Bell Works Patterns
Bell Works Occupation Periods
| George & Job Ridgway | c.1792-1802 | |
| George Ridgway (& Sons) | 1802-1815 | |
| John & William Ridgway | 1815-1830 | |
| William Ridgway | 1830-1854 |
John and William Ridgway 1815-1830
The following patterns have been considered as originating from the Bell Works whilst under the joint control of John and William Ridgway. This was first proposed by the late Dr Geoffrey Godden in his books on the Ridgway factories. However, I have reason to doubt this for the following reasons:
1. The only known pattern book formerly in the possession of Dr Godden was later reused in the time of John Ridgway, Bates & Co, which implies it originated in Cauldon Place and not the Bell Works.
2. Early versions of some of these wares, and the known sprig moulds for these wares bear the impressed mark "Ridgway" in small case. This mark is, as far as I am aware, only found on wares produced at Cauldon Place before the brothers acquired the Bell Works.
3. The bone china wares made using the same moulds and sprigging are considered to originate at Cauldon Place.
4. Records indicate that George Ridgway before and William Ridgway after only used the Bell Works to produce plain earthenwares in white or transfer printed implying that only these sorts of wares were made at the works between those periods.
However, for the sake of ease of finding the patterns, I have left them listed here rather than Cauldon Place.
Click on thumbnail to see larger image.
| 31 | Mask spout covered filter jug. Drab turned earthenware body, full glaze. |  |
| 35 | Tapered Mug, spurred loop handle with shell mounts. Sprigged in white on drab earthenware body. Griffin & cherub with arabesques each side. Vase opposite handle. Vine circlet round top. |  |
| 36 | Mask spout covered filter jug. Sprigged in white on chocolate earthenware body. Griffin & cherub with arabesques each side. Vase under spout. Vine circlet round top. |  |
| 38 | Tapered Mug, plain loop handle. Sprigged in white on chocolate earthenware body. Bacchanalian Boys with vase or jug each side. Goat & 2 boys opposite handle. Circlet of spear shape leaves round top |  |
| 121 | Spill Vase. Drab earthenware body with angled handles, white sprigs, lilies & daisies round lip, daisies round upper neck & upper body, ferns rpund lower neck & foot, floral arbesques round body. |  |
| 245 | Spill Vase. Drab earthenware body, leaf handles, white sprigs, lyre & wreath each side, fern leaves top & foot, geometric leaves at base, pearls round lip. |  |
| 269 | Tapered Mug, spurred loop handle. Chocolate earthenware body, white sprigs, rams heads with flower swags, lyre & wreath in each swag, circlet of leafy arabesques round top. |  |
| 425 | Sugar box. Similar shape to Cauldon Place 'Royal' shape. Straw turned body, green sprigs. Childhood of Zeus panels with goat, Zeus & 2 nymphs between bushes; plants under handles; circlet of leaves round shoulder & lid; green rose knob. |  |
| 438 | Mask spout Jug. White earthenware body, sprigged in blue with single flower groups each side & opposite handle, circlet of flowers round top. |  |
| 446 | 4 inch angled hexagonal jug. White coloured earthenware body, blue floral & acanthus sprigs. |  |
| 467 | 7 inch and 6 inch angled hexagonal jugs. White bone china body, bluish-lilac floral sprigs. |  |
| 471 honey pot | Honey pot. Drab earthenware body entirely covered with tightly packed rosette flower heads. |  |
| 471 candlestick | 10 inch and 7 inch Pillar Candlesticks. Drab earthenware body entirely covered with tightly packed rosette flower heads. |  |
| 472 covered bowl | Covered Bowl & Stand. White body entirely covered with tightly packed rosette flower heads. |  |
| 472 mug | Taper Mug. White body entirely covered with tightly packed rosette flower heads. |  |
| 472 jug | 6 inch and 5 inch bulbous hexagonal jugs, 9 inch covered filter jug (minus lid), 8 inch covered filter jug (with lid). White body entirely covered with tightly packed rosette flower heads. |  |
| 472 candlestick | 10 inch and 9 inch Pillar Candlesticks. White body entirely covered with tightly packed rosette flower heads. |  |
| 482 covered bowl | Covered Bowl & Stand. Lilac earthenware body entirely covered with tightly packed rosette flower heads. |  |
| 482 jug | 6 inch bulbous hexangonal covred filter jug (minus lid). Lilac earthenware body entirely covered with tightly packed rosette flower heads. |  |
| 482 chamber stick | High-sided Chamber Stick. Lilac earthenware body entirely covered with tightly packed rosette flower heads. |  |
William Ridgway 1830-1854
The following patterns are the only ones in the collection that can with any certainty be attributed to the Bell Works under William Ridgway. No numbered patterns have come to light. The bulk of the output was probably mostly basic useful wares, the majority of which were unmarked. The shape name 'Albion' was the name used at the Broad Street Works, and the shape name 'Pompeii' was used at the Church Works. Since wares of all the factories in William's control appear to have been marketed using the same agents (regardless of partnership involved) and since there is no evidence to the contrary I have assumed the shape names were used in all his factories.
| "Florentine" | Covered bowl & stand. Stepped waisted tea shape. Pale blue earthenware. All-over wild rose floral print in green. |  |
| "Grecian" blue | Covered vegetable dish, dinner plate. 'Albion' shape. Earthenware. "Grecian" print in blue. |  |
| "Grecian" brown | Dinner plate. 'Albion' shape. Earthenware. "Grecian" print in brown. |  |
| "Oriental" blue | Dessert plate. 'Albion' shape. Earthenware. "Oriental" print in blue. |  |
| 'Oriental' brown | Sugar box. Earthenware. 'Oriental' print in brown. |  |
| 'Oriental' red | Slop bowl. Earthenware. 'Oriental' print in red. |  |
| "Oriental" black | Covered vegetable dish. 'Albion' shape. Earthenware. "Oriental" print in black. |  |
| "Persian" blue | Covered bowl & stand. Stepped waisted tea shape. Earthenware. "Persian" print in blue. |  |
| "Persian" green | Jug. 'Pompeii' shape. Earthenware. "Persian" print in green. |  |
| "Persian" puce | Meat dish and dessert plate. 'Albion' shape. Earthenware. "Persian" print in puce. |  |
The following are pieces marked "WR" that may or may not belong to this factory.
| 'Willow' | Large meat dish. Earthenware. Standard 'Willow' print in blue. |  |
| "Neva" | Soup plate. Earthenware. "Neva" print in blue. |  |
| "Canton" | Soup plate. Earthenware. "Canton" print in blue. |  |