Henry Arthur Davies (left), the son of James Davies (Timber Merchant) and Elizabeth Lees, was born in Hanley, Staffordshire in 1817.
He married Ann Wass, a grocer’s daughter, in St Peter, Leeds in 1840.
In the 1841 census, the couple and Ann’s young son, Charles Wass, were living at Milton Street, Holbeck, Leeds. Henry was a Grocer.
By 1851, the couple had moved to Newcastle upon Tyne. They were living in St Lawrence, in the district of All Saints. In addition to Charles, the couple now had James (born in Leeds), Theresa (Newcastle) and Henry (Newcastle). Henry was now an Engraver.
In the 1861 census, the family lived in 16 St Lawrence (presumably the same house as 1851). Children Charles, James and Theresa are listed but there is no record of Henry. However, the family had expanded with Edwin (Newcastle), Emma (Newcastle) and Septimus (Newcastle). Henry's occupation was a Potter Engraver. He may have worked in nearby Maling's Ford Pottery but at present I have no proof.
Sometime in the 1860s, the Davies family left Newcastle and moved to Bo’ness where Henry worked as a copper plate engraver in John Marshall’s Bo’ness Pottery.
They settled in Church Wynd (right), Bo’ness and it was there that Ann died on 22nd May 1867, age 47.
On 17th November, 1870 Henry married Barbara Easton, a Domestic Servant, in her home town of Bathgate. In the 1871 census, Barbara and the children were still living in Church Wynd, Bo’ness.
Henry, however, was in lodgings at 30 Albert Street, Glasgow working as an Engraver in the nearby Glasgow Pottery.
By 1873 his family had joined him in Glasgow and were living at 79 North St Mungo Street.
His elder daughter, Theresa, married Leonard Skerrett, a China Gilder (Journeyman), in Glasgow in September that year. Henry’s occupation was Copper Engraver (Journeyman).
In the 1881 census (recorded in April) the Davies’ lived at 140 West Graham Street. The following month they left Glasgow and returned to Bo’ness, where Henry’s youngest son, Septimus, was working at the Bo’ness Pottery.
Sometime within the next twelve months, Henry became the new occupier of the
Grange Pottery.
The family lived in the Braehead area of Bo’ness until 1884 when they then moved to Cowdenhill, Grangepans, the same locality as the Grange Pottery.
In 1885, his younger daughter, Emma, married James Smith, a China Merchant from Graham’s Dyke, Carriden (now part of present day Bo’ness). Emma’s occupation was a China Merchant, Henry’s was Earthenware Manufacturer.
By 1885, Henry had prospered to such an extent that as well as his pottery business, he had become a China Merchant with a house, shop and cellar in North Street and a store and granary in Scotland’s Close, both Bo’ness.
When Septimus (Pottery Decorator) married local girl Magdaline Morrison in 1888, Henry was described as an Engraver.
Two years later, his elder son, Edwin (Grocer & Provision Merchant), married Mary Chalmers (Milliner) in Stewarton. Henry’s occupation was a Lithographer (Master).
Following the closure of the Grange Pottery, Henry and Barbara moved to 94 Corbiehall (right), Bo’ness, a five room house, which was round the corner from their first home in Church Wynd. Henry didn’t let bankruptcy stop him moving from a house with a yearly rent of £10 to one with a rent of £12.
They were still living there in 1891. The census gives Henry’s occupation as Pottery Engraver.
In 1894 they moved to a smaller house with a yearly rent of £11. They lived at 17 Corbiehall, next door to my Great Grandparents who lived at No.15.
Four years later they moved to a modest (by their standards) three room house, with a yearly rent of £9, at 23 Corbiehall. Their rent of £9 was still 2-3 times more than their neighbours. They lived there at the time of the 1901 census and Henry’s occupation was Engraver.
In 1902, the Davies’ were living in Glasgow Road, Camelon, Falkirk.
Barbara died on 11th July that year, age 79. Henry died 5 months later, on 11th December, age 84. They are buried in Camelon Cemetery beside their son, Edwin, and his family.
ALSO HIS MOTHER BARBARA EASTON
DIED 11TH JULY 1902, AGED 79 YEARS
AND HIS FATHER HENRY DAVIES
DIED 11TH DEC 1902 AGED 85 YEARS
Henry Davies: a photo (of a painting) provided by Henry's Great Great Grandson
Henry Davies' Business Card: provided by Henry's Great Grandson
According to J. Arnold Fleming’s Scottish Pottery, Henry Davies was producing brownware from his Bo’ness Rockingham Pottery in the 1880s and Henry's business card (above) confirms this.
However, with all the above references to him being an engraver did Henry Davies produce more than Rockingham style brownware in his pottery? Until a marked pot is discovered we will never know.