STONE CHINA.
J. W. PANKHURST & Co.
Fig. 509.
Charles Street Works.—This manufactory, now carried on by Messrs. J. W. Pankhurst & Co., is one of the oldest in Hanley. About a hundred years ago it was owned and worked by William Mellor, to whose family the property still belongs. Mr. Mellor made the Egyptian black ware for the Dutch markets, as did his successors Messrs. Toft & Keeling, who also produced other varieties of earthenware. It was next carried on by Messrs. Toft & May, and then by Robert May alone, for the manufacture of the same goods for the Dutch markets. Mr. May was succeeded by Mr. William Ridgway, who changed the manufacture to that of goods for the American markets. Upon his failure the works were taken by the present firm of J. W. Pankhurst & Co. The goods produced by this firm are confined to white granite for the American markets. In this material, dinner, tea, and toilet services, and all the usual useful articles are largely produced, and are of high quality both in body and glaze. The mark used by the firm is the royal arms and name, printed in black, on the ware.
High Street.—The works carried on by Messrs. Gelson Brothers until a dissolution of partnership in 1876, and now continued by Messrs. Thomas Gelson & Co., form a part of those founded in the latter part of last century by Elijah Mayer, who about 1820 took his son into partnership under the style of “Elijah Mayer & Son.” It was afterwards “Joseph Mayer” and “Joseph Mayer & Co.” In 1867, the premises were purchased by Messrs. Gelson Brothers. Elijah Mayer was a potter of considerable eminence, and produced an extensive variety of goods. His Egyptian black, or basalt, ware, was, in quality of body, nearly equal to that of Wedgwood, and the ornamentation sharp and well defined; in this he produced tea-pots, cream ewers, bowls, and other articles. In cream-coloured ware, services and all the usual useful articles were made, and were of unusually good style and quality; for these and his “brown-line” patterns he was noted. His cane-coloured, or drab, unglazed goods were another of his famous productions; specimens of these are not often obtainable. In the Museum of Practical Geology is a vase of this description, with festoons of raised flowers. Elijah Mayer produced a service commemorative of Nelson’s Trafalgar and Nile victories, which became very popular. His mark was “E. Mayer” impressed in the ware, and afterwards “E. Mayer & Son.” Of the later firm some examples with the name
are preserved in the Liverpool Museum. The following note upon these works has been supplied to me by Mr. Goss:—
“A walled lane ran through the premises owing to a right of way across the property which had been acquired, to the annoyance of the Mayers, by a Mr. Smith, whose property lay beyond the manufactory, going from High Street. The division to the right hand included the residence of the Mayers, warehouses, offices, and stabling, &c. About 1833 Mr. Joseph Mayer suddenly ceased potting, filled his warehouses, offices, stabling, and part of his house with his most valuable stock, and locked it up until his death. He let the other part of his works, that now Messrs. Gelson’s, to his cousin, William Ridgway, as beforesaid. After Mr. Joseph Mayer’s death in 1860 the residence was converted into a works for mounting jugs and tea-pots, carried on by Thomas Booth. It is now part of the china manufactory, of Mr. Samuel Lear. Besides Mr. Lear’s china works there is a small earthenware works on the old site carried on by Mrs. Massey; this includes the Mayers’ stabling and coach-houses. There are also numerous cottage residences erected in the other spaces.”
Messrs. Gelson & Co. formerly produced the usual white granite ware for the American market. This has been now abandoned, and they confine themselves to the production of the highest classes of useful goods for the home trade. In this they make dinner, tea, breakfast, toilet, and other services in every variety of printed, enamelled, and gilt patterns. One of their specialities is the successful imitation of the old Dresden style, which is produced with marked success in a dinner service. This has all the character, in general appearance, of the antique, and is a very satisfactory reproduction of a good old pattern. Another happy decorative idea is the introduction of Anglo-Saxon and early Irish interlaced ornaments in bands encircling mouth ewers and other articles.