INDUSTRIES 



Ed"""- Lawrey J. Vint Tho'- Gales. Johann 

 Hichtenschleld ist jetzt unser Rcisender lebt mit 

 seinem Familien in Hamburg thut den Aufsicht 

 Uber unserer Lager in Hamburg. 



Charles F. Dawson. 

 William Dawson. 



Have generally 6 Glost Kilns drawn every 

 week. 



employ about 200 hands in the Factory 

 George Chambers Foreman 

 George Naisley Warehouse 



1840 



Building commenced April 

 about 150 ships of large dimensions are build- 

 ing in the Wear.' 



The mill was capable of grinding 20 tons of 

 flint a week. But John Dawson died in 1848,* 

 and although the pottery continued in the hands 

 of trustees, who at one time refused j^g,000 for 

 it, until 1864, no purchaser could then be found, 

 the plant was sold by auction, the moulds and 

 copper plates commanding a ready sale. About 

 1830 Dawson's pottery produced the best earthen- 

 ware and had the largest output of any pottery 

 on the Wear. One reason for his success was 

 the encouragement given to the workpeople to 

 bring their minds to bear on their work ; they 

 were encouraged to make new designs, and these 

 were passed through the oven for them without 

 question or delay. They were especially success- 

 ful with their blue willow ware. 



Whether Dixon & Austin took over the North 

 Hylton works when the Malings migrated to 

 Newcastle it is impossible to say with certainty ; 

 a John Phillips, whose identity is difficult to 

 establish, hovers over the Hylton and Sunderland 

 potteries, the marks John Phillips, Hylton 

 Pottery,^ J. Phillips, Sunderland Pottery,^" and 

 Phillips & Co. still existing. Possibly he worked 

 the pottery at Hylton before Dixon & Austin 

 took it over. But leaving the region of hypo- 

 thesis, the Sunderland, or as it was called by the 

 workpeople, the Garrison Pottery was established 

 by Robert Dixon & William Austin in 1807, in 

 a building that up to that time had been used as 

 a whiting factory ; Pottery Buildings now occupy 

 the site. Later they were joined by Thomas 

 Henderson ; and then Alexander Phillips, the 

 nephew of John Phillips, who acted as clerk to 

 the firm, was taken into partnership.^' As early 



'The document is in the possession of Mr. William 

 Ball of Deptford Pottery, to whom I am Indebted for 

 many local details concerning the Wearside potteries. 



* He was buried in the family vault in Hylton 

 Church. 



' A specimen in the Victoria and Albert Museum 

 has this mark. 



'°Mr. Ritson has a finely printed mug in his collec- 

 tion with the mark J. Phillips, Sunderland Pottery. 



" From information supplied by Mr. Dixon ot 

 Brisbane, Queensland, once partner in the firm. 



2 3 



as 1827 the firm consisted of Robert Dixon, 

 William Austin, Thomas Henderson, and 

 Alexander Phillips, though it traded under the 

 name of Dixon, Austin, Phillips & Co.'^ The 

 firm carried on the Hylton and Sunderland works 

 simultaneously. They did a large export trade, 

 and were especially noted for their pink lustre 

 ware. At one time the firm turned out excellent 

 work even from the artistic point of view ; the 

 following description of a jug gives a typical 

 example of their work about 1830. 



Sunderland globular Jug of white earthenware, 1 1 in. 

 high, loin.from tipofspout tocurveofhandle. Decora- 

 ted with band of leaves and flowers in colours round 

 neck and with borders of dark purple lustre round the 

 top and bottom of neck and the base of jug and on 

 the spout. The body of the jug is decorated with 

 purple lustre splash and designs in black transfer 

 printing filled in with red, blue, green, and yellow, as 

 follows — 



On front of jug — Below spout a shield with anchor 

 on it ; supporters two sailors bearing colours ; crest 

 full-rigged ship. Below shield is motto — ' Deus dabit 

 vela,' and below is inscribed — ' Mariner's Arms,' 

 Above this design is the address — ' Battle Bridge, 

 Hawk ' ; below, the name ' Henry Chatters.' 



On one side is the well-known design of the 

 Wearmouth Bridge surmounted by inscription giving 

 dimensions and date. 



On the other side is a design inscribed below 

 'Chelmsford Road 1822' and shewing a gig of 

 marvellous construction out of which apparently two 

 men have been thrown on to a high road. Further 

 on in front of a screen of bushes is the figure of a 

 man in dress of naval officer 1 8th or early 19th 

 century together with woman and two children all in 

 lachrj-mose attitudes and with ship of war at sea in 

 distance and boat waiting in foreground. Under this 

 is the name of the engraver. 



Below this design is this inscription — 



The orders giv'n. In haste the deck I 



the signal gun is mount,compar'd 



fir'd with me 



And the last mo- The storm knows 



ment of my stay rest & peace the 



expir'd raging sea. 



In the middle of which is the name of the firm of 

 potters, ' Dixon Austin & Co., Sunderland,' in an 

 oval. 



An extremely popular product of these works 

 was the lion ; the photograph is from a specimen 

 in Mr. Ritson's collection. It is of finely potted 

 white earthenware with lustrous white glaze. 

 The height is 9 in. and the length 10 in. ; it has 

 the mark Austin, Dixon & Co. impressed on top 

 of base. Date f. 1825.'' 



There is much difficulty with regard to the 

 borough of Sunderland Pottery. Jewitt, whose 

 assertions deservedly carry great weight, states 



" From agreement in the possession of Mr. Ritson ; 

 White and Parson, op. cit. i, 359. 



" I am indebted to Mr. V. R. Ritson for the 

 descriptions and the photographs. (PI. II.) 



13 40 



