Church Works and Cobden Works
Early Tea and Breakfast Wares

For later tea wares see the E J Ridgway tea wares page.

William Ridgway & Co.

'No,11' black basalt

'Tam o'Shanter' pale blue

"Forget Me Not" puce

"Forget Me Not" purple & grey

"Helical" green on blue

"Helical" black on blue

"Marcella" puce

Pattern 148

Pattern 199

Pattern 222

Pattern 340

Pattern 484

Pattern 587

William Ridgway, Son, & Co.

'Alhambra' stone

'Alhambra' pale blue

'Alhambra' greenish grey

"Union"

Pattern 629

Pattern 1623

Pattern 2315

Pattern 3032

 

'No.11' black basalt

This teapot is something of a puzzle. The moulding exactly resembles the Pattern 11 teapot in buff stoneware shown in the traveller's pattern book formerly in the possession of Geoffrey Godden and now in the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery. But black basalt is not one of the bodies previously reported for William Ridgway & Co., which gives us a problem. It is reputed that Willam took over the Church and Cobden Works from Joseph Mayer who was well known for producing black basalt. William's partner Leonard Stanley Abington was a modeller who had previously worked for J. D. Bagster and Joseph Mayer. So it may well be that the mould for Pattern 11 may have been produced under Joseph Mayer, when this black basalt teapot was made, and then used again to produce Pattern 11 in buff stoneware under William Ridgway & Co.

The teapot is 254mm long. Black basalt.

Black basalt teapot left side

Black basalt teapot spout side

Black basalt teapot right side

Black basalt teapot right side detail

Black basalt teapot handle side

Black basalt teapot right side lid detail

Black basalt teapot lid detail

Black basalt teapot left side top minus lid

Black basalt teapot base

Photos © Buckinghamshire Antiques 2020

 

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'Tam o'Shanter' pale blue

The mouldings are based on scenes from the 1790 Robert Burns poem 'Tam o'Shanter'.

The sugar box. Pale blue stoneware.

Tam o'Shanter sugar box side 1

Tam o'Shanter sugar box side 2

Tam o'Shanter sugar box end

Regretfully I have no photo of the base, but information indicates it is unmarked.

Photos © Trent Antiques 2021

 

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'Alhambra' buff stone

For jugs with this moulded design see here.

The teapot is 220mm spout to handle, and 105mm tall. Buff stone coloured earthenware.

Alhambra stone teapot top

Alhambra stone teapot left side

Alhambra stone teapot spout side

Alhambra stone teapot right side

Alhambra stone teapot handle side

Alhambra stone teapot filter detail

Alhambra stone teapot base

The double mark in the centre is probably a moulder's tally mark.

Alhambra stone teapot impressed mark

Photos © David Beresford 2020

 

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'Alhambra' pale blue

For jugs with this moulded design see here.

The sugar box is 111mm width across flats, and 89mm tall.

Alhambra pale blue sugar box

Alhambra pale blue sugar box top

Alhambra pale blue sugar box lid underside

Alhambra pale blue sugar box base top

Alhambra pale blue sugar box side

Alhambra pale blue sugar box base

Alhambra pale blue sugar box impressed mark

Photos © Marci Andrews ~ Andrews Vintage 2020

 

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'Alhambra' greenish-grey

For jugs with this moulded design see here.

The honey pot or beehive is 136mm in diameter and 116mm tall. Greenish-grey coloured earthenware.

Alhambra green-grey honey pot

Alhambra green-grey honey pot top

Alhambra green-grey honey pot lid underside

Alhambra green-grey honey pot top minus lid

Alhambra green-grey honey pot side

Alhambra green-grey honey pot base

Alhambra green-grey honey pot mark

The only mark is this tiny anchor, which is probably a moulder's tally mark.

Photos © Angela Grant 2020

 

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"Forget Me Not" puce

The teapot is 270mm spout to handle, 165mm tall, and 160mm wide. Earthenware.

Forget Me Not teapot

Forget Me Not teapot top

Forget Me Not teapot filter

Forget Me Not teapot side

Forget Me Not teapot handle

Forget Me Not teapot backstamp

The unhandled tea cup and saucer. Saucer is 140mm in diameter. Tea cup is 95mm in diameter and 57mm tall. Earthenware.

Forget Me Not cup and saucer

Forget Me Not saucer back

Forget Me Not saucer backstamp

Photos © Tommy Cheatham 2019

 

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"Forget Me Not" purple & grey

When I first bought this piece I thought the enamel on the outside (the inside is purple only) had faded to grey in patches, but the backstamp, which would be the part most protected from the light, is pure grey. I now believe this is an attempt at two colour printing using a single printing plate. As such I am not sure that it's entirely successful. The effect is best seen on the base shot.

The slop bowl is 138mm in diameter and 67mm tall.

Forget Me Not slop bowl top

Forget Me Not slop bowl inside border detail

Forget Me Not slop bowl side

Forget Me Not slop bowl base

Forget Me Not slop bowl backstamp

Photos © Angela Grant 2020

 

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"Helical" green on blue

For reference to print name see Godden, Ridgway Porcelains (1985), p.158, Plate 177.

For a jug with the same decoration see here.

The tea cup & saucer. Blue coloured earthenware or earthenware with blue slip coating.

Helical tea cup and saucer

The saucer is 144mm in diameter. Blue coloured earthenware or earthenware with blue slip coating.

Helical saucer front

Helical saucer side

Helical saucer back

Helical saucer backstamp

The tea cup is 57mm tall, and 67mm to the tip of the handle. It is 96mm in diameter, and the handle protrudes 22mm. Blue coloured earthenware or earthenware with blue slip coating.

Helical tea cup top

Helical tea cup left side

Helical tea cup handle side

Helical tea cup base

The 8 inch muffin is 191mm in diameter. Blue coloured earthenware or earthenware with blue slip coating.

Helical muffin front

Helical muffin side

Helical muffin back

Helical muffin backstamp

Photos © Angela Grant 2020

The toast rack is 190mm long, 123mm wide, and 84mm high. Blue coloured earthenware or earthenware with blue slip coating.

Helical toast rack top

Helical toast rack side

Helical toast rack end

Helical toast rack base

No marks whatsoever. Identification was purely by print and colour.

Photos © Angela Grant 2019

 

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"Helical" black on blue

The breakfast saucer is 168mm in diameter. Blue coloured earthenware or earthenware with blue slip coating.

Helical breakfast saucer front

Helical breakfast saucer side

Helical breakfast saucer back

Helical breakfast saucer backstamp

The curious star-like device is probably a tally mark for the person applying the transfer.

Photos © Angela Grant 2020

 

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"Marcella" puce

The unhandled 'Grecian' cup & saucer. Earthenware.

Marcella unhandled cup and saucer

The saucer is 143mm in diameter. Earthenware.

Marcella saucer front

Marcella saucer front detail

Marcella saucer back

Marcella saucer marks

The unhandled cup is 98mm in diameter 67mm tall. Earthenware.

Marcella unhandled cup side

Marcella unhandled cup top detail

Marcella unhandled cup base

Photos © Bonnie Jean Seiwell ~ Lady in Decadence 2020

 

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"Union"

For dinner wares in this pattern see here.

At first I thought that the subject matter of this print, as usual, bore no relation to the name. I then observed what the two boys at the foot of the central urn were doing. The boy on the right has a loose bundle of sticks and is breaking each one individually across his knee. The boy on the left, however, has a bundle of sticks that are tightly bound together, and therefore cannot be broken. This is a version of what came to be known in English radical circles as 'the parable of the sticks'. Hence a 'union' of many is stronger than each individual alone. The Ridgways were Methodists in religion and Liberals in politics, so the use of this symbol is hardly surprising.

The unhandled tea cup and saucer. Saucer is 146mm in diameter. Tea cup is 102mm in diameter and 57mm tall. Earthenware.

Union tea cup and saucer

Union saucer detail

Union saucer back

Union saucer marks

The impressed mark reads: "OPAQUE / GRANITE / CHINA / W. R. & Co".

Union tea cup top

Union tea cup base

The impressed mark reads: "OPAQUE / GRANITE / CHINA / W. R. & Co".

Photos © Tommy Cheatham 2019

 

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Pattern 148

The tea cup & saucer. Pale blue stoneware.

Pattern 148 tea cup and saucer

The saucer is 144mm in diameter. Pale blue coloured earthenware.

Pattern 148 saucer front

Pattern 148 saucer side

Pattern 148 saucer back

Pattern 148 saucer pattern number

The tea cup is 61mm tall, and 69mm to the tip of the handle. It is 89mm in diameter, and the handle protrudes 19mm. Pale blue coloured earthenware.

Pattern 148 tea cup top

Pattern 148 tea cup left side

Pattern 148 tea cup middle side

Pattern 148 tea cup right side

Pattern 148 tea cup handle side

Pattern 148 tea cup base

Pattern 148 tea cup pattern number

Photos © Angela Grant 2020

 

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Pattern 199

The teapot is 254mm tall. Pale blue stoneware.

Pattern 199 teapot left side

Pattern 199 teapot right side

Pattern 199 teapot right side detail

Pattern 199 teapot top

Pattern 199 teapot lid base body top

Pattern 199 teapot base

Pattern 199 teapot pattern number

Photos © Yorkshire-Antiques.com 2023

 

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Pattern 222

The 'Roman Toy' sugar box is 64mm tall and 108mm across handles. Pale blue stoneware with applied flowers in white stoneware.

Pattern 222 toy sugar box side 1

Pattern 222 toy sugar box side 2

Pattern 222 toy sugar box lid top

Pattern 222 toy sugar box base top

Pattern 222 toy sugar box base

Photos © Judith Ravnitzky 2023

 

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Pattern 340

The print of this pattern recurs on Pattern 1623 below.

The sugar box is 204mm long, 162mm wide, and 139mm tall. Earthenware.

Pattern 340 sugar box top

Pattern 340 sugar box cover base

Pattern 340 sugar box top less cover

Pattern 340 sugar box side

Pattern 340 sugar box end

Pattern 340 sugar box base

Pattern 340 sugar box pattern number

Photos © Angela Grant 2020

The bread & butter plate is 270mm long and 240mm wide. Earthenware.

Pattern 340 bread and butter plate front

Pattern 340 bread and butter plate back

Photos © Maria Kultys 2022

 

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Pattern 484

The tea cup and saucer. Earthenware.

Pattern 484 tea cup and saucer

The saucer is 143mm in diameter.

Pattern 484 saucer front

Pattern 484 saucer side

Pattern 484 saucer back

Pattern 484 saucer marks

The impressed mark reads: "OPAQUE / GRANITE / CHINA / W. R. & Co".

The tea cup is 58mm tall, and 64mm to the tip of the handle. It is 103mm in diameter, and the handle protrudes 21mm.

Pattern 484 tea cup top

Pattern 484 tea cup right side

Pattern 484 tea cup handle side

Pattern 484 tea cup base

Pattern 484 tea cup marks

The impressed mark reads: "OPAQUE / GRANITE / CHINA / W. R. & Co".

Photos © Angela Grant 2018

 

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Pattern 587

Although the piece is badly damaged I have included photos taken by the owner because of the interesting late use of the "Dresden Opaque China" print originally used in the 1820s by Job Ridgway & Sons at Cauldon Place, and later by John & William Ridgway at Cauldon Place and the Bell Works. For earlier examples of the same print see the "Dresden Opaque China" print page.
How the printing plates ended up at the Church Works is curious. When the partnership between John and William ended, John took the Cauldon Place works, and William took the Bell Works. I have long thought, for various reasons, that the blue & white earthenware patterns of the partnership were made at the Bell Works after John & William took it over from George Ridgway's sons, and that William continued to make them after the partnership broke up. It would therefore have been possible for the Church Works partnership (William being senior partner) to 'borrow' printing plates a decade after they ceased to be used at the Bell Works (run by William alone). See also Pattern 576.

The teapot stand is 182.5mm long and 140mm wide. Earthenware.

Pattern 587 teapot stand front

Pattern 587 teapot stand back

Pattern 587 teapot stand marks

The impressed mark reads: "OPAQUE / GRANITE / CHINA / W. R. & Co".

Photos © Nancy French 2019

 

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Pattern 629

The teapot is 292mm long and 181mm tall. Earthenware.

Pattern 629 teapot left side

Pattern 629 teapot spout side

Pattern 629 teapot right side

Pattern 629 teapot handle side

Pattern 629 teapot top

Pattern 629 teapot lid underside

Pattern 629 teapot top minus lid

Pattern 629 teapot base

Pattern 629 teapot pattern number

The small teapot is 254mm long and 158mm tall. Earthenware.

Pattern 629 teapot 2 left side

Pattern 629 teapot 2 spout side

Pattern 629 teapot 2 right side

Pattern 629 teapot 2 handle side

Pattern 629 teapot 2 top

Pattern 629 teapot 2 lid underside

Pattern 629 teapot 2 top minus lid

Pattern 629 teapot 2 base

The sugar box is 200mm long and 156mm tall. Earthenware.

Pattern 629 sugar box side

Pattern 629 sugar box end

Pattern 629 sugar box handle detail

Pattern 629 sugar box lid underside

Pattern 629 sugar box top minus lid

Pattern 629 sugar box base

Pattern 629 sugar box pattern number

The creamer is 162mm long and 133mm tall. Earthenware.

Pattern 629 creamer top

Pattern 629 creamer left side

Pattern 629 creamer lip side

Pattern 629 creamer right side

Pattern 629 creamer handle side

Pattern 629 creamer base

Pattern 629 creamer pattern number

The slop bowl is 137mm in diameter and 73mm tall. Earthenware.

Pattern 629 slop bowl top

Pattern 629 slop bowl side 1

Pattern 629 slop bowl side 2

Pattern 629 slop bowl base

Pattern 629 slop bowl pattern number

The tea bowl & saucer. Earthenware.

Pattern 629 tea bowl and saucer

The saucer is 143mm in diameter. Earthenware.

Pattern 629 saucer front

Pattern 629 saucer back

Pattern 629 saucer marks

This is the lowest pattern number I have seen with a William Ridgway, Son, & Co. backstamp.

The unhandled tea cup is 102mm in diameter and 57mm tall. Earthenware.

Pattern 629 tea cup top

Pattern 629 tea cup side

Pattern 629 tea cup base

Pattern 629 tea cup pattern

The 6 inch muffin is 156mm in diameter. Earthenware.

Pattern 629 muffin front

Pattern 629 muffin back

Pattern 629 muffin pattern number

Photos © Bonnie Jean Seiwell ~ Lady in Decadence 2020

 

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Pattern 1623

The print of this pattern was previously used on Pattern 340 above.

The teapot is 253mm long, 176mm in diameter, and 104mm tall including lid. Earthenware.

Pattern 1623 teapot top

Pattern 1623 teapot lid base

Pattern 1623 teapot side

Pattern 1623 teapot spout

Pattern 1623 teapot handle

Pattern 1623 teapot base

Pattern 1623 teapot marks

The saucer is 145mm in diameter. Earthenware.

Pattern 1623 saucer front

Pattern 1623 saucer side

Pattern 1623 saucer back

Pattern 1623 saucer marks

The tea cup is 61mm tall, and 64mm to the tip of the handle. It is 97mm in diameter, and the handle protrudes 17mm. Earthenware.

Pattern 1623 tea cup top

Pattern 1623 tea cup side

Pattern 1623 tea cup middle

Pattern 1623 tea cup handle

Pattern 1623 tea cup base

Pattern 1623 tea cup marks

The 7 inch muffin is 187mm in diameter. Earthenware.

Pattern 1623 muffin front

Pattern 1623 muffin back

Pattern 1623 muffin marks

The impressed mark reads: "OPAQUE / GRANITE / CHINA / W. R. & Co".

Photos © Angela Grant 2019

 

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Pattern 2315

This pattern is important because it can be dated. The 'Alhambra' shape jug was reported in the Art-Union magazine for May 1845, so this pattern was probably issued around that time, or shortly after.1

A jug of the same pattern may be found here.

Teapot. Earthenware.

Pattern 2315 teapot side

Pattern 2315 teapot top

Pattern 2315 teapot base

Pattern 2315 teapot base detail

Pattern 2315 teapot pattern number

Photos © Jim Mcauliffe 2019

 

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Pattern 3032

The bread & butter plate is 260mm long and 229mm wide. Earthenware.

Pattern 3032 bread and butter plate front

Pattern 3032 bread and butter plate front detail

Pattern 3032 bread and butter plate front detail 2

Pattern 3032 bread and butter plate back

Pattern 3032 bread and butter plate pattern number

Photos © Rebecca Coy 2021

 

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Notes

1. See R. K. Henrywood, Relief-Moulded Jugs 1820-1900 (1984), pp.79-80.