14 YORKSHIRE POTTERIES, ETC. 
Methley, “ a good mansion house " close to and on the east of the 
road leading to Methley Bridge, which had been built by Michael 
Stocks of Methley, fifty years previously, in front of a very ancient 
and historic tenement, bearing the same name. 
Dunderdale was churchwarden and overseer of the poor for 
Methley at various periods between 1799 and 1814, and he was a 
First-Lieutenant of the Pontefract Volunteers of 1798-9 (of which 
the Hon. Henry Savile was Major and the Hon. Chas. Savile and 
John, Earl of Mexborough, were then Captains), from all of which 
we may gather that at this period the works were doing well. 
The Peninsular War came, however, as a death blow to enterprises 
which depended to any extent upon the French and Spanish 
markets. French privateers roamed the seas, and cargo after 
cargo of the Castleford wares fell, as it is asserted, into the hands 
of the enemy. At home there was neither money to purchase, nor 
artistic enthusiasm to support, anything superior to the commonest 
productions. David Dunderdale retired from the works—it is 
hinted with sadly diminished resources—soon after the Peace, and 
died at Trafalgar Street, Leeds, in May, 1824, aged 52 ; he is 
buried with his parents in St. John’s churchyard, and is described 
on the slab which covers their remains as “ late of Dunford House.’’ 
In 1820 the manufactory was closed, and in 1821 a part of the 
works was taken by some of the workmen. They were succeeded 
by Taylor, Harrison and Co., Harrison having been an apprentice 
of Dunderdale’s. These works were an offshoot of the old Pottery-. 
At the close of the year 1825, the old works were taken by Asquith, 
Wood and Co. They 7 were joined in partnership by Thomas 
Nicholson from the Leeds Pottery 7 , and carried on the business 
as Asquith, Wood and Nicholson, and afterwards as Wood and 
Nicholson alone. In 1854 another change took place by 7 which 
Mr. Nicholson, one of the old firm, retained the works, and took 
into partnership Thomas Hartley 7 , the styde of the firm being 
Thomas Nicholson and Co. When Mr. Nicholson retired it was 
carried on by T. Hartley 7 alone, and afterwards with partners 
under the old name of Nicholson and Co. In December, 1871, 
Mr. Hartley died, and the Castleford Pottery 7 was then, and still 
is, carried on by his co-partners, Messrs. Hugh McDowall Clokie 
and John Masterman, under the styde of “Clokie and Masterman." 
The wares made in Dunderdale's time consisted :— 
First—of useful table pottery 7 , dinner services, etc., well moulded 
and potted ; the glaze where it has accumulated in any 7 quantity 7 
