Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1874-01-14
The Manufacture Of EarthenWare.

The manufactur Of this class of goods
is becoming of great Importance in the
United Utatcs, aud it is the design Of
this article to give sketch Of its origin
and methods as nearly as L can. The
most noted place for the manufacture of
earthenware is the Staffordshire Potteries
in England. There are several towns ILL
cluded in what is termed the Potteries,
namely, Tuustall, Burslem, Longport,
Hanley, Stoke-upon-Trent, Fenton, and
Longton, which extend in length some ten
miles and in width some three or four
These towns form what is called the bor-
ough Of Stoke-upon-Trent, trcns which the
member of Parliament is elected from
that district. Little was known of the
manufacture of earthenware in the Pot
tcries before the early part of the seven
teenth century, when two foreigners To-
Gated themselves at a place called Long
port, or as it was then called Braderwoods,
about two miles frem Burslem. They be-
gan in very small way, and kept them
selves very secluded. The class of goods
they made at that time was very inferior,
compared with those Of the present day.
How could it be otherwise ; the business
was only in its infancy. The process Of
glazing or putting the gloss upon the
plates, pitchers, etc, ETC., III those days,
was done by throwing salt in the saggars
10 which the different articles were baked.
But these modes and ways of manufacturing
did not last great many years. 1t was
left to the late Josiah Wedgewood, the
well known pioneer manufacturer, 70 bring
out the science and value Of this class OF
goods, and lay the foundation o. the Stat
fordshire Potteries. The Staffordshire
Potteries is we'll located for the class OF
business it represents, being in the very
regions of the clays which are used in the
manufacture, namely, blue, black, and a
white or cream-coored clay. Derbyshire,
the next shire, also supplies large qnanti.
ties of the different classes of clays used
The China or white clay, one Of the most
important ingredients used, is obtained
from Cornwall IN Wales--no other place
in the United Kingdom being able to sup.
ply this quality Of clay. Staffordshire
being great coal bed is another advan-
tage to the Pottcrics. will now speak
of the manufacture and process Of making
the goods. Before using, the clays are
generally kept "weathered" for one OF
two years; that is, they are exposed tc
the effects Of the atmosphere, 80 that the
material may be of better color and
more pliable. After this process has
been gone through, certain quantities OF
each klud are weighed out, put in large
vars, and worked together until they mix
and became of a consistency of thick milk
Before being proceeded with further there
are other ingredients added, which have
been ground at the mill to the same con
sistency, which consist of China clay, flint
stone, and other materials, and this is
what the manufacturers term 'sip.'
These latter materials, China clay, flint
stone, etc, being thus ground and mixed
up together, it is put in large presses
patented for the purpose, and by means
of heat it becomes more solid, and is ther
pressed in large blocks, when il is ready
for use. An earthenware mandatory
is built in such manner that each branch
is kept separate to itself 1t is an inter
esting sight to observe the different pro
cesaes through which each piece Of ware