Bell Works Patterns
Bell Works Occupation Periods
George & Job Ridgway | c.1792-1802 | |
George Ridgway (& Sons) | 1802-1815 | |
J (& W) Ridgway & Co. | 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. The known sprig moulds for these wares are impressed "Ridgway" on the side. This mark is, as far as I am aware, only found on wares produced at Cauldon Place.
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.
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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. 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 used at Broad Street were used in all his factories.