See the Potteries List section for the Water Lane Pottery.
He took over the Water Lane Pottery from his father-in-law, Richard Frank, probably on Frank’s death in 1785, although Owen (1873) states that he purchased the Pottery in 1784.
| 1785-88 | Joseph Ring I ran the Water Lane Pottery. |
| 1788 | Joseph Ring I ran the Water Lane Pottery in partnership with Henry Carter and William Taylor I. |
On Joseph Ring I’s death in 1788, his widow, Elizabeth Ring, carried on the business in a partnership with William Taylor I and Henry Carter.
Born 1740, the son of Joseph and Sarah Ring, the brother of Robert Ring, the husband of Elizabeth Ring and the father of Joseph Ring II.
| 1740 | 24 Mar. Born in Bristol, the son of Joseph and Sarah Ring (Ancestry website). |
| 1765 | 4 Jul. Joseph Ring of Bristol, cabinetmaker, the son of Joseph and Sarah Ring, late of Bristol, married Elizabeth Frank at Bristol (QR). |
| 1765 | 6 Jul. ‘Thursday was married at the Quaker Meeting House, Mr Joseph Ring, Cabinet Maker in Thomas Street, to Miss Frank, daughter of Richard Frank, Potter, on Redcliff Backs’ (FFJ). |
| 1783 | 17 Jan. ‘William Frank Ring died 14.1.1783 aged 2 days, Thomas parish, son of Joseph, buried at Redcliff Pit’ (QR). |
| 1784 | He apparently purchased the Water Lane Pottery from Richard Frank (Owen 1873, 343). |
| 1785 | 7 May. ‘Joseph Ring, Rectifier, Raisin Wine and Vinegar Maker, takes this opportunity to inform his Friends, that he has removed his Business to the Pottery, Water-Lane, Temple-Street; and likewise has taken the Pottery Business carried on by his late Father-in-Law, Richard Frank, and returns his Thanks to the Merchants and others for continuing their Favours. The Brown Stone Manufactory is carried on as usual and sold in the lowest Terms’ (BMBJ). |
| 1785-87 | Joseph Ring purchased stock from the following firms between these dates: Wilson & Astbury, Burslem, red china ware; William Adams & Co., Burslem, cream ware; James Brindley, Longport, cream ware; Tim & John Lockett, Burslem, white stone ware; G. & T. Twemlow, Shelton, blue ware; E. Brocksop, Lye, near Stourbridge, Nottingham ware; Bell & Thursfield, Broseley, cloudy ware; Aaron Simpson, Broseley, cloudy ware; John Hassells, Shelton, fine ware; Christopher & Charles Whitehead, Hanley, black ware; John Yates, Shelton, printed ware; William Clowes & Co., Longport, cyphered ware; John & George Rogers, Burslem, festoon ware; John Mare, Hanley Green, green-edged ware; Wilson & Dawson, Burslem, enamelled ware (Owen 1873, 344). |
| 1786 | ‘In June 1786, Mr Ring commenced his preparations for manufacturing Queen’s-Ware. Anthony Hassells of Shelton was engaged at a guinea a week to assist him. Hassells had been in business, and Mr Ring purchased his stock in hand, some one hundred and forty-eight dozens, and paid him £5.5s.0d for the cost of his journey to Bristol, £3.14s.6d for the expenses of workmen who accompanied him – and £5.5s.0d for ‘moulds” (Owen 1873, 347). |
| 1786 | 23 Dec. ‘Bristol Pottery, Temple-Backs. Joseph Ring, takes this opportunity to inform merchants, and others, that he has established a manufactory of Queen’s and other earthenware, which he will sell on as low terms wholesale and retail, as any of the best manufactories in Staffordshire can render the same to Bristol’ (FFJ). |
| c1786 | An undated business card: ‘Joseph Ring, successor to Richard Frank in the Pottery Business, continues the manufactory of the Bristol Stone Ware and sells all Sorts of Queen’s and other Ware, wholesale and retail’ (Owen 1873, 344). |
| 1787 | ‘Joseph Ring, the only Manufacturer of Queen’s Ware’, Temple Back (BD). |
| 1788 | 9 Jan. Joseph Ring entered into a partnership with William Taylor and Henry Carter: ‘Sold Ring, Taylor and Carter under the firm of Ring and Taylor, all the stock and utensils in trade at the pot house in Water Lane as per inventory taken this day: Wares, etc., as per list £1035.6s.9d; In the colour room £16.0s.9d; Lawns (sieves) £3.16s.0d; Office furniture and sundries £31.5s.3d; Utensils £449.13s.5d; Lease machinery and utensils of the mill at Woollard when assigned over £500; Sundries to capital agreed to be brought into the partnership of Ring, Taylor and Carter under the firm of Ring and Taylor for carrying on the trade or manufactory of Queen’s Ware £4500; Joseph Ring his proportion of two thirds £3000; Taylor and Carter for their one third £1500’ (Owen 1873, 350) [Note: The mill for grinding materials at Woollard, near Pensford, Somerset, was worked by a small stream which, as work increased, soon proved inadequate. Hanham was next tried, and finally, years afterwards, a steam engine was erected in the Pottery (Owen 1873, 350)]. |
| 1788 | 7 Apr. An inquest into the death of Joseph Ring stated that ‘the said Joseph Ring on the Fifth Day of … April in the year aforesaid … standing under a Beam supporting a loft on which was a weight of Goods. It so happened that the said Beam accidentally casually and by misfortune by the weight broke and crushed him to Death under the Materials …’ (Q). |
| 1788 | 8 Apr. ‘Joseph Ring died 5 April 1788 of Water Lane, Bristol, buried at Redcliff Pit’ (QR). |
| 1788 | 12 Apr. ‘Saturday last Mr Joseph Ring, Potter, in Temple-Street, was unfortunately killed by the falling in of a warehouse. He has left a wife and nine children’ (BMBJ). |
| Rate and tax book entries: 29 Sep 1785-29 Sep 1786 Joseph Ring Water Lane (Temple-Wa) 5 Apr 1786-5 Apr 1788 Joseph Ring Water Lane (Temple-W)Children: Hannah, born 1767, died 1789 (QR); Elizabeth, born 1769, died 1853 (QR); Lydia, born 1770, died 1798 (QR); Joseph, born 2 Sep 1772, died 1813 (Ancestry website, QR); Richard Frank, born 1774 (QR), still alive in 1855; John, born 1776 (QR); Sophia, born 1778, died 1853 (QR); Rebecca, born 1781, died 1858 (QR); William Frank, born 1783, died 1783 (QR) |