John Twemlow was in business in 1797. An invoice in my possession is curious as showing some of the goods he made. These are “E Black Teapots, capt., festd. and figd.” (Egyptian black tea-pots, capped, festooned, and figured); “ditto upright, festd. and figd.”; “Oval E Black Teapots;” ditto “prest leaf,” “scollop top, festd. and figd. and banded”; “ditto, prest leaf and festd. and figd. and banded a’tip;” “ditto creams” to match; “ditto fluted;” “ditto coffee pots;” octagon tea-pots, with scollop top, and creams to match; oval plain tea-pots (all, so far, are in Egyptian black); “blue and enamelled handled cups and saucers, London size, sprig and border and vine pattern;” “bowls to match.”
Figs. 465 to 468.—1851—Exhibits of Mr. Meigh, Old Hall Works.
Fig. 469.
Fig. 470.
Old Hall Works.—The “Old Hall Works” are among the most interesting historically of any in the district, being built on the site of, or quite closely adjoining to, the “Old Hall” or Manor House of the Colclough family, who formerly held the lordship of Hanley, from about the time of Edward III. until about a century and a half ago, when it passed into the family of Bagnall. The “Old Hall” or “Manor House” has long since disappeared. The present works were built about the year 1770, by Mr. Job Meigh, on what, I believe, was for a time previously a salt-glazed white stoneware pottery, carried on by a Mr. Whitehead. From 1770 until 1861 the works were uninterruptedly carried on by Mr. Job Meigh, his son, and his grandson (Mr. Charles Meigh), successively. In 1861 Mr. Charles Meigh transferred the business to a limited liability company, called “The Old Hall Earthenware Company,” by whom it is still carried on. The productions of the works include every variety of earthenware, from the most highly decorated to the ordinary blue printed and plain white wares, stone ware, jet ware, and parian. In earthenware all the usual dinner, tea, breakfast, dessert, toilet, and other services, and all other articles are made. In these the body is of the finest quality, hard and of remarkable durability, and the glaze is hard, clear, and faultless. Many of the patterns of dinner services are of great beauty and elegance. Especially among these are the “Nonpareil,” the “Verona,” and the “Koh-i-noor” shapes, which last is one of the most simply elegant yet produced. The form of the covered dishes is chaste and remarkably effective. They stand upon well-modelled feet, and the handles are formed of folds of ribbon held together by jewelled rings. This pattern is produced in various styles of decoration, one of the most pleasing of which is the convolvulus, exquisitely coloured after nature; the gilding is rich and substantial. Among the patterns produced by the staff of artists here employed are many others of surpassing beauty; the excellence of the painting, the gilding, the jewelling, and the enamelling, being very apparent in all, and the combination of printing and hand painting carried to great perfection. The transfer printing at the Old Hall Works is more carefully done, and the colours are clearer and brighter, than at most manufactories. Dessert services are made in every style of decoration; the richer and more costly varieties being equal to any produced by other firms, both in quality of body, in shape, in pattern, and in artistic treatment. Toilet services form a very extensive branch of the productions, and in these the firm is very successful. Among the more popular shapes are the “Buckle,” “Richmond,” “Perth,” “Exeter,” and “Mediæval,” and these are produced in every possible style of decoration whether in printing, painting, enamelling, and gilding. In stone ware, jugs of good and faultless form, and many other articles are produced. In black ware, water-bottles, elegant little table tea-kettles, spill cases, vases, and other articles are made, and are effectively decorated with dead and burnished gilding, enamelling, &c.
