Bristol Potters - C
Research by Reg Jackson
COOKSEY William John II
Born c1879 in Bristol, the son of William John Cooksey I (PPR, 01C).
| 1901 | Stoneware potter, 13 Bright Street, St George (21), living with his parents and siblings (01C). |
| 1911 | Stoneware potter (Price Powell), 4 Sturdon Road, Ashton, Bedminster (31), living with his wife Alice Jane (35), born in St George, and son William J. (2), born in St George (11C). |
COOKWORTHY William
See the Potteries List section for the Castle Green Pottery.
It is not clear when Cookworthy established his Pottery in Bristol. According to Owen an advertisement for china ware painters, possibly required for a pottery in Bristol, appeared in the Worcester Journal in March 1770. The Pottery certainly existed by 1771.
| c1770-73 | William Cookworthy ran the Castle Green Pottery, in partnership with Joseph Fry, Joseph Harford, the potter Thomas Frank II and Richard Champion. |
It is possible that Cookworthy continued operating the Pottery until 1773, although Richard Champion was taking apprentice potters in January 1772 and was clearly involved in the running of the Pottery by that date. Champion continued operating the Pottery after Cookworthy left the business.
Cookworthy was a chemist of Plymouth, Devon.
| 1764 | Jan. Sarah Champion recorded her meeting with Cookworthy who she described as ‘an eminent chemist and the first inventor of the British China-work’. This may indicate that he had been involved with the manufacture of porcelain in Bristol before 1764, although a memorandum to Sarah Champion’s journal states ‘that many of the anecdotes mentioned in the course of the Journal have been added to at the time of copying it, which was from 1778-83’ (Owen 1873, 15-16). |
| pre-1767 | An early reference to Cookworthy’s connection with Bristol is contained in the account book of his brother-in-law, Thomas Were’s, firm. An undated entry, but prior to 1767, under the heading ‘William Cookworthy on the China Affair or Plymouth Porcelain Company’ reads ‘Dr. To bill remitted on china affair at Bristol £30’ (Selleck 1978, 58). |
| 1768 | Cookworthy was granted a patent for the manufacture of porcelain and the production at Plymouth continued from 1768-70. |
| 1770 | 22 Mar. An advertisement appeared in the Worcester Journal: ‘China Ware Painters Wanted for the Plymouth New Invented Patent Porcelain Manufactory. A number of sober ingenius artists capable of painting in Enamel or Blue, may hear of constant Employment by sending their proposals to Thomas Frank in Castle Street, Bristol’ (Owen 1873, 17). This may indicate that Cookworthy had established his Pottery in Bristol by 1770. |
| By 1771 | The Pottery had been established in Castle Green in premises previously occupied by a Widow Tomlinson. The Poor Rate returns for 1769 show Tomlinson’s premises as void. Unfortunately the return for 1770 does not survive, but in 1771 the occupiers of the premises are ‘Fry & Co.’. Joseph Fry was one of the original investors in the Bristol Pottery, together with Richard Champion, Joseph Harford, Thomas Frank and William Cookworthy, the latter contributing his expertise and patent rights (Selleck 1978, 65).
Presumably it was about this time that Richard Summers, George Bush and Abraham Clibborn had a financial interest in the Pottery as is shown in a letter dated 3 Nov 1777 addressed to the Mens Meeting of Friends in Bristol (BRO SF/A7/1). For the full text see under Richard Champion. |
| 1771 | 31 Oct. ‘Firewood … Any person or Persons who have a Quantity of dry Oak Billet Wood, about four feet long, fit for Potters Use, and are willing to dispose of the same, may deliver in Proposals to Wm. Cookworthy and Co. at their China Manufactory in Castle-green, on or before the 14th of November next’ (BG). |
| 1772 | 27 Aug. ‘China. At the Taylor’s Hall in Broad-street, on Tuesday the 1st September, and the following Days, Useful and Ornamental China The Produce of the Bristol Manufactory, Consisting of very elegant Figures, beautiful Vases, Jars and Beakers, with all Kinds of useful China, blue and white and enamel’d. To be sold without Reserve … The Manufactory is still carried on in Castle Green; where all Persons may be supplied with useful or ornamental China, Wholesale or Retail’ (BG). |
| 1772 | 28 Nov. ‘China. At the Manufactory in Castle Green, Bristol. The True Porcelain, Both Useful and Ornamental, Consisting of a New Assortment. The figures, Vases, Jars and Beakers, are very elegant, and the useful Ware exceedingly good. As this Manufactory is not at present sufficiently known, it may not be improper to remark, that this Porcelain is wholly free from Imperfections in Wearing, which the English china usually has, and that its Composition is equal in Fineness to the East Indian, and will wear as well. – The enamell’d Ware, which is rendered as cheap as the English Blue and White, comes very near, and in some Pieces equal to the Dresden, which this Work more particularly imitates. N.B. There is some of the old stock, which will be sold very cheap – Two or three careful Boys are wanted …’ (FFJ). |
| 1773 | Cookworthy sold his interest in the Castle Green Pottery and patent to Richard Champion (Selleck 1978, 75). |
COOMBES George
| 1924 | 13 May. ‘The City and Marine Ambulance was called to the Potteries, Thomas Street, last evening, and found that George Coombes, aged 16 of 13 Kilkenny Street, St Philip’s, had sustained a fracture of the small bones of one of his feet through an iron bar falling on it. Removed to the General Hospital for treatment’ (Western Daily Press). |
COOMBES William
Born c1846 in Lambeth, Surrey (71C).
| 1871 | Stoneware potter, boarding at 39 Wellington Street, Bedminster (25) (71C). |
| 1881 | Stoneware potter, 13 Gloster Street, Lambeth, Surrey (35), living with his parents and siblings (81C). |
COOMBS Richard
Born c1819 in Brixton, London (81C).
| 1881 | 3 Jubilee Place, St Mary Redcliffe parish (62), living with wife Alice (60) born in Brixton (81C). |
COOMBS Thomas
Born c1821 in Lambeth, Surrey (71C).
| 1871 | 29 Redcliff Hill, St Mary Redcliffe parish (50) living with his wife Eliza (50) born in Lambeth (71C). |
COOPER Arthur
Born c1857 in Hanley, Staffordshire, the son of John Cooper II (71C).
| 1871 | Earthenware printer, 97 Oxford Street, Bedminster (14), living with his parents (71C). |
| 1881 | Printer in pottery, 26 York Street, Fenton, Staffordshire (24), living with his parents and his wife Caroline (25), born in Hanley, and children Ada (4), John (2) and Emily (2 mths), all born in Fenton (81C). |
COOPER Ernest
Born c1894 in St Simon’s parish (11C).
| 1911 | Clay slip maker, 624 Fishponds Road, Fishponds (17) (11C). |
COOPER Harry
Born c1867 in Devizes, Wiltshire (11C).
| 1911 | Pottery labourer, pottery works, Fishponds, Downend Road, Fishponds (44), living with his wife Ada (43), born in Colchester, Essex, and children Harry (19), born in Bath, Percy (13), born in Bristol, and Lillian (4), born in Fishponds (11C). |
COOPER John I
Born c1803 in Derby (51C).
| 1830-38 | Temple parish (PPR, information from Helen O’Brien). |
| 1841 | Journeyman potter, Temple Street, Fenton, Staffordshire (35), living with his wife Anne (35), dress maker, and children Mary (11), Maria (8), Anne (2) and Louisa (7 days) (41C). |
| 1851 | Potter, Temple Street, Fenton (48), living with his wife Anne (47), born in Somerset (Shepton Mallet?), Mary (21), Maria (18), Anne (12) and Louisa (8) (51C). |
| 1861 | Ann Cooper (22), a dress maker, born in Bristol, was lodging at 14 North Road, Burslem. Her parents are not recorded in the census. |
| Children: Mary, bapt 21 Feb 1830 (PPR), Maria, bapt 21 Jun 1835 (PPR), Ann/Anne, born in Avon Street, 1838 (information from Helen O’Brien), Louisa, born c1843 in Fenton |
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| His daughter Ann emigrated to Australia in 1862 to live with an uncle. She passed on a story to her descendants that sometime during her childhood, she travelled with her family to the French town of Besacon, near the Swiss border, and lived there for several years. Her father had the task of passing on his knowledge of pottery to the local industry (information from Helen O’Brien). |
COOPER John II
Born c1828 in Hanley, Staffordshire, the father of Arthur Cooper (71C).
| 1871 | Earthenware printer, 97 Oxford Street, Bedminster, living with his wife Sarah (43) and son Arthur (14), earthenware printer, both born in Hanley (71C). |
| 1881 | Printer in pottery, 26 York Street, Fenton, Staffordshire (53), living with his wife Sarah (53) and his son Arthur and his family (81C). |
COOPER & Co.
See the Potteries List section for the St Philip’s Pottery 7.
They took over the Pottery from John T. Spokes II who had given up the business in 1886 or 1887.
| 1888-90 | Cooper & Co. ran the St Philip’s Pottery 7. |
The Pottery was purchased by the Great Western Railway in 1890 and then demolished.
| 1887 | 8 Aug. ‘For sale, flower pots, rhubarb and seakale pots from one dozen to 50,000. The oldest redware establishment in the west of England. Avonside Pottery, Avon Street’ (Western Daily Press). |
| 1888-90 | Cooper & Co., red ware potters, Avon Street, St Philip’s parish (WD). |
| 1888 | 24 Mar. ‘Potters wanted, thoroughly good setter and burner. Sober and good character. Avonside Redware Pottery’ (Western Daily Press). |
| 1888 | 29 Feb. ‘For sale, light, useful dog cart, good condition. Cooper & Co’s Pottery, Avon Street’ (Western Daily Press). |
| 1889 | 1 Jun. Cooper and Company of the Avon Pottery, had a horse entered in the Bristol Horse Parade (Western Daily Press). |
| 1890 | 31 May. ‘Avonside Pottery, Avon Street and Barton Road, St Philip’s. Instructions received from Messrs Cooper & Co. (in consequence of the GWR Company having acquired the property for the extension of the Bristol Joint Station) to sell by auction … the whole of the stock of redware pottery, comprising flower pots (plain and ornamental) in all sizes, rustic garden vases, chimney pots and caps, rhubarb and seakale pots, garden vases, etc., red glazed ware, sundry vases for painting, etc., a quantity of timber and sundry potter’s appliances. Also two spring carts, coal cart, hand-cart, wheelbarrows, etc, three sets of cart harness and … a capital bay mare … ‘ (Western Daily Press). |
| 1890 | 18 Jun. ‘By order of the Great Western and Midland Railway Companies and the Corporation of the City of Bristol. Avonside Pottery, Avon Street and Barton Road, St Philip’s. Builders, ironmongers and others … to sell by auction … the whole of the various buildings, forming the Avonside Pottery, including the two kilns (to come down), the horizontal engine and boiler, clay mill, potters’ wheels, heating apparatus, wrought iron tack, lead mill, kiln bands, etc. The whole will have to be cleared within ten days of the sale’ (Western Daily Press). |
COPE Francis
| 1828 | 28 Dec. Temple parish (TPR) |
| Child: Matilda, born 1 May 1828, bapt 28 Dec 1828 (TPR). |
COPE Joseph
| 1773 | 16 Jan. A potter of Temple Street, he stood surety of £25 for the appearance of James Rhodes, victualler, of the Fountain, Temple Street, on suspicion of a felony (T). |
| Rate book entries: [1773-25 Mar 1777 Joseph Cope Temple Street (Temple-LS,W). |
COPELAND Aaron
Born c1822 in Burslem, Staffordshire, the son of Moses Copeland and the husband of Caroline Copeland (51C).
| 1841 | Journeyman potter, Thomas Street, St Thomas parish (20) (41C). |
| 1848 | 11 Nov. Milk Street, the son of Moses Copeland, potter, he married Caroline Braker of Milk Street (PaPR). |
| 1851 | Journeyman potter, Nailors Cottages, Horfield, St Andrew’s parish (29), living with his wife Caroline (29), pottery painter, born in Bristol (51C). |
| 1860 | 17 Sep. He applied for a license to keep the Freemason’s Arms in Avon Street. He was a beer-house keeper in Avon Street and had been an inhabitant of the city for 20 years, during which time he had been employed at the Bristol Pottery (Western Daily Press). |
| 1861 | Potter and beer house keeper, 29 Avon Street, St Philip’s parish (39) living with his wife Caroline (39) born in St Philip’s parish (61C). |
| 1871 | Publican, Freemasons Arms, Ann Street, St Philip’s parish (49), living with his wife Caroline (49) (71C). |
COPELAND Caroline
Born c1822 in Bristol, the wife of Aaron Copeland (51C).
| 1851 | Pottery painter, Nailors Cottages, Horfield, St Andrew’s parish (29), living with her husband and children (51C). |
COPELAND Moses
The father of Aaron Copeland (PaPR).
| 1848 | 11 Nov. Noted as a potter, but not necessarily of Bristol, when his son Aaron married Caroline Braker (PaPR). |
COPP Thomas
| 1835 | Earthenwareman, Chatterton Square, St Mary Redcliffe parish (P). |
CORDWELL James
Born c1832 in Bristol, the father of John Cordwell (81C).
| 1881 | 4 Northern Court, Kingsland Road, St Philip’s parish (49), living with his wife Catherine (46), and son John (15), both born in Bristol (81C). |
CORDWELL John
Born c1867 in Bristol (81C) or Staffordshire, the son of James Cordwell (91C).
| 1881 | 4 Northern Court, Kingsland Road, St Philip’s parish (15), living with his parents (81C). |
| 1891 | Potter’s presser, 43 Saffron Street, St George (24), living with his wife Lilly (25), born in St George, and daughter Mary (1), born in St George (91C). |