LUND Benjamin

See the Potteries List section for Lund’s China Works.

c1749-52

An early porcelain factory was operated by Benjamin Lund and William Miller. The location of the factory is not known.

The Pottery was sold in 1752.

For further information and a discussion as to the possible site of the Pottery see: Jones, R. 2006. ‘The origins of Lund’s Bristol porcelain and the site of the Bristol manufactory’, Northern Ceramic Society Journal 23.

He was a brass-founder and stay-maker, living in St Philip and Jacob parish (Pountney 1920, 191-2).  With William Miller, a Bristol banker, he established a porcelain factory in Bristol, c1749.

1692	30 Apr. Possibly the Benjamin Lund who was born in Hammersmith, Middlesex, the son of Benjamin and Mary Lund (PRO Piece 0498 Society of Friends Quarterly Meeting of London and Middlesex, Births, 1646-1708).
1719	24 Dec. He married Christobel Ingram, the daughter of Robert Ingram, in Bristol (Ancestry website, Society of Friends Records, Bristol).
1720	31 Aug. Mary, the daughter of Benjamin and Christobel Lund, was born at their house in Philip’s Plain. The midwives were recorded as Mary Champion and Elizabeth Coysgarne (PRO Piece 1440 Monthly Meeting of Bristol, Births, 1654-1777).
1738	9 Jan. Benjamin, the son of Benjamin and ‘Chrissed’ Lund, was born at their house in Philip and Jacob parish (PRO Piece 1440 Monthly Meeting of Bristol, Births, 1654-1777).
1749	7 Mar. He was granted a licence for a term of twenty one years to draw soap rock from Gewcrease in the parish of Mullion, Cornwall.  He was to begin operations within three months of that date, to pay dues of 10s a ton to the landowner and to draw at least 20 tons of the rock a year (Nance 1935, 82-3).
1749	17 Dec. ‘Christable Lund’, presumably his wife, of St Philip’s parish, was buried at the Redcliff burial ground (PRO RG6/666 Quaker Records, Monthly Meeting of Bristol, Burials (1655-1780)).
1750	2 Nov. Dr Richard Pococke, an Irish traveller, wrote to his mother about a visit he had made to a Bristol porcelain factory in 1750: ‘I went to see a manufacture lately established here by one of the principal manufacturers at Limehouse which failed.  It is at a Glasshouse & is called Loudn’s Glass-house. They have two sorts of ware, one called Stone china which has a yellow cast, both in the Ware & the glazing, that I suppose is made of Pipe-clay & calcin’d flint. The other they call Old China, that is whiter & I suppose this is made of Calcin’d flint & the Soapy rock at Lizard point which ‘tis known they use, this is painted blue & somewhat like old white China of a yellowish cast; another kind is white with a blewish cast; & both called Fine ornamental white china; they make very beautiful white Sauce boats adorned with reliefs of festoons which sell for sixteen shillings a pair’.
1750	24 Nov and 1 and 8 Dec. ‘Whereas for some time past attempts have been made in this city, to introduce a manufactory in imitation of China Ware, and the proprietors having brought the said undertaking to a considerable degree of perfection, are determin’d to extend their works and sales of ware, as soon as proper hands can either be procured or instructed in the several branches of the said business: they therefore give this notice, that if parents, or guardians of any young lads above the age of fourteen are inclined that they shall learn the Art of Pottery, as practised in Staffordshire, and will find them lodging and all necessaries during the term of apprenticeship, no money will be required for learning them in the best manner, and in particular children of either sex, not under the above age, may be learned to draw and paint by persons appointed for that purpose, that they may be qualified to paint the said ware, either in the India or Roman Taste, whereby they may acquire a genteel subsistance, The consideration expected for such instruction, being the perquisite of the painters, it is left to them and the persons to agree.  Any person that is inclin’d to purchase a six or four leaved screen, or to have one or more made to any particular height or dimension may be directed where to apply by Mr Lund, on St Philip’s Plain, who also can inform them concerning the above particulars’ (BWI).
1751	20 Jul. An advertisement appeared for sale of ware made in the ‘Imitation of Foreign China’ at the porprietors’ warehouse in Castle Green (BWI).
1752	18 Jan & 25 Jan. An advertisement appeared giving notice that during the time of the Fair ‘the ware made in this city in Imitation of Foreign Porcelain or China’ would be sold at the proprietors’ warehouse next to the Bell Inn in Temple Street (BWI).
1752	6 Feb. Richard Holdship of Worcester, glower, purchased from Benjamin Lund a ‘mine of clay or Soft Rock called or known by the name of Kinance in the parish of Mullion, in the County of Cornwall, which earth or clay was used in making of certain Earthen Ware in imitation of China Ware commonly called Bristol Porcelain Ware’ and also from Benjamin Lund and William Miller ‘their stock, utensils and effects and the process of the said Bristol Manufactory’ (Toppin 1954, 132-3).
1753	23 Feb. In his bankruptcy case Lund was described as ‘late of parish of St Philip & Jacob … dealer in copper and brass but now of the City of Worcester, china maker’ (PRO ASSI 45/25/1/89-90 Bankruptcy Order Book).
1767	10 Dec. Benjamin Lund made his will leaving ‘all that principal money I may have in the hands of Mr John Turner junr merchant of Birmingham and interest at the time of my death’ to ‘my cousin Joseph Hopkins junr, cooper, of the Falls on James’s River, Virginia, his two brothers and four sisters’.  Also to the same he left ‘a certain life annuity of fifty pounds a year’ payable by John Turner and his brother William Turner  ‘and … all other effects to me belonging at the time of my death whether consisting in money, goods or of any other nature whatsoever’.  He left Joseph Hopkins ‘my silver watch, maker’s name Harding, No.1400’.  He instructed that his ‘gold watch chain and seal, maker’s name Thomas Hunter, London, No.230’ should be sold and the proceeds, together with £30 cash, be used to for the ‘purchase of clothing either in Irish linen or otherwise at the discretion of my executors … for the use of Joseph Hopkins, his two brothers and four sisters …’.  The will was proved on 25 Feb 1768. (PRO Prob 11/Piece 936, Will Registers 1768-1772).  [Thomas Hunter worked as a watch and clock maker in Fenchurch Street, London, from 1759 to 1799 (www.British Museum.org/research)].
1768	5 Jan. ‘Benjamin Lunn’ of Castle Precincts was buried at the Fryars burial ground (PRO RG6/666 Quaker Records, Monthly Meeting of Bristol: Burials (1655-1780)).