L30/9/52/2

Letter from Anne Sophia Grey to Jemima Yorke. Describes a party made by Lord Chet. for Lord and Lady Glenorchy to go to the potteries. Set off with coach, postchaise and cavalcade. "I knew you would have been much pleased with observing the whole course of that manufactory, all the plain teapots, cups, mugs and everything that is round is worked by a man's fingers on a flat block that is turned by a wheel. The imbossed figures, spouts, handles, feet etc. are all formed in moulds, and after drying to such a degree in the air are put into different round earthen baskets, which are piled one upon another, in columns, till they entirely fill a round brick building that is about 6 or 7´ diameter and divided into a kind of octagon by the chimneys that run up the outside. This oven appears about 10´ high, the top is flat and full of holes like a cullender, on which, during the 48 hours the earthenware is baking, they fling at different times 7 or 8 bushels of salt. which evaporates by the heat of the fire, and gives a polish to every individual piece within the oven. They showed us their clay as they had received it fro the Isle of Wight from whence it comes over in large pieces like chalkstones, and they prepare it by softening and boiling it with an equal quantity of pounded flints. but the brown clay is the produce of their own country, and what they make of it is chiefly sent abroad into Holland, nay some of it they told us went to the East Indies". Lichfield races.

Not dated c. 1748-1750

From: 1748 To: 1750

item

Glenorchy,
Grey, Anne Sophia,
Yorke, Jemima

personal correspondence, women's history, parties, coach, pottery, household china, horse racing, Isle of Wight, Litchfield