China manufacturer in Scotland circa 1800

[Lodger]

The National Records of Scotland has paperwork regarding "James Anderson, potter in Alloa" dated 1804 and is regarding his father's (also James Anderson) estate in Dunbar.

Try this link, I hope it opens.
http://catalogue.nrscotland.gov.uk/nrsonlinecatalogue/details.aspx?reference=CS231%2fA%2f3%2f15&st=1&tc=y&tl=n&tn=n&tp=n&k=james+anderson+potter&ko=p&r=&ro=s&df=&dt=&di=y

[Rosinish]

I think she was born in Haddington in the 1780s. This could be wrong, if so it's still likely to be the lowlands region. Her son was born in Alloa, Clacks, and lived in Edinburgh and Fife.

Hi Kirsty,

Have you looked for Catherine in 1851 which should indicate where she was born?

Annie

[Rena]

I did find mention of a James Anderson here:
https://www.scottishbrickhistory.co.uk/scottish-pottery-and-porcelain-works-circa-1978/

ALLOA.

Alloa Pottery. These works were established in 1790 by Mr.
James Anderson, and were afterwards carried on by Mr. William
Gardner; in 1855 they passed by purchase into the hands of the
present proprietors, Messrs. W. & J. Bailey. At first the works,
under Mr. Anderson, produced common brownware pans and crocks,
and by Mr. Gardner the addition was made of Rockingham ware
tea-pots.

My Speight ancestors worked at the pottery making Rockingham ware.  the factory was in Wath Upon Dearne, West Riding of Yorkshire.

Porcelain is made from crushed flint and my Wm Speight was the miller in charge of the workshop that crushed the flint.

China is made from crushed bone and feldspar found growing in Scotland.

P.S. The porcelain factory was owned by Brameld and you can still find Brameld crockery in circulation.

[jaybelnz]

Two interesting things for me in this post.

1. I have a small brownware crock from Cumnock that belonged to my maternal grandmother who lived in New Cumnock! 

2. THE Rev Thomas Brameld (of Rockingham China) illegally married a niece of my paternal great Paulson grandmother!  I don't have any of their work, although, except for a photo on my PC of a ginger beer bottle made by them.

Thomas was also an artist, BUT as well as that he was a Vicar,  who had an affair with said g-grandmother's niece, from Mansfield, (named Mary Kate Paulson)  who was the governess of his children.  The couple took off to Scotland, and left a very false trail of info, so the families didn't know where they were! Thomas changed his surname to Grey, became quite a popular artist there, and sold his work under that name! They apparently married after they discovered (somehow or other) that his wife had died!

This is the information I found about Thomas Brameld on Trove Australia!   It appears that the niece of my great grandmother took off with the Local Vicar!

" John Thomas Brameld
Incumbent of St John's Church of England in Mansfield
"The church suffered some embarrassment in September 1866 when the incumbent, Rev. J.T. Brameld, eloped with a young lady called Paulson"
*******

Ok, so they cleverly laid that false trail to Australia somehow, and when they arrived in Scotland, changed their names to Grey, although they never married!   He was an artist naming himself Thomas Grey, and she named herself Mary Kate Grey.

Here's a link to the actual article!

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/198206124?searchTerm=Paulson%20Brameld%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20&searchLimits=

[IMBER]

I did find mention of a James Anderson here:
https://www.scottishbrickhistory.co.uk/scottish-pottery-and-porcelain-works-circa-1978/

ALLOA.

Alloa Pottery. These works were established in 1790 by Mr.
James Anderson, and were afterwards carried on by Mr. William
Gardner; in 1855 they passed by purchase into the hands of the
present proprietors, Messrs. W. & J. Bailey. At first the works,
under Mr. Anderson, produced common brownware pans and crocks,
and by Mr. Gardner the addition was made of Rockingham ware
tea-pots.

My Speight ancestors worked at the pottery making Rockingham ware.  the factory was in Wath Upon Dearne, West Riding of Yorkshire.

Porcelain is made from crushed flint and my Wm Speight was the miller in charge of the workshop that crushed the flint.

China is made from crushed bone and feldspar found growing in Scotland.

P.S. The porcelain factory was owned by Brameld and you can still find Brameld crockery in circulation.

Just to clarify that the term "Rockingham Ware" used in the context of Alloa Pottery and many many others throughout the UK refers not to finer ware such as porcelains, as produced by Rockingham, but to a distinctive brownish glaze originating at Rockingham but subsequently used widely elsewhere, mainly on earthenwares, particularly on teapots. Some more information here:

http://www.treacleware.co.uk/html/what_is_treacleware_.html

Imber

[IMBER]

 "I have a small brownware crock from Cumnock that belonged to my maternal grandmother who lived in New Cumnock!  "

There's a great little booklet titled "The Cumnock Pottery" by Gerard Quail (1993) published by Ayrshire Archaeological and Natural History Society. Does your jug have a mottos on the side?

Just loved your story about the naughty Reverend Thomas Brameld!

Imber

[IMBER]

Thanks Lodger - I had no idea the china business was so big there!

If you can think of any other sources of information on the background of Mr James Anderson and the Alloa pottery, that would be much appreciated. Most of the info I've found is about the pottery later on in the mid 1850s, and the pottery itself. There's a book, but I can't source a copy right now. Can't find much in the way of Alloa records, or a trace of Mr Anderson himself.

Kirsty

Kirsty, I wonder whether the book you mention is Alloa Pottery, by James Sproull and Thomas Rankine, published by Clackmannan District Libraries? I actually have a copy. Strangely there is nothing about Anderson in the main text yet he appears in Appendix 1. Unfortunately all that is is the extract already provided by shanghaipanda.

Imber

[jaybelnz]

It's always fascinating to find naughty stories about your family!  . I hope none of my descendants ever find any naughty stories about me!!  But of course not, I'm perfect of course!!! 

I don't have a jug, it's a wee oval darkish brown highly glazed casserole or pie dish, with a lid on the top.  There has been something inscribed on the base, but unfortunately it seems to have been scratched off. She used to make lovely pies in it.  My Nanny told me that it had been a wedding present from her sister, and she had brought it with her to New Zealand when my family came here in 1926!  She gave it to me (along with other treasures) when I moved her in to live with my Mum.

[Forfarian]

Porcelain is made from crushed flint .... China is made from crushed bone and feldspar found growing in Scotland.

Are you absolutely certain of that?

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porcelain and https://www.britannica.com/art/porcelain