Church Works and Broad Street Works
'Wellington' Dessert Shape
William Ridgway imported the 'Wellington' shape moulds from his Church and Cobden Works partnership to the Broad Street Works. Distinguishing between the products of the two firms is thankfully not too difficult. We have the traveller's pattern book for Church Works patterns 1 to 196, and the Broad Street Works pattern description books start at pattern 123. From pattern 371 all Broad Street numbers have a 3/ prefix. The coloured stoneware bodies were restricted to the Church Works, and the Blue, White, and Green Stone bodies were restricted to the Broad Street Works. Where life does get a little difficult is that both factories used the standard earthenware body and were not above running down the road to the other factory when a production run ran short. We can then find pieces with Church Works impressed marks and Broad Street Works patterns, which causes no end of confusion.
William Ridgway & Co.
'Etruscan Festoon' yellow & brown
Ridgway, Morley, Wear, & Co.
Church Works and Cobden Works Patterns
"Albion"
This is a modified form of the 'Wellington' shape. The floret edge groups have been removed and replaced by sprigged on rose and thistle groups in grey coloured earthenware. As the print also includes roses, thistles, and shamrocks, one would assume this was done to mark a particularly patriotic occasion. The only thing that comes to mind during the short life of the partnership is the coronation of King William IV on 8 September 1831. The condition of the plate is remarkable; there are no knife scratches or stacking marks, only some minor edge abrasions.
The dessert plate is 234mm in diameter. Earthenware with grey coloured earthenware sprigs.
Photos © Angela Grant 2018
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"Flosculous" green on blue
The oval dessert dish is 294mm long and 232mm wide. Pale blue coloured earthenware.
All the remaining pieces of this pattern are of a slightly different colour to the one above. The blue ground is darker, and the green print is lighter. My best guess is a difference in time of manufacture, but which is earlier, and which later, I cannot say.
The oval dessert dish is 298mm long and 235mm wide. Pale blue coloured earthenware.
The round dessert dish is 258mm long and 232mm wide. Pale blue coloured earthenware.
The dessert plate is 231mm in diameter. Pale blue coloured earthenware.
Photos © Angela Grant 2018
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'Etruscan Festoon' yellow & brown
The round dessert dish is 27mm long and 240mm wide. Earthenware.
Photos © Robert Hawker 2023
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Pattern 41
The dessert plate is 232mm in diameter. Pale blue coloured earthenware.
Photos © Angela Grant 2018
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Pattern 57
The traveller's pattern book has this description:
'as 44 with handle gilt & gold band.'
The rectangular dessert dish is 298mm long and 235mm wide. Pale blue stoneware.
Photos © Bonnie Jean Seiwell ~ Lady in Decadence 2021
The round dessert dish is 264mm long and 236mm wide. Pale blue stoneware.
Photos © Angela Grant 2018
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Pattern 68
The traveller's pattern book has this description:
'as 57 no gilding on ornts or band self cold.'
The dessert plate is 228mm in diameter. Pale blue coloured earthenware.
Photos © Angela Grant 2018
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Pattern 180
The traveller's pattern book has this description:
'Dessert Patt as 57 only the sage flowers are done in citron base & the bisct blue leafage is done in Mulberry base - The handles of Plates &c ar [sic] not based.'
The dessert plate is 232mm in diameter. Pale blue coloured earthenware.
Photos © Angela Grant 2018
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Pattern 400
For a jug with the same decoration see here.
The round dessert dish is 267mm long and 239mm wide. Earthenware.
Although there is no backstamp, the print is clearly the same as in pattern 401, and there is no 3/ prefix to the number, so this is from the Church Works firm. The meaning of the impressed "W" and "4" is lost in the mists of time.
Photos © Angela Grant 2018
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Pattern 401
The dessert plate is 234mm in diameter. Earthenware.
Photos © Angela Grant 2018
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Pattern 580
What the difference is between this pattern and Pattern 401 above is a mystery to me.
The dessert plate. Earthenware.
Photos © Valerio Maggioni 2022
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Broad Street Works Patterns
All entries from the factory pattern description books are reproduced courtesy of The V&A/Wedgwood Collection.
"Caledonian No. 2"
The dessert plate is 233mm in diameter. Earthenware.
Note the figure "2" immediately below the backstamp in the usual place for pattern numbers in this factory.
The impressed "9" in the corner of the shield may relate to the plate size in inches, or it may simply be a moulder's tally mark.
Photos © Angela Grant 2018
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Pattern 140
The pattern description book entry for 140 reads:
'Table Bedford B[lue] S[tone]. Dessert Wellington. Printed in Black. D[ar]k Blue on biscuit. Lustre edge. Groups as 128 D[ar]k & light Blue En[amelle]d Rose Green & Gilt.'
128 uses the same print in red on 'Bedford' table wares only. (q.v.)
The square dessert dish is 270mm long, 250mm wide, and 50mm tall. Blue Stone body.
One handle has been reconstructed, not entirely successfully.
Photos © Chris Holland 2023
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Pattern 144
For an example of this pattern on table ware see 'Bedford' table ware page.
The pattern description book reads:
'Table Bedford B[lue] S[tone]. Dessert X. Printed in P[urple] Brown. Dr Blue on biscuit. Lustre edge. Old India Blue & Red Japan Gilt & Burnished.'
The 'X' in the dessert column is puzzling as, if there is no dessert version, the column is usually left blank. It may be intended as a ditto marking, in which case the shape recorded nearest above the mark is 'Wellington'.
The comport is 355mm long, 285mm wide, and 175mm tall. Blue Stone body.
The pattern number is damaged, but the pattern certain.
Photos © Chris Holland 2023
The round dessert dish. Blue Stone body.
No pattern number, but it nearly matches the pattern, except for the shoulder band, so is listed here. It could be Pattern 158, but, until a marked piece of Pattern 158 appears we cannot be sure of that. Alternatively it may be an unnumbered experimental piece.
Photos © Bonnie Jean Seiwell ~ Lady in Decadence 2023
The dessert plate. Blue Stone body.
Photos © Kenneth H. Carleton 2020
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Pattern 154
The pattern description book reads:
'Table Bedford BS. Dessert Wellington. Toilet "[?]. Printed in Lavender. Blue on Biscuit. Lustre Edge. No 21 Pattn. No bead. Dk Blue leaves & Gilt, Burnd.'
The dessert plate is 227mm in diameter. Blue Stone body.
Photos © Angela Grant 2018
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Pattern 181
For other wares with the same print see the "Hicks No.66" page.
The pattern description book reads:
'Dest Wellington. Printed in M Green. Dk Green on Biscuit. Lustre Edge. Hicks 66 Pattn Cold Rose Green &c Gilt & Burnished.'
The dessert plate is 231mm in diameter. Blue Stone body.
There is considerable wear on the gilding.
Photos © Angela Grant 2018
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Pattern 195
The pattern description book reads:
'Dessert Wellington. Printed in S[tone] Brown. Various Colors [sic] on Biscuit. White Edge. Light Blue base ground Basket flowes [sic] Centre. Gilt & Scoured - 2 Gold lines burn[ished].'
The square dessert dish is 276mm long and 256mm wide. Blue Stone body.
There is some wear on the gilding, and some staining on the reverse.
Photos © Angela Grant 2018
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Pattern 197
The pattern description book reads:
'Dessert Wellington. Print S[tone] Brown. Various Colors [sic] on biscuit. White edge. Light Blue base Ground Dog Rose Centre Gilt &c as 195.'
The round dessert dish. Blue stone body.
Photos © Bonnie Jean Seiwell ~ Lady in Decadence 2020
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Pattern 198
The pattern description book reads:
'Dessert Wellington. Printed in S[tone] Brown. Various Colors [sic] on Biscuit. White Edge. Drab Base Ground Dog Rose Centre Gilt &c as 195.'
The dessert plate is 231mm in diameter. Blue Stone body.
There is some wear on the gilding.
This backstamp was introduced in the Broad Street works during the Ridgway, Morley, Wear, & Co. period.
Photos © Angela Grant 2018
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Pattern 255
The pattern description book reads:
'Jugs &c E Ware. Dessert Wellington. Toilet Florence. Printed in Dove. Various Colors [sic] on Biscuit. White Edge. Fancy Pattern Cov'd all over Col'd U Glaze.'
The round dessert dish is 261mm long and 235mm wide. Earthenware.
There is some staining in the centre on both sides.
The crown mark is the same as the mark on pattern 198, but without the ribbon. Only the crown was used because this is an earthenware body, and not stoneware.
Photos © Angela Grant 2018
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