1794.[48] In December, 1794, they used a written billhead. On the 14th of February, 1795, it is announced in a letter that “Mr. Thomas Shrigley[49] has joined us in our manufactory of Earthenware, and that for the future the business will be carried on under the firm of Poole, Lakin and Shrigley.” In May, 1795, the billhead (written) is “Burslem, Bought of Lakin, Poole & Shrigley,” the managing man being R. B. Swift. This firm continued until the end of 1795, but in January, 1796, another change took place, the firm now being simply “Poole and Shrigley”—Mr. Lakin either having died or withdrawn. The billheads were still written. T. Kempe was managing man in February, 1796. The last account I have is up to February, 1796.
During this period (1792 to 1796) the goods manufactured by them, as appears in these invoices, are as follows:—cream-colour, blue-printed, fawn-colour, black, stone, and other wares; “oval concave dishes of various sizes, flatt plates, soups, twifflers, muffins, tureen compots, sauce ditto, boats and stands, root dishes, cover dishes, sallads, bakers, dessert services of various patterns, ewers and basins, cups and saucers, bowls, cream-jugs, tea-pots, chocolates, flower-horns, flower-pots, jugs, sugar-boxes, double-handled coffee cups, salad dishes, sauce boats, gravy pots, candlesticks, baskets and stands, black tea-pots, mugs, figures in great variety, mortars, cheese toasters, raddish dishes, paste pots, tripe pots, Mocoa tumblers, candlestick vases, bow pots, hand vases, French pies, English pies, stone jugs with and without figures, fawn-coloured porter mugs, blue printed dishes and other articles, egg-cups, custards and covers,” &c. The products of this manufactory were of very superior character both as regards the quality of the various bodies, and the modelling, painting, and artistic decoration of the articles. The blackware, in imitation of Wedgwood’s basalts, is remarkably good, and many of the figures and services are of good character.
The mark of the firm was usually simply the words LAKIN & POOLE impressed in the body of the ware. On one or two examples the name LAKIN only occurs, and on others R. POOLE.
After the death of Mr. Lakin, presumably the potter named above, his widow, in 1824, published a book of his recipes, of which the following is a note:—
“Potting, Enamelling, and Glass Staining.—The valuable Receipts of the late Mr. Thomas Lakin, with proper and necessary directions for their preparation and use in the manufacture of Porcelain Earthenware, and Iron Stone China, together with the most recent and valuable improvements in the advanced art of Glass Staining and Painting. Leeds: Printed for Mrs. Lakin, by Edward Baines. 1824.” Such was its title.
The Preface, which is very explanatory, is as follows:—“The progressive improvements in the manufacture of Porcelain and Earthenware, during the last thirty years, have raised this art to an eminence which it never reached before in the British Empire; and, perhaps, in no department of art has scientific research and experiment been so productive of wealth and fame as in this, and it is no undue encomium on the industry of the manufacturer to state, that the consumption at home and the demands from abroad have kept pace with the improvements which have increased both. The important station which this art holds amongst our manufactures renders every attempt at improvement worthy of consideration and attention. It has been said, the man who causes one ear of corn to grow where one never grew before, deserves the thanks of his country; but what does that man merit who, by indefatigable industry, contributes materially to the advancement of the interests of his country, in the improvement of its manufactures? It was in this class that the late Mr. Thomas Lakin held a situation much above mediocrity, for, in Staffordshire, it is well known that few men have contributed more to the improvement of an art so useful and so much admired. The following work is the result of upwards of thirty years of labour, study, and repeated experiment, and no pains have been spared in arranging the various Receipts in such a chain of connection as to render them easy of comprehension to an intelligent operator. The Subscribers may rest assured, that the whole of the following Receipts may be individually depended upon as genuine, each having been repeatedly tried in the course of the author’s long experience. Mr. Lakin had also extensive practice in the admired art of Staining and Painting Glass; several windows of exquisite workmanship were executed by him during the time he was engaged with John Davenport, Esq., for some of the first noblemen in the kingdom. The Receipts, together with the method of using them, are therefore laid down from actual experiment, and it is hoped will be found extremely valuable. In presenting the following work to the subscribers, Mrs. Lakin is anxious to express her gratitude for the liberal encouragement she has met with, and for the highly gratifying tribute they have paid to the abilities of her departed husband; but to the kindness of those gentlemen who had before purchased some of the Receipts at a price far beyond the whole charge of this work, and yet have become subscribers, she feels herself particularly indebted. Mrs. L. respectfully solicits of the subscribers not to permit persons who are not purchasers to copy any of the Receipts, as it might not only injure her as proprietor of the copyright, but also other subscribers; on her part she pledges herself not to publish the work, nor permit the work to be published, at a lower price than that at which it is now offered to the subscribers.” The work extends to 86 pages, and contains 136 processes connected with potting, enamels, and glass-staining. The receipts are evidently the compilation of a greatly experienced and very intelligent potter.