The record-union., 1891-03-01


changes of the Staffordshire pottery trade
which alone supports moro than a million
souls. And best of all, TO us, it is in the
redupiication in our American cities OF
these great establishments, where our
own labor and our own capital are gradu-
ally acquiring such skill and rewards
that, before u new century shall come,
the deserving fame OF our own ceramic
art shall vie with that of any land.
But there is other interest in the potter
les than that connected with their mercan-
tile facts and figures; with their eXtraor-
dinary art development, compelling the
employment of the most noted and skill
fui decorative artists in Europe; or even
with these bewildering show-rooms OF
tiles, vases, plaques, candeiabra, state
table services, chimney-pieces, multifari-
GUS ecclesiastic decorations, Etruscan en-
beIiishmentS, enamels, cabinet settings,
piatti di pompa, Samos bowls, seals, re-
liefs, medaliions, canoes and intaglios
without end in variety and number. This
is in the everyday life, habits, aspira-
tionS, character and amuSementS OF the
potters themselves.
believe not a kindlier, more comfort
able or eontented folk live, than these
StatiordShire potterS. There are econ
omic reasons for this which American
manufacturers could study with profit.
That cursed piracy upon labor, the truck
| system is unknown here. While rivalry
between manufacturers is of the lleenest,
unyarying preparation is made against
periods of depression; so that at alltimes
there is unbroken sustentation of labor
If slight reduction is ever necessary, it is
only IN the quantity produced. Wages
invariably by the piece" are never re-
duced. Every penny due every man is
paid him each Saturday noon. The re-
suit is, workmen are sure of certain in
pn ing an
makes good citizens and comfortable
homes everywhere. But the universal
Jood nature of the Staffordshire potters is
attributed by themselves to a curious
hereditary belief. Working in earth,'
they say, 'mahes men easy-minGed."
There are preserved many sunny pict-
uTeS OF the master-potter's home in the
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries
The genial autocrat OF pitchers, jugs and
porringers OF that time, whose workmen
lived in thatched hoveis not fit for swine,
were each supposed to exist in an ample
thatched and timbered dwelling with
deep caves and loaded easements, built
against or around the pot-work itself.
You entered either from the street or the
garden roomy house-place or kitchen.
In gable next the potwork was q capa-
clous chimney-p place, and opposite this
was the parlor. The house-place had its
ponderous settle, its leather-covered easy
chair, q Shelved dresser, clock and tables.
Behind the dresser the crateman's scores
were chalked; and on the dresser shelves
were displayed the masterpieces of the
potter art Of that time. Snug and COM
Portable as all this was, you can find l0,-
600 homes OF potter Workmen, within a
five-mile radius OF Henley, where the
poorest potter of the district lives as
snugly as his master predecessor. His
cottage is Of brick. 1t has two stories,
- l, y
the ground floor are parlor with a
pretty fireplace, a large living place pro-
vided with huge CRATE, hobs and Jock
ey-bar" for swinging pots and kettles;
and behind this is Il Scullery, with fine
little garden at the rear. The upper floor
comprises two large sleeping rooms. This
gives every potter-family here five
roomed, completely detached house and
garden.
Ordinary workmen earn the year round
from two to thirty shillings weekly. II
there happens TO be daughters, one may
be a ''paintress," coloring the cheaper
wares and earning eight shillings, and
perhaps another "burnisher," earning
six shillings per week. Many families
thus secure thirtytive to forty shillings
per week; while the the potter's rent and
rates do not exceed twenty shillings for
such home. Many of these homes have
area flower plats. In the gardens of all
are mazes of flowers and vines in sum-
mer. Every potter's parlor must have its
soiemn-voiced "grandfather's clock" 1t
also boasts chests of linen, drawers of
comfortable clothing, and many cheap
and pretty pieces or furniture while on
the mantel or bureau top is always found
some fanciful sketch, painting or curious
model, pertaining to the potter's yoca :
ton; the result of emulation to win
prizes for invention in new processes, or
toy unique and original designs i'll model
ing and decoration.
ventful one. At 2 in the morning he
leaves home, Tommy" or ''snap'n" (his
breakfast, dinner. or both) in red cot
ton handkerchief in one hand, and in the
other his ''can" of coffee, which he heats
on the ''pot' that is used in drying the
ware before burning. He works little or
much, at will, from the opening of the
the same hour in the evening, when he
returns home to tea. This meal consists
OF bread, butter and tea, with any handy
trifie left over from the home meals of
the day, but always includes, in season,
cress, radiShes or onions from his little
garden. His work is endlessly hot and
dusty, and he "hungers for green things
ever. After his evening meal lis found,
until bedtime, at the public house, or
with groups OF his fellows at the street
corners, or in the market place, grinning
at mountebankS or unctuouSly joining in
the services of the "SalyationistS" If
devout-and however much these men
frequent the ''pubs," they are nearly all
enthusiastic WeSleyanS-on Sundays they
are found at prayer-meeting before break
fast, at Sunday school again in the after
noon, and at service at in the evening.
Between and 6, on summer Sunday
afternoons, with their families they will
number a round 100000, strolling along
the clayey roads and lanes.
Their dialect, somewhat similar to that
of the lowly Of Cheshire, is worthy of
illustration. An old lady, impatient of
what she conceived to be my "oopstart'
bookish ways in arriving at exact in
formation, remarked to me with some
show OF spirit: 'Fheigh thenkst theyt
sumbuddy, with theight dicsonary non
sense. But Oh thenkst theight reg'lar
feu doo; fooD!".
A potter will greet fellow with: "Wen,
Tum (Toml, lad, haa dew?'' "Haa dew?''
is the inyariable answer. Err is uni
versally used for r"she;' and degrees of
nearness are indicated by Its aymer
nearer" and ITS aymest nearest" The
following conversation, which I caught
from two potter 'throwers'' at their work
on a Saturday morning, regarding pros
pective visit to the playhouse, of which
they are all very fond, is as good an Illus
tration as can be given of Staffordshire
dialect among the lowly:
Vert goin' t'night?"
We'll, wat say bait goin' t plee?"
well, WHAT'S theighr on?'
king Dick.''
''N' watts t. after-peyce loike?'
Well, Oh Gamma just remember naa.
But Oi dassey ct III be a proper good
fearce."
"Wer shan we meight (meetl?"
''Ofll seey theigh Il thee-ay-ter dooar."
AYE; thait'll dew"
'Ofl be theeri''
EDGAR i. WAKEMAN