Fig. 653.
The principal painter employed for the decoration of this ware appears to have been a Mr. W. W. Young, an artist of great ability, who was particularly skilful in painting flowers, but more especially natural history subjects—birds, butterflies and other insects, and shells. These he drew from nature, and was remarkably truthful and free in his delineations. Pieces decorated with his painting are now of rare occurrence, especially those with his name signed upon them. When it does appear, it is, so far as my knowledge goes, either Young pinxit, or Young f. In the Museum of Practical Geology are some interesting examples of this “opaque china,” or “opaque porcelain.” The decorations consisted—we are told by Donovan—in 1800, of “emblematical designs, landscapes, fruit, flowers, heraldic figures, or any other species of ornamental devices,” so that several artists must at that time have been employed. Mr. Young, of whom I have just spoken, had been for some time previously employed by Mr. Dillwyn in illustrating his works on Natural History; and having been instructed in the use of enamel colours, he proved a great acquisition to the manufactory. He afterwards became one of the proprietors of the Nantgarw China Works, as I shall show in my account of that manufactory.
In 1814 Mr. Dillwyn received a communication from Sir Joseph Banks, that a specimen of china had been submitted to Government from Nantgarw, and he was requested to examine and report on those works. This matter is thus spoken of by Mr. Dillwyn himself: “My friend Sir Joseph Banks informed me that two persons, named Walker and Beeley,[57] had sent to Government, from a small manufactory at Nantgarw (ten or twelve miles north of Cardiff), a specimen of beautiful china, with a petition for their patronage; and that, as one of the Board of Trade, he requested me to examine and report upon the manufactory. Upon witnessing the firing of a kiln at Nantgarw, I found much reason for considering that the body used was too nearly allied to glass to bear the necessary heat, and observed that nine-tenths of the articles were either shivered, or more or less injured in shape, by the firing. The parties, however, succeeded in making me believe that the defects in their porcelain arose entirely from imperfections in their small trial-kiln; and I agreed with them for a removal to the Cambrian Pottery, at which two new kilns, under their direction, were prepared. While endeavouring to strengthen and improve this beautiful body, I was surprised at receiving a notice from Messrs. Flight & Barr, of Worcester, charging the parties calling themselves Walker and Beeley with having clandestinely left an engagement at their works, and forbidding me to employ them.” In 1814, then, William Billingsley and George Walker commenced for Mr. Dillwyn, at the Cambrian Pottery, Swansea, the manufacture of china, of the same body and glaze as that they had produced at Nantgarw.
For this purpose some new buildings, kilns, &c., were erected, and the utmost secrecy was observed. The new buildings for the manufacture of china were erected on a place previously a bathing-place. Mr. Dillwyn—or rather Billingsley and Walker for him—succeeded in producing a beautiful china; but the loss of time in building and altering the kilns, &c., and the losses and disappointments attending numerous experiments and trials, prevented it being made to more than a limited extent. Soon after the receipt of Messrs. Flight & Barr’s letter, Mr. Dillwyn dismissed Billingsley and Walker (who returned to Nantgarw), and continued the manufacture of china, but of a somewhat different body. About 1817 the manufacture was laid aside by Mr. Dillwyn, and for a time carried on by Mr. Bevington. In 1823, the moulds, &c., were purchased by Mr. Rose, of the Coalport Works, and removed to that place; and since that time no china has been made at Swansea.
The Cambrian Pottery passed successively from Mr. Lewis Weston Dillwyn (who afterwards became, from 1832 till 1835, Member of Parliament for Glamorganshire) to Mr. Bevington, who, I am informed, was at one time manager of the works, and who subsequently took a partner, and carried them on under the style of “Bevington & Roby,” and “Bevington, Roby, & Co.,” and so back again, ultimately to Mr. Dillwyn, and thence to his son, Mr. Lewis Llewellyn Dillwyn, M.P. for Swansea. Under this gentleman’s management the works were carried on with much spirit and consequent success. In 1840 negotiations were entered upon between Mr. Dillwyn and the Messrs. Brameld of the “Rockingham Works” (which see) for the letting of the “Glamorgan Pottery” to the latter firm for the purpose of manufacturing china ware. The following letter in my own possession is too interesting to omit:—
“Burrows Lodge, Swansea.
“June 1, 1840.
“Gentlemen,—I am altogether unacquainted with the China manufacture and should therefore decline any partnership in one. I have, however, no doubt that China may be manufactured very profitably in Swansea, and should rejoice to see a manufacture established here. I am also convinced that a China and Earthenware factory might very materially assist each other in many ways. On these accounts I have made an arrangement, at some inconvenience to myself, by which I shall be enabled to let you the Glamorgan Pottery, which I should think was in every way well calculated for a China work. I am ready also to let the premises to you on lower terms than I should have expected from any other party.
“The terms I would let them upon to you would be £300 per annum, with a stipulation on your part that nothing but China of the best transparent body should be manufactured upon them.
“Should you think this offer worth your consideration, if one of your Firm will come down, I shall be happy to shew him everything in my power.