XV 



Cookworthy 175 



due entirely to individual enterprise. No royal powers 

 were conferred upon its first makers. Yet the narrative 

 of its introduction is not without interest. Kaolin, or 

 China Clay, was discovered in Cornwall by William 

 Cookworthy, a chemist and druggist at Plymouth. As 

 early as 1*745 his attention was directed to the subject 

 of porcelain. He made experiments on the clays of 

 Cornwall and Devon. He scientifically and carefully 

 examined them. After long and varied experiments he 

 discovered, in 1768, that the materials for the manu- 

 facture of genuine porcelain existed at Tregonnin Hill, 

 in the parish of Germo, between Helston and Penzance ; 

 and also in the parish of St. Stephens, between Truro, 

 St. Austell, and St. Columb ; as well as at Boconnoc, 

 near the family seat of Thomas Pitt, Lord Camelford. 1 



There is a traditional belief, says Mr. Jewitt, that 

 Cookworthy first found the stone he was anxious to 

 discover in the tower of St. Columb church, which is 

 built of stone from St. Stephens, and this led him to 

 the spot where the stone was to be procured. 2 At all 

 events, having made the important discovery, Cookworthy 

 at once resolved to carry out his intention of making 

 porcelain, and endeavoured to secure the material for 

 himself. For this purpose he went to London to see 

 the proprietors of the land, and to arrange for purchas- 

 ing the royalty. In this he succeeded ; and ultimately 



1 Lord Camelford was the elder brother of William Pitt, Earl of 

 Chatham. 



2 Jewitt's Life of Wedgwood. 



