John Yates, general and flower painter and gilder, apprenticed to, and afterwards employed by Duesbury about 1772. He is said to have excelled in hunting subjects and flowers.
In 1876, while this chapter is passing through the press, new China Works, on a large scale, are about to be established on the Osmaston Road, Derby, by Mr. Edward Phillips, one of the proprietors of the Royal Porcelain Works at Worcester; there is therefore at last the pleasant prospect of one of the old staple trades of the town, that of porcelain, being brought back in all its integrity, and carried on with vigour and enlightenment.
CHAPTER IV.
Chesterfield—Caskon—Heathcote—Brampton—Posset Pots—Puzzle Jugs—Welshpool and Payne Potteries—The Pottery—Walton Pottery—Wheatbridge Pottery—Alma, Barker, and London Potteries—Whittington—Bromley—Jewitt—Newbold—Eckington—Belper—Codnor Park—Denby—Bournes Pottery—Shipley—Alfreton—Langley Mills—Ilkeston—Pinxton—Pinxton China—China Tokens—Wirksworth—Dale Abbey—Repton—Encaustic Tiles—Tile Kilns, London—Tickenhall—Kings Newton—Burton-on-Trent—Swadlincote Potteries—Church Gresley Potteries—Gresley Common—Woodville—Hartshorne, &c.—Wooden Box—Rawdon Works—Pool Works—Coleorton—&c., &c.
Chesterfield.
The earliest potter in Chesterfield of whom there is any record is William Caskon, or Kaskon, who died 8th Henry VIII. (1517), and the next is Ralph Heathcote, who was both a potter, brazier, and bell-founder. This Ralph Heathcote, who had married Elizabeth, daughter of John Tomson (or Tomason, as it is variously spelled), brazier, of Chesterfield, became by will of his father-in-law (will dated October 1, 1496) executor. Tomson lived in Saltergate, in a house previously held by William Forneday and Margaret his wife, which was surrendered to him in 1483. This house was afterwards, in 1501, released to “Ralph Heathcote, of Chesterfield, Potter.” This is evidenced by two deeds, one by Thomas Moore, of Cuttethorpe, releasing the messuage in Saltergate to “Ralph Hethcote, of Chesterfield, Potter”; and the other from Thomas Moore, of Cuttethorp, and James Moore, of Syrley Grange, “to Ralph Hethecote, of Chesterfield, Potter,” a bond for £20 to secure peaceable possession of the messuage in the Saltergate, Chesterfield, late in the occupation of John Tomson, deceased, and W. Forneby, deceased.”
It is evident, from a deed of 8th Henry VIII. (1517), that Ralph Heathcote took to the trade and goods of William Caskon, potter, of Chesterfield, in that year. The deed is a receipt from “Isabel Kaskon, ye daughter of William Caskon, of Chesterfield, Potter, lately deceased,” to “Rauff Hethcote, of ye same place, brasier, for her child’s part of the goodes and money of the said William Caskon.”
In 1557–8 Robert Parker, of Chesterfield, gent., and Mary, his wife, son and heir of George Parker, deceased, of the one part, and Rauf Heathcott, of Chesterfield, potter, of the other part, released a tenement in Saltergate, and lands at Tapton Lane.
The manufacture of pottery continued uninterruptedly from Heathcote’s time downwards, although the names of the potters are not always to be found. In a scarce little book, entitled “A Short Tour in the Midland Counties of England performed in the Summer of 1772,” the following interesting notice of Chesterfield occurs:—
“Chesterfield is a large town; but, as I passed through, I saw nothing uncommon but the ugly church; it is old and built of bad stone, but rendered most disgusting by its wooden spire (covered with lead) being so much warped that I discovered its crookedness at three miles distance. In the town is a manufacture of pots. At Asher and many villages in the neighbourhood camomile is much cultivated.”