Church Works and Bedford Works

I created this page as a temporary space in which to illustrate any late Church Works or Bedford Works pieces I might come across, mostly from email and online contacts, that did not fit into any of the established pages in the hope that, eventually, some order may come out of chaos.

 

Church Works

E. J. Ridgway & Abington
Edward John Ridgway

"Verona"

Pattern 6477 "Florida" table

Pattern 6614 "Pheasant"

Pattern 7536

Pattern 8445 'Formosa'

Pattern 9699

Bedford Works

E. J. Ridgway & Son
Ridgway, Sparks & Ridgway
Ridgways
Ridgways (Bedford Works) Ltd.

"Oriental" blue gilt

'Willow' blue

Pattern 2/2281 "Eugénie" table

Pattern 2/2603

Pattern 2/2680

Pattern 2/6566 'Simlay'

Pattern 4/7780 "Birmah"

Pattern i/287 "Phlox"

Pattern 3328 "Simlay"

Pattern 5059 "Anglesey"

 

Church Works

"Verona"

The meat dish is 495mm by 406mm. Earthenware.

Verona meat dish front

Verona meat dish front detail

Verona meat dish front detail 2

Verona meat dish back

Verona meat dish print name

Verona meat dish royal arms mark

Photos © Jackie Casey 2022

 

Top of Page

Return to Church Works patterns

 

Pattern 6477 "Florida" table

For dessert wares with the same pattern see the nine-lobed dessert page.

The dinner plate is 267mm in diameter. Earthenware.

Pattern 6477 dinner plate front

Pattern 6477 dinner plate front detail

Pattern 6477 dinner plate back

Pattern 6477 dinner plate marks

Pattern 6477 dinner plate backstamp

Photos © April's Vintage Mercantile, owner April Conner 2021

 

Top of Page

Return to Church Works patterns

 

Pattern 6614 "Pheasant"

The dinner plate is 265mm in diameter. Earthenware.

Pattern 6614 dinner plate front

Pattern 6614 dinner plate back

Pattern 6614 dinner plate marks

Pattern 6614 dinner plate pattern number

Photos © Chris Holland 2023

 

Top of Page

Return to Bedford Works patterns

 

Pattern 7536

This service has the same handles as 6477 and 2/2281, but it has a moulded edge so is clearly from a different shape set.

The dessert service. Earthenware.

Pattern 7536 dessert service

The tall dessert comport is 325mm handle to handle, 280mm wide, and 160mm tall. Earthenware.

Pattern 7536 tall dessert comport side

Pattern 7536 tall dessert comport base

Pattern 7536 tall dessert comport pattern number

The square dessert comport is 272mm handle to handle, 240mm wide, and 45mm tall. Earthenware.

Pattern 7536 square dessert comport top

Pattern 7536 square dessert comport handle detail

Pattern 7536 square dessert comport base

Pattern 7536 square dessert comport pattern number

The oval dessert comport is 293mm handle to handle, 232mm wide, and 52mm tall. Earthenware.

Pattern 7536 oval dessert comport top

Pattern 7536 oval dessert comport base

Pattern 7536 oval dessert comport pattern number

The round dessert comport is 260mm handle to handle, 223mm wide, and 70mm tall. Earthenware.

Pattern 7536 round dessert comport top

Pattern 7536 round dessert comport side

Pattern 7536 round dessert comport base

Pattern 7536 round dessert comport pattern number

The dessert plate is 225mm in diameter. Earthenware.

Pattern 7536 dessert plate front

Pattern 7536 dessert plate back

Pattern 7536 dessert plate pattern number

Photos © Willa Latham ~ Gentle Rattle of China 2021

 

Top of Page

Return to Church Works patterns

 

Pattern 8445 'Formosa'

The sauce tureen (minus lid and stand) is 105mm tall, 185mm wide across handles, 130mm diameter, 80mm by 80mm base. Earthenware.

Pattern 8445 sauce tureen side

Pattern 8445 sauce tureen side detail

Pattern 8445 sauce tureen base

Pattern 8445 sauce tureen pattern number

Pattern 8445 sauce tureen impressed mark

The impressed "C" is often seen on Church Works pieces and is probably a tally mark.

Photos © Shannon Williams 2023

 

Top of Page

Return to Church Works patterns

 

Pattern 9699

The short dessert comport is 260mm wide and 70mm tall. Earthenware.

Pattern 9699 short comport top

Pattern 9699 short comport top detail

Pattern 9699 short comport handle detail

Pattern 9699 short comport side

Pattern 9699 short comport base

Pattern 9699 short comport marks

The impressed name "ALBA" is often found on E. J. Ridgway earthenwares and may be a body name as it occurs on different shapes.

Photos © robgar8 (eBay) 2022

 

Top of Page

Return to Church Works patterns

 

 

Bedford Works

 

"Oriental" blue gilt

William Ridgway was bankrupted twice and, as a result, the contents of the Bell Works were sold by auction twice, in 1848 and 1855. William's son Edward John Ridgway appears to have bought the printing plates and moulds used at that works, probably at the 1848 sale. Subsequently some of the patterns were reissued, but in the case of the "Oriental" pattern the backstamps were not modified until it was necessary to add "ENGLAND" in 1891, at which point "RIDGWAYS" was also added. Several of the shapes were changed in the reissues. The shapes below are certainly not ones the Bell Works would have issued.

The prints are nowhere near as sharp as the original Bell Works issues, presumably due to wear of the copper printing plate. The backstamps appear to have been completely recut and differ in several minor ways from the original.

The meat dish is 432mm long, 365mm wide, and 44mm tall. Earthenware.

Oriental meat dish front

Oriental meat dish front detail

Oriental meat dish front detail 2

Oriental meat dish back

Oriental meat dish pattern number

Photos © Bonnie Jean Seiwell ~ Lady in Decadence 2022

 

The dessert size soup plate, or soup twiffler is 225mm in diameter. Earthenware.

Oriental soup twiffler front

Oriental soup twiffler back

Oriental soup twiffler marks

The impressed "12 / 07" is a date code for December 1907.

Photos © Bonnie Jean Seiwell ~ Lady in Decadence 2020

 

The reversible egg cups (duck/chicken) are 90mm tall. The large end is just over 60mm in diameter and the small end just over 50mm. Earthenware.

Oriental egg cups side view

Oriental egg cups side view 2

Oriental egg cup mark

The mark is only on one cup and may be a tally mark. The egg cups are otherwise unmarked.

Photos © David Gallacher 2017

 

Top of Page

Return to Bedford Works patterns

 

'Willow' blue

The incription on the base reads: "ENGRAVED 1832 FOR W. RIDGWA[Y & Co.]". That date is the assumed date for the start of the partnership. There is, however, no evidence that W. Ridgway & Co. produced 'Willow' apart from this backstamp. On the other hand there is evidence that William Ridgway produced 'Willow' at the Bell Works, and Ridgway & Abington probably acquired the printing plates at the 1848 sale. So by the time Ridgways decided to reuse the plates they had probably forgotten which factory they came from and assumed it was the Church Works.

The gravy boat is 194mm handle to spout, and 95mm tall. Earthenware.

Willow gravy boat left side

Willow gravy boat left side detail

Willow gravy boat lip side

Willow gravy boat right side

Willow gravy boat handle side

Willow gravy boat top

Willow gravy boat base

Willow gravy boat marks

Photos © Bonnie Jean Seiwell ~ Lady in Decadence 2021

 

Top of Page

Return to Bedford Works patterns

 

Pattern 2/2281 "Eugénie" table

For dessert wares in the same pattern see Nine-lobed Dessert Shape page.

For a jug in the same pattern see octagonal pinch-handled jug page.

This print is so much like prints previously known by the Church Works it must belong to the factory. It is known that the factory used a 2/xxxx series of patterns when the four figure series came to an end. The exact dating is a little uncertain but appears to roughly coincide with the move to the Bedford Works.

The dessert plate from a table service, is 210mm in diameter. Earthenware.

Pattern 2/2281 dessert plate front

The shape appears to be a rounding out of the 'Clarendon' shape much as the later 'Bedford' shape was rounded out at the Broad Street Works, perhaps to facilitate machine manufacture.

Pattern 2/2281 dessert plate front detail

Pattern 2/2281 dessert plate front

A classic example of the stapler's skill.

Pattern 2/2281 dessert plate marks

It appears that the name was printed using type, but an English set with no "É" so an apostrophe was used instead.
The name probably refers to the French Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III.

Photos © Sue Parkin 2018

 

The soup plate is 265mm diameter and 50mm tall. Earthenware.

Pattern 2/2281 soup plate front

Pattern 2/2281 soup plate front detail

Pattern 2/2281 soup plate back

Pattern 2/2281 soup plate marks

The pattern number has been damaged so badly nothing can be read from it, but this seems to be the 2/2281 pattern so it is included here.

Photos © Gay Jungemann ~ Ruby Lane 2022

 

Top of Page

Return to Bedford Works patterns

 

Pattern 2/2603

The dessert centrepiece. Earthenware.

Pattern 2/2603 dessert centrepiece

Pattern 2/2603 dessert centrepiece

Pattern 2/2603 dessert centrepiece top

Pattern 2/2603 dessert centrepiece side

Pattern 2/2603 dessert centrepiece base

Pattern 2/2603 dessert centrepiece marks

The impressed "4" is probably a tally mark.

Photos © Aldona Taras 2022

 

Top of Page

Return to Bedford Works patterns

 

Pattern 2/2680

These same prints were used later on jugs.

The punchbowl is 325mm in diameter and 150mm tall. Earthenware.

Pattern 2/2680 punchbowl

Pattern 2/2680 punchbowl top

Pattern 2/2680 punchbowl side

Pattern 2/2680 punchbowl base

Pattern 2/2680 punchbowl pattern number

Photos © Haya Sapira 2021

 

Top of Page

Return to Bedford Works patterns

 

Pattern 2/6566 'Simlay'

The comport is 241mm in diameter and 127mm tall. Earthenware.

Pattern 2/6566 comport side

Pattern 2/6566 comport top

Pattern 2/6566 comport underside

Pattern 2/6566 comport base

Pattern 2/6566 comport pattern number

Photos © Ba Penney 2022

 

Top of Page

Return to Bedford Works patterns

 

Pattern 4/7780 "Birmah"

The covered vegetable dish is 244mm handle to handle, and 140mm tall. Earthenware.

Pattern 4/7780 covered vegetable dish side

Pattern 4/7780 covered vegetable dish handle side

Pattern 4/7780 covered vegetable dish top

Pattern 4/7780 covered vegetable dish inside

Pattern 4/7780 covered vegetable dish base

Pattern 4/7780 covered vegetable dish marks

Photos © Bonnie Jean Seiwell ~ Lady in Decadence 2022

 

Top of Page

Return to Bedford Works patterns

 

Pattern i/287 "Phlox"

Pattern i/287 large covered bowl

Pattern i/287 large covered bowl

Pattern i/287 large covered bowl handle detail

Pattern i/287 large covered bowl pattern number

This type of covered bowl is a known Ridgways shape and occurs in several patterns. It often has a stand.

Pattern i/287 small covered bowl

Pattern i/287 small covered bowl top minus lid

Pattern i/287 small covered bowl side

Pattern i/287 small covered bowl base

Pattern i/287 small covered bowl marks

The registration diamond is for 17 December 1879, Parcel 11 which is recorded as for Ridgways, Bedford Works, Hanley.

Pattern i/287 coffee cups and saucers

Pattern i/287 coffee cups and saucers base view

Pattern i/287 coffee saucer marks

The print name "PHLOX" only occurs on the saucers.

Pattern i/287 coffee cup pattern number

Photos from the collection of Marlene Ostler © 2020

 

Top of Page

Return to Bedford Works patterns

 

Pattern 3328 "Simlay"

The table centrepiece or fruit bowl is 257mm in diameter and 143mm tall. Earthenware.

Pattern 3328 bowl side

Pattern 3328 bowl handle side

Pattern 3328 bowl top

Pattern 3328 bowl base

Pattern 3328 bowl marks

The marks above the pattern number are probably "PS". That and the "N" are probably tally marks.

Photos © Chris Croucher 2024

 

Top of Page

Return to Bedford Works patterns

 

Pattern 5059 "Anglesey"

The meat dish is 300mm long, 235mm wide, and 30mm tall. Earthenware.

Pattern 5059 meat dish front

Pattern 5059 meat dish back

Pattern 5059 meat dish marks

Photos © Chris Holland 2023

 

Top of Page

Return to Bedford Works patterns