“Dear Sir,—When I had the pleasure of seeing you in Town, I understood (or rather misunderstood) you was about to depart for the Lakes; not for Derby: Therefore I had no intention of writing to you ’till I shou’d have heard of your return home;—But a call from Mr Lygo has set me right on that head, and I lose no time to perform my promise; which I think was, that as soon as I cou’d make up my mind on the matters spoken of, to communicate it to you. Permit me then Sir briefly to say, that the terms you propose—namely £100 pr. Anm. I accept; with the allowance of a months vacation in the year without deduction. But I find many obstacles arise which I am sorry for—the detail of which I will not trouble you with; but only beg leave to point out one of them,—which is—how to get a tenant for the house I live in, and what relates to it. However, I have requested the favor of Mr. Lygo to speak of it to any friend he may suppose wou’d wish such a thing, and have also spoken to other acquaintances and friends; and you may rest assur’d Sir, that as soon as I can get rid of this Stumbling-block (which is indeed the principal), I shall not fail to use the utmost diligence in doing away every other in hope to realize the pleasure I anticipate of paying my respects to you at Derby. I am Sir, with Deference and Regard, Your Most obedt and very Humble Servant, H. Webber.”
Moses Webster, a flower-painter, was an apprentice, and afterwards employed at the works. He was afterwards a teacher of drawing, and died in 1870.
John Wells, a labourer, to be employed in any part of the manufacture of china; fresh articles of agreement dated 1794.
William Wheeldon (whose mother was a sister of the wife of William Billingsley), was a clever flower painter.
John Whitaker, one of the workmen, in partnership with Mr. Cocker, began in February, 1826, a china manufactory in Friargate, Derby, but he failed in the same year. His son, John Whitaker, began to work at the Derby China Works in 1818, when only eleven years old, and in 1821 (Feb. 23rd) was bound apprentice to Mr. Blore. In 1831 he became overlooker, and so continued until the close of the works. Later on he was employed at Minton’s and other places. He died in 1874.
Richard Whitaker, a thrower and presser, employed in the ornamental department, in which he was very clever, from about 1769 till 1786, when he died.
William Wingfield, apprenticed at the works, was a clever modeller, but died young.
John Winrow, son of John Winrow, of Duffield, Innholder, was apprenticed, by the same printed indentures, for seven years, on the 6th of June, 1766, “to learn the Art of Painting on China or Porcelain ware.”
Edward Withers, “of London, porcelain or china painter,” entered into an agreement with Mr. Duesbury, on the 8th of May, 1789, engaging himself for three years from the 27th of September in that year “as a painter on porcelain” at the rate of 3s. 6d. per day. It is said that he had previously been employed at Derby, and from thence removed into Staffordshire, where he worked as a china painter; then to Birmingham, where he worked as a painter of japanned tea-trays. He is stated to have died in Bridge Gate, Derby. A William Withers, potter, residing in 1778 at Rotherham, was in that year a voter at Derby.
William Yates, a gilder.