GRANGE POTTERY
According to J. Arnold Fleming’s Scottish Pottery, Henry Davies was producing brownware from his Bo’ness Rockingham Pottery in the
1880’s.
Fleming continues:
He was a very good engraver, and had done many of the best patterns for the brothers Bell in Glasgow. Unfortunately for him the
pottery was not a success, and was closed after being in operation only a few years.
This Rockingham Pottery was the Grange Pottery in Grangepans. Its first listing in the valuation roll was for the years 1879-80, the
proprietor was Henry Cadell, of Grange by Bo’ness and the occupier was James Adair, potter.
In 1880-81, James Adair was also renting a house and shop next to the pottery. However, by April 1881, he was living and working in
Rutherglen, presumably at the Caledonian Pottery.
In May 1881, the Davies family moved to Bo’ness and in the valuation roll for 1881-82, Henry Davies was the new occupier of the
Grange Pottery.
By 1885 he had also become a China Merchant, with a shop in North Street in Bo’ness.
In 1887, the pottery became Henry Davies & Son. The son was, presumably, Septimus, an experienced pottery worker as Henry’s elder
son, Edwin, was a grocer living in the west of Scotland.
Perhaps the competition from the new, bigger Bridgeness Pottery proved to be too much because in 1888, the Grange Pottery closed.
The china shop closed the following year.
Henry Davies’ Grange Pottery was in production for only 7 years.
On 20th July 1888, sequestration notices were placed in both the Edinburgh and London Gazettes headed –
On 1st August 1888, Henry’s Liabilities were £600 8s 0d, a sum that was almost double his Assets of £329 7s 6d.
Listed in the Liabilities were three potteries:
George Patterson, Gateshead
Campbellfield Pottery Co., Glasgow
H. Aynsley & Co., Hanley
He owed money to three potteries. What had he bought from these potteries?
Henry Davies, Engraver, Earthenware Manufacturer and China Merchant
This next part is complete speculation, but it would be nice if it turned out to be fact
As Davies was a skilled engraver, he may have produced more than brown Rockingham ware. Perhaps he bought blanks and decorated
them but as he was a competitor to the Bo’ness and Bridgeness Potteries would they have sold him anything?
There are many Bosphorus (THE Bo’ness pattern) plates with Patterson impressed into the base and no other markings.
However, some have the mark GP. Although Patterson had a pottery in Gateshead, it was known as Sheriff Hill Pottery, not Gateshead
Pottery. So it is unlikely that GP stood for Gateshead Pottery.
GP may have stood for George Patterson but I like to think that there is always a slight possibility that it stood for Grange Pottery.
As I have already said, this is purely speculation and I have no proof of this
In his Grange Pottery, Henry Davies may have produced brown Rockingham ware similar to these pieces:
Henry Davies' Business Card - provided by his Great Grandson
This mug was made by Henry DAVIS (not Davies). Could this be our Henry? If so, he made it before he moved to Scotland from his
native England.
Glasgow Herald, 25 September 1882
Situations Vacant - Teapot Spoutmaker (good) Wanted. Constant work. Good wages, or by the piece. - Apply to Grange Pottery, Bo'ness.
Glasgow Herald, 24 June 1884
Situations Vacant - Teapot Thrower (good steady) Wanted. Constant work to a good workman. - H Davies, Grange Pottery, Bo'ness.
Situations Vacant - Teapot Spoutmaker (good) Wanted. Constant work. Good wages, or by the piece. - Apply to Grange Pottery, Bo'ness.
Glasgow Herald, 24 June 1884
Situations Vacant - Teapot Thrower (good steady) Wanted. Constant work to a good workman. - H Davies, Grange Pottery, Bo'ness.