Ford Pottery.—This pottery was built in 1859 by Mr. Christopher T. Maling, son of Mr. Robert Maling, who, in 1817, had removed the Hylton pottery[1] to Newcastle. The works were erected for the purpose of manufacturing by machinery the various goods produced by Mr. Maling, the main bulk of which are marmalade, jam, and extract-of-beef pots. These are of a very fine and compact white body, with an excellent glaze made from borax without any lead; and it is said that at least 95 per cent. of these pots used by wholesale manufacturers in Great Britain are made at this establishment. The pots being entirely made by machinery are necessarily much more uniform in size and weight and thickness than those produced by any other process, and these, as well as the excellence of body and glaze, are advantages which have been appreciated. The mark used is simply the name or MALING impressed in the clay,
with, sometimes, the initial of the house for whom they are made, as for “Keiller,” and so on.
Ouseburn Pottery was built about the same date as Stepney Bank Pottery, by Mr. Yellowley, who was succeeded by Messrs. T. and J. Thompson, then by Mr. I. Maling; it was finally closed about 1864. White, printed, and brown ware were its productions.
Another “Ouseburn Pottery” was established, at the latter end of last or the early part of the present century, by Mr. Ralph Charlton, who carried on the business on a small scale for the manufacture of brown ware. On his death he was succeeded by his son, John Charlton, who after a few years gave up the business, and was succeeded by Mr. George Gray who, or his predecessor, enlarged the kilns, &c. Mr. Gray was succeeded in the business by Messrs. Morrow and Parker, from whose hands it passed into those of Mr. Rogers, who erected another kiln and otherwise extended the buildings. It was next worked by Mr. William Blakey, who held it until 1860, when it passed into the hands of Messrs. Robert Martin and Co., who still continue the business. The goods made are brown ware, and brown ware lined with white, in all the usual classes of domestic vessels.
Another “Ouseburn Pottery,” established some years ago, passed in 1860 into the hands of Mr. John Hedley Walker. Its productions are plain and ornamented flower-pots, chimney-pots, and horticultural vessels of various kinds, as well as the lead-pots and lead-dishes which are so extensively used in the lead works of the district.