New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-05-28
INDUSTRIAL ENGLAND
DY ROBERT P. PORTER, MEMBER OF TIRE a..
TARIFF COMMISSION
xviii
wORCESTER's PORCELAIN INTERESTS

try looked like beautiful garden. The gable-roof,
the fine cathedral, the gray stone churches n.
y clean streets. the bright shops, the quaint eourt,
the brisk healthy people of the old city, and the
hotel, formed pleasant contrast TO the gloomy Dot
teries and the dismal and smoky Black Countr,
which had so recently left without regret Tn.
Severn so red and angry at New Passage approacbs.
Worcester in a gentler manner AS if admrino IN.
town, which deserves admiration whether one "a
CARDS it's consistent history, its unGuestioned An
tiquity or It's picturesque beauty. In Lelands tina
the wealth of the town standlth mostly by draper
Ing and no town of England at this present maketh
so many costhes yearly rs this town doth" CEN
fury later of the old historians wrote of Worces
ter: But this glory arises from its inhabitants
who numerous az polite and possessed Of great
wealth by the wooen manufacture; from the lustre
Of its buildings the number Of lts churches and bv
its magnificent cathedral In this cathedral says
Defoe among other noted monuments is one for
that famous Countess OF Salisbury who dancing
! before Edward III. in his great Hall at Windsor
| dropped her garter, which the King, taking M
honored it so much las the idle story goes as to
| make il the denOmiIating ensign of the most nOb,,
| Order of the Garter. But this have refued under
my account of Windsor. though that the Countess
did drop her garter is fact and the King might
calamity to silence the tests and railleries of thu
Court, wear 1t during the entertainment instead Of
monument is ine and there is this remarkable in 1t.
that there several angels cut IN stone about it,
| STRIVING carriers over the tomb"
AS late as 1850 much mention was made Of the
cloth industry of Worcester" the number OF hands
which it employs in this town, and adjoining vii
lagos in spinning. carding rowing. fulling. weaving
etc. is almost incredible That the Worcester
people appreciated the value of the cloth industry.
the following old verses indicate:
Clothing doth other trades excade as farr
AS splendid Sol Ou;shines the dullest starr,
BY II the pOOre doe gain their lively hood,
VINO otherwise might sarye for want OF food
Again:
Advance but clothing and one need not sayls
To Colchus. against dragons to prevayle.
Or yoke wild bulls to gain the golden fleece,
As Jasondil who strayd So far from Greece.
They needed not John Lewis and did not advances
this important trade. The decay o. this trade 10
SAID to be owing to the roguery OF tue mauufac-
turers in stretching their cloths but centunesbefors
that period the clothing trade of the kingdom was
noted for trickery. To-day, such Is the vicisstuda
of trade that the industry has entirely died out not
yard of cloth il now manufactured here.
1t is gratifying to know that more than a century
ago, Worcester was " adorned by capacous and
beautiful structure. called public workhouse. in
which, We are told, "children of both sexes ara
trained up to the knowledge of trade and the prac-
tice of religion and virtue l regret to say that
this much cannot be said OF the $50 capaciou and
beautiful structures called public workhOusesv
which aGOrn this entire island at the present
time.
TO hear Englishmen of to-day talking about orr
commercial policy" would hardly think that
their "pocy.' or rather theory. was century
old while in practice it Is less than fifty years Il is
amusing to read Of the restrictions trade in Wor-
cester or for that matter, of any of the old English
cities. In the good old times, Worcester brewer
dared not sell one drop OF his lIQuor till some saddle
and discreete" parsonage from the corporation had
tasted it and given his approval. Smthy had the
length OF his horseshoe nails prescribed 70 him. and
the corporation knew how many weeks every skin
in the city in tanning 1t was a dangerous
thing IN thos days for the fair danes of Worcester
to wear " any gown of silk, any French hood, or
bonnet OF velvet any chain OF gold about her neck,
Or any velvet in her lining or other part of her
gown. other than her cuffs The penalty for wear-
ng this sort Of lnery was to keep continually and
maintain one gelding. with sufficient harness aud
weapons for a light horseman.'
The Mayor and Aldermen of Worcester were never
known to lose opportunity to feast especially al
the cost OF the city Not only did they eat over tho
business meetings, but " whenever any work OF 10.
pair or improvement 10 be inspected in the city,
llso after perambulatOns, OF when bishops sent a
When James II. visited the city in 1857. he at
ended divine service at tho Roman Catholic chapel.
The WOrshIpful Mayor OF Worcester who evi.
lently felt he had the PrOtestautism OF the nation
n his keeping, refused TO accompany the King into
he chapel remarking: :" think we have attended
four Majesty too far already" The worthy MAYOR
epaircd, however. to the Green Dragon. and beare
nd tobacko' also sundrie banckequets and
rynbyns" were all charged up to the corporation.
hen George Ill. visited Worcester in l7sS. he s
aid to have got up very early and visited the great
orcealn works for which the city has been for
more than century famous. lie greatly admired
he beautiful display and ordered an extensive
ssortment. and to express his royal approval he
ranted his warrant permitting the establishment
ehcefOrth to be called Royal" These works wers
Established IN l75l. The staple manufacture of the
ity had been declining the cloth manufacturers had
cen driven away, rs have already shown, by un-
satisfactory trading carpets and gloves were still
lade. but did not afford sufficient occupation for
ne people. The manufacture of porcelain was
ngagng the attention of the Princes of Europe Bow
nd Chelsea in England then the seats of tho
ade. Worcester began the trade about this time.
aking fine porcelain and decorating 1t after the
hinese taste. The styles adopted at Worcester
ere varied, but were generally selected from the
nest examples OF Japanese and Chinese and Ores
'n manufacture. as well as the very beautiful ware
Sevres and Chelsea From 1860 to 1875 some
,tremely beautiful wares were produced. In the
rly part of the present century, Worcester had
W competitors in the manufacture of first. class
rcelan. 1t was encouraged las all such manu-
ctures must be- by the patronage of the King and
'yal Family, which the company admit "was lib
ally accorded and stimulated the production
tn fine porcelain and artistic production" In
ed, a special body called Regent Porcelain was
vented for the Prince Regent, and found great
vor in Court" Aided by kings and princes. and
ter an existence of over century. these great
'rks now employ more than 600 persons and have