CHAPTER XII. 



WILLIAM COOKWORTHY DISCOVERS THE USE OF CORNISH CLAY 



AND CORNISH STONE. MEMOIR OF COOKWORTHY. HIS 



ACCOUNT OF HIS DISCOVERIES. ESTABLISHES WORKS AT 

 PLYMOUTH. PLYMOUTH CHINA. TAKES OUT A PATENT. 

 SUCCESS OF THE WORKS. EMPLOYS ARTISTS FROM SEVRES 

 AND DRESDEN. DECLINE OF THE WORKS. ASSIGNMENT 

 TO RICHARD CHAMPION, OF BRISTOL. REMOVAL OF THE 

 CHINA WORKS FROM PLYMOUTH TO BRISTOL. ACT OF 

 PARLIAMENT FOR EXTENDING TERM OF PATENT RIGHT. 



IN 1795, Richard Champion, of Bristol, having in the 

 previous year become possessed of the patent of William 

 Cookworthy, of Plymouth, for the making of china, applied 

 on the 22nd of February, by petition to parliament, for an 

 extension of the term of patent right in the use of the raw 

 materials the Cornish stone and clay, and the manufacture 

 of porcelain. To this application Wedgwood, on behalf of 

 himself and the potters of Staffordshire, made an energetic 

 and determined opposition, with, however, but partial 

 success. This being the case, and the matter being one 

 of vital importance not only to himself but to potters 

 generally, resulting, in fact, in the first introduction of the 

 manufacture of china into Staffordshire, and being the first 

 discovery of the use of Cornish clay and stone in the potter's 

 art, renders some account of Cookworthy and his discoveries 

 necessary in this place. 



William Cookworthy was born at Kingsbridge, not many 

 miles from Plymouth, on the 12th of April, 1705, his 

 parents being William and Edith Cookworthy, who were 

 Quakers. His father was a weaver, and died leaving his 



