See the Potteries List section for the Water Lane Pottery.
The Pottery had previously been run by Henry Carter & Company (which comprised Henry Carter and Joseph Ring II). In April 1813 John Decimus Pountney entered into partnership with Carter and Ring.
| 1813-52 | John Decimus Pountney ran the Water Lane Pottery. |
| Joseph Ring died in May 1813 and a new partnership was formed between Carter and Pountney. The partnership between Carter and Pountney was dissolved in October 1815. Pountney then ran the Pottery alone until 1816 when he entered into a partnership with Edwin Allies, the firm trading as Pountney & Allies. The partnership with Allies was dissolved in March 1835 and Pountney again ran the Pottery alone. Pountney formed a partnership with Gabriel Goldney in December 1836, the firm trading as Pountney & Goldney. The partnership with Goldney ended in 1850 and once again Pountney ran the Pottery alone. |
Pountney died in December 1852 and the Pottery was hen taken over by his wife, Charlotte Fayle Pountney.
| 1789 | 5 Apr. He was born at Endcliffe in Henbury parish (Pountney 1920). |
| 1790 | 13 Jan. He was baptised at Henbury, the son of William and Mary Pountney. (William was a surgeon at Henbury and Mary was Mary Heath; they had married at St James’s church on 10 January 1775). |
| 1813 | 5 Apr. A deed of partnership between Henry Carter of Bristol, manufacturer of earthenware … Joseph Ring of Bristol, manufacturer of earthenware … and John Decimus Pountney of Bristol, manufacturer of earthenware … Henry Carter together with Joseph Ring having for some years past carried on the trade of manufacturers of printed, painted enamelled, and cream coloured earthenware under the name of Henry Carter & Co. in premises the exclusive property of Henry Carter situated in Water Lane. They accepted J.D. Pountney as co-partner. Assets of the pottery valued at £11,425.4s.11d. The firm to be called Carter, Ring & Pountney (BRO 20165/1). |
| 1813 | 10 Apr. ‘Bristol Pottery, Temple Backs. Henry Carter and Joseph Ring, under the firm of ‘Henry Carter & Co’ having formed a connexion with John Decimus Pountney, beg leave to inform their Friends and the Public that their Manufactory will for the future be carried on under the firm of ‘Carter, Ring & Pountney’. They manufacture Porcelain, Egyptian, blue printed and enamelled Table Ware, and every article requisite for the various Foreign Markets, and for the Home Trade. Export Orders to any extent shipped immediately’ (FFJ). |
| 1813 | 10 Jul. ‘Bristol Pottery and Earthenware Manufactory, Temple-Backs. The Firm of Carter, Ring & Pountney, being dissolved by the death of Mr Joseph Ring, the manufactory is continued by Henry Carter and John Decimus Pountney, under the firm of ‘Carter & Pountney’ who manufacture Porcelain, Black Egyptian, Blue printed and enamelled Table Services, and every article requisite for the home and export trade. Crates calculated for all the Foreign Markets ready to be shipped immediately; also, small family Crates for domestic use forwarded to order’ (FFJ). |
| 1813 | 7 Dec. John Decimus Pountney, potter, Temple £15.15s.0d. Paid 15 Jan 1814. His father a free burgess but not at the time a resident the petitioner born out of the liberties of the city (PF). |
| 1814 | 26 Jan. The partnership deed between Carter, Ring and Pountney was endorsed following the death of Joseph Ring II, the firm to be known as Carter and Pountney (BRO 20165/1). |
| 1814-16 | Carter & Pountney, manufacturers of printed, painted, enamelled and cream coloured earthenwares, Water Lane, Temple Back. Pottery Coal Wharf, Temple Back (MD). |
| 1815 | 28 Oct. ‘Partnerships dissolved: Carter & Pountney of Bristol, earthenware dealers’ (FFJ). |
| 1815-52 | Pountney & Co., Pountney & Allies and Pountney & Goldney were exporting earthenware to Cork, Waterford, Dublin, Limerick, Guernsey, Jersey, Ostend, Hamburg, Bayonne, Malta, Gijon (Spain), Corunna, Bilbao, Rivadero (Spain), Viana (Spain), Lisbon, Santander, Oporto, St Ubes (Portugal), Naples, Palermo, Livorno (Italy), St Kitts, Nevis, Jamaica, Barbados, St Vincent, St Michaels (probably now Bridgetown), Trinidad, Antigua, Tobago, Grenada, St Thomas, Demerara, Boston, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Charleston, New York, New Orleans, Quebec, Montreal, Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, Rio de Janeiro, Camina (possibly Chile), Coast of Africa, Mauritius, Singapore, Hong Kong, Sydney, Adelaide and Port Phillip (PB-EXP). |
| 1816 | 6 Jul. ‘Committed to Newgate: Thomas Drew, charged with having feloniously broken open the counting-house of Messrs Pountney & Allies, on Temple Backs, and stealing several articles thereout’ (FFJ). 20 Jul. ‘Quarter Sessions tried: Thomas Drew for stealing gold and silver coin, etc value £3.3s’ (FFJ). |
| 1817-19 | Pountney & Allies, manufacturers of printed, painted, enamelled and cream coloured earthenware, Water Lane, Temple Back (MD). |
| 1819 | ‘Bristol Pottery. The earthen-ware manufactory, under the name of the Bristol Pottery, is on Temple Back. It is carried on by Messrs Pountney and Allies, has been established several years, and is now on a large and extensive scale giving employment to about 200 men, women, and children. The articles they produce are similar to those of Mr. Wedgwood’s, and the other superior potteries of Staffordshire, and constitute, in addition to the home trade, a considerable article of export to all the foreign markets. They grind their materials by means of a large and powerful steam-engine, and the various processes of forming the ware, of the glazing, of the printing, the painting, the enamelling, etc. are peculiarly curious and interesting. Admission may be had by application to the proprietors at the counting-house on the premises’ (MD). |
| 1819 | 22 Feb. The firm of Pountney and Allies put their name to a petition to Parliament requesting that a tax was not put on coal (Bristol Mercury). |
| 1820-35 | Pountney & Allies, manufacturer of all sorts of plain and ornamental earthenware, Water Lane, Temple Back (MD). |
| 1821 | He bought from Henry Carter the whole of the freehold of the Water Lane portion of the pottery and also the Robert Ring portion (Pountney 1920). |
| 1822-30 | J.D. Pountney, 13 Portland Square (MD). |
| 1823 | Survey and valuation of Temple: Temple Backs Proprietor: J. D. Pountney, Occupier: Pountney & Allies Dwelling house and pottery (BRO Temple AJ2). |
| 1826 | 25 Mar. ‘Thursday evening, about 9 o’clock, part of the roof of the Bristol Pottery was discovered to be on fire; but by the judicious and prompt exertions of the foreman and seven men, the flames were fortunately subdued, without the assistance of the fire engine’ (Bristol Mercury). |
| 1832 | Potter, Pottery and counting house, Water Lane, Temple parish (P). |
| 1835 | 28 Mar. ‘Notice is hereby given that the Partnership subsisting between … John Decimus Pountney and Edwin Allies in the business of Potters … under the firm of Pountney and Allies is this day dissolved by mutual consent …’ (BRO 20165/2). |
| 1836 | J.D. Pountney, for the manufacture of all sorts of plain and ornamental earthenware, Water Lane, Temple Back (MD). |
| 1836 | Redcliff Ward, John Decimus Pountney, Pottery Water Lane (WL). |
| 1836 | 20 Dec. A partnership was formed between J.D. Pountney and Gabriel Goldney (Pountney 1920). |
| 1836 | Redcliffe Ward, J.D. Pountney, Pottery, Water Lane (WL). |
| 1837 | Temple Back, Temple parish (P). |
| 1837-50 | Pountney & Goldney, manufacturer of all sorts of plain and ornamental earthenware, Water Lane, Temple Back (MD). |
| 1838 | 10 Nov. Mr Pountney of the Pottery, Temple Backs, was elected an Alderman of the City of Bristol (Bristol Mercury). |
| 1840 | Redcliffe Ward, John Decimus Pountney, Warehouse Temple Back (WL). |
| 1841 | Manufacturer, Richmond Villas, Clifton (52), living with his wife Susan (50), not born in county, and servants Susan Green (30) and Sarah Jenkins (20) (41C). |
| 1841 | Earthenware manufacturer, Temple Back, Temple parish (P). |
| 1841 | The evidence of John Cooper, aged 38, then employed by Messrs C. & W. Harvey, Longton, Staffordshire: ‘I have been employed in the dipping-house 30 years – as a carrier and brusher when a boy, and as a dipper since for 10 years, and subsequently a fireman for 12 years. I am a father of a family; have three daughters; if I had a son I would not bring him to the dipping-tub, because I would rather that he should live. When I worked at Bristol I knew four cases of death in the dipping-house of Mr Allies (now Mr Gowney’s [probably Goldney’s]); they used more arsenic then than they do now; I don’t think this pernicious metal is used in the potteries now, but there is a good deal of lead …’ (A Report by Samuel Scrivens, Esq., on the Employment of Children and Young Persons in the District of the Staffordshire Potteries. This report was the result of a Commission set up by the House of Commons to inquire into the state of children employed in the mines and manufactories. It was written in 1841 and published in 1843). |
| 1842 | 13 Sep. His first wife, Susanna Fisher died. There were no children from this marriage. |
| 1843 | 24 Jun. The partnership between Pountney and Gabriel Goldney was extended for 7 years. Pountney held 75% of the business, Goldney 25% (BRO 20165/3). |
| 1844 | 29 Jun. He married Charlotte Fayle Willis at Corfe Castle, Dorset. |
| 1844 | 14 Dec. ‘Messrs Pountney and Goldney have much pleasure in drawing the attention of the public to the manufacture of encaustic inlaid glazed and plain tiles, from the celebrated works at Worcester, for the sale of which they have accepted agency, and will receive orders from the proprietors, Messrs Fleming St John, G. Barr and Company. These beautiful tiles, being subjected to a very high degree of fire, and glazed (in imitation of the best ancient specimens), are perfectly impervious to wet or damp, free from dust, and easily cleaned. They are in much demand for churches, halls, conservatories, dairies, etc, etc. For specimens and prices apply at the Bristol Pottery, Temple Backs’ (Bristol Times). |
| 1845 | Redcliffe Ward, John Decimus Pountney, House Temple Back (WL). |
| 1845 | 17 May. ‘Francis Jewell was charged with stealing 19 cheese plates from the Bristol Pottery, the property of Messrs Pountney and Goldney’ (Bristol Times). |
| 1845 | 2 Jul. Manufacturer, Freshford Villa, Richmond Hill, Clifton (TPR). |
| 1845 | 15 Nov. ‘Lease … granted to J.D. Pountney, potter … ground used as a coal yard and wharf, etc., in occupation of J.D. Pountney and Gabriel Goldney his partner in trade …’ (BRO 00206). On 5 November 1853 the lease was transferred to Charlotte Fayle Pountney of Clifton, widow, on the life of John Willis Pountney, aged 6 … (BRO 00206). |
| 1847 | Manufacturer, Richmond Hill (P). |
| 1849 | 26 Mar. Manufacturer, 9 Richmond Hill, Clifton (TPR). |
| 1850 | 24 Apr. Manufacturer, 9 Richmond Hill, Clifton (TPR). |
| 1850 | 12 Oct. Gabriel Goldney was recorded as the Governor of the Corporation of the Poor in Bristol. He stated that in consequence of the dissolution of the partnership at the Bristol Pottery he was going into the north of England, but that he was not, at present, going to remove his family from Bristol (Bristol Times). |
| 1851 | Potter employing 80 men, 60 women and 50 children, 9 Richmond Hill, Clifton (61), born Henbury, Gloucestershire. Wife: Charlotte (45) born Corfe, Dorset. Children: Mary A. (5), John (3), William (2), Lucy (4) all born in Clifton. Niece: Susan Barrett (17) born Hazlebury, Somerset. Servants: Susan Brinton (34), Mary Moss (18), Mary Hordle (22), Sophia Marks (23) (51C). |
| 1851 | Temple Survey: Owner: Pountney, Occupier: Pountney & Goldney, Yard & sheds; House & pottery, Temple Backs (BRO 04250(1)). |
| 1851-53 | J.D. Pountney, for the manufacturer of all sorts of plain and ornamental earthenware, Water Lane (MD). |
| 1852 | 31 Jan. Bristol Atheneum, Grand Soiree at the Victoria Rooms. Decorating the hall were ‘delicately made flower baskets, with flowers, etc, formed of Parian clay, and having all the appearance of having been cut out of the finest marble. These were the manufacture of J.D. Pountney, Esq., of the Bristol Pottery, who also exhibited a superb China vase and an imitation Etruscan vase, of great beauty and value’ (Bristol Times). |
| 1852 | 30 Dec. He died and was buried in Temple churchyard (Pountney 1920). His tombstone still survives. |
| 1853 | 8 Jan. ‘The late J.D. Pountney, Esq. The remains of this respected gentleman … were interred on Tuesday in the family vault at Temple church. The melancholy cortege consisted of a chariot and pair, a hearse and four richly plumed, and three mourning coaches and pairs. The body was also followed by about sixty of the workmen and apprentices of the deceased (who was proprietor of the Bristol Pottery)’ (Bristol Mercury). |
| Apprentices: (All from A, Ao) Abraham Morgan, thrower, 29 Apr 1814 Benjamin Humphries, turner, 29 Apr 1814 Joseph White, turner, 26 Aug 1814 John Hales, 15 Dec 1814 John Harding, turner, 18 Jan 1815 William Davies, enameller, 29 Mar 1815 Abraham Grimes, turner, 29 Mar 1815 William Hales, presser, 29 Mar 1815 William Wall, turner, 31 May 1815 Frederick Chappel, turner, 11 Oct 1815 Thomas Davis, presser, 11 Oct 1815 John Cross, thrower, 16 Nov 1815 Samuel Cross, 16 Nov 1815 James Maish, handler and presser, 16 Nov 1815 Joseph Slade, turner, 17 Feb 1816 George Bye, 23 Sep 1818 James Clark, 1 Oct 1818 George Overend, thrower, 25 Feb 1819 George Lamb, thrower, 25 Feb 1819 Joseph Southerd, thrower, 25 Feb 1819 Henry Maish, enameller, 7 Nov 1820 Henry Clark, enameller, 14 Aug 1821 Thomas Bullock, 23 Sep 1822 William Yandell, 23 Sep 1822 Thomas Harford, 23 Sep 1822 James Preston, 16 Apr 1823 Samuel Aldridge, 16 Apr 1823 Thomas Sweet, 16 Apr 1823 Francis Hollister, 16 Apr 1823 Edward Arbour, 16 Apr 1823 John Justice, 16 Apr 1823 Thomas Page, 16 Apr 1823 Thomas Page, 16 Apr 1823 Samuel Stiles, 24 Oct 1825 William Stephens, 24 Oct 1825 James Short, 11 August 1826 Samuel Shepston, 11 Aug 1826 Henry Allen, 6 Dec 1826 Francis Perry, 12 Dec 1826 Thomas Brion, 16 Jan 1828 William Hill, 16 Jan 1828 James Ford, 28 Mar 1828 John Cousins, 28 Mar 1828 George Mackrell, 5 Sep 1831 Henry Harris, squeezer, 5 Sep 1831 Richard Roberts, squeezer, 5 Sep 1831 John James, handler & squeezer, 7 Oct 1831 Richard Mitchell, handler & squeezer, 7 Oct 1831 William Thomas, 22 Oct 1833 William Harris, 4 Mar 1834 William Porter, 4 Mar 1834 John Sweet, 4 Mar 1834 George Hallett, 10 Mar 1835 Charles Bowden, 10 mar 1835 Henry Hunt, 29 Feb 1836 Robert Goodyer, 29 Feb 1836 James Pritchard, 29 Feb 1836 William Pring, 29 Feb 1836 Charles Smith, 1 Jun 1836 Edward Maish, 1 Jun 1836 William Marks, 10 Oct 1836 John Roberts, 10 Oct 1836 Henry Porter, 10 Oct 1836 John Bryan, 9 Jan 1837 William Fifoot, 9 Jan 1837 Charles Martin, 11 Oct 1837 James Ford, 11 Oct 1837 Edwin Richmond, 11 Oct 1837 William Pode, turner, 29 Jan 1838 Thomas Gibbs II, 29 Jan 1838 Thomas Harris, 2 Jun 1838 Frederick Shaw, 6 Jun 1838 John Emdin, 12 Jun 1838 Henry Rowney, squeezer, 16 Sep 1839 George Coggins, handler, 16 Sep 1839 Henry Price, turner, 12 Mar 1844 Daniel Palmer, saucer maker, 12 Mar 1844 George Marsh, thrower, 12 Mar 1844 John Hodgson, plate maker, 12 Mar 1844 William Webster, plate maker, 12 Mar 1844 Henry Smith, presser, 12 Mar 1844 William Richmond, presser, 31 Aug 1846 |
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| Rate book entries: Property 1 1822-35 Messrs Pountney & Allies for Manufactory Water Lane (Temple-H,Wa) 25 Mar 1830-25 Mar 1831 Pountney & Co. tenements and pottery Water Lane (Temple-PR, etc)Property 2 1822-35 Messrs Pountney & Allies coal yard Borough Walls/Temple Back (Temple-H,Wa) |
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| Children: Wife Charlotte Fayle Mary Ann, bapt 2 Jul 1845 (TPR), John Willis, born c1848 (51C, BRO 00206), William Joseph, bapt 26 Mar 1849 (TPR), Lucy Elizabeth, bapt 24 Apr 1850 (TPR) |