John Lawrence, “repairer,” was one of the earlier hands, and in 1772 he, along with Robert Askew the younger, absconded while under articles of agreement, and was advertised in the Birmingham papers. On April 11, 1790, he wrote, “I now am in employ for Mr. Turner, the Salop china manufactory.” This was after he left Derby. In July of the same year, dating from “Broasley, July 12, 1790,” he desires letters to be addressed to him “at the China Works, near Bridgnorth, Shropshire.”
Stephen Lawrence was a clever moulder of ornamental ware.
Cuthbert Lawton, or Lowton, was a painter of figures and general subjects, including hunting scenes, which are said to have been his forte.
Leonard Lead, of Belper, “wood collier,” executed articles of agreement on the 20th May, 1790, by which he bound himself to “burn, manufacture, and convert into charcoal in a good and workmanlike manner, all the cord wood which he the said William Duesbury shall have occasion to have converted into charcoal;” not to work for any one else when he has any in hand for him; and to be paid 7d. a quarter for every quarter of charcoal so made. In this he continued till 1795, when Mr. Duesbury finally gave up the use of charcoal. In a letter of Lead’s he says that “for generations back, both of father’s side and mother’s, have followed the above-mentioned business” of “coaling and cording line”—i.e., charcoal burning. A son of his, of the same name, was, I believe, apprenticed at the works as a flower-painter.
William Longdon, sen., was a china painter of considerable note at the Derby Works.
William Longdon, jun., son of William Longdon, sen., china painter, became an apprentice to Mr. Duesbury, July 5th, 1790, “for painting or embellishing porcelain or earthenware.” In an order in bastardy in 1799, he is described as a “china-painter.”
John Lovegrove (the same as named on page 58 in my notice of the Cock-pit Hill Works), Edmund Hopkinson, and Joseph Kirkland, gilders.
William Lovegrove entered into an agreement to work for Duesbury.
Daniel Lucas, a landscape and general painter, died in 1867. His sons, John, William, and Daniel, were all apprenticed at the Derby works.
Maclachlan, a painter of landscapes.