A CERTAIN COMPOSI- TION OR SUBSTANCE CAPABLE OF BEING MANUFACTURED OR MOULDED INTO A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT FORMS AND SHAPES, AND WHICH WHEN PERPECTED AND BURNT WOULD NEARLY RESEMBLE IN COLOUR THE STONE, CALLED OR KNOWN BY THE NAME OF BATH STONE
Year: 1827

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN
BROWNE and WILLIAM DUDERIDGE CHAMPION, of Bridgewater, in the County
of Somerset, Merchants and Copartners, send greeting.
WHEREAS we, the above-named John Browne and William Duderidge
Champion, did, by our Petition, humbly represent to His present most Excellent
Majesty King George the Fourth, that we had, by much study, application, and
expence, invented, found out, discovered, and prepared "A CERTAIN COMPOSI-
TION OR SUBSTANCE CAPABLE OF BEING MANUFACTURED OR MOULDED INTO A VARIETY
OF DIFFERENT FORMS AND SHAPES, AND WHICH WHEN PERPECTED AND BURNT WOULD
NEARLY RESEMBLE IN COLOUR THE STONE, CALLED OR KNOWN BY THE NAME OF BATH
STONE," and that we were the first Inventors and Preparers thereof, and that
the same had never been so prepared and manufactured by any other person
or persons whomsoever, to the best of our knowledge and belief, we humbly
prayed His said Majesty to grant' unto us, our exors, adiñiors, and assigns, His
Royal Letters Patent under His Great Seal of Great Britain called England,
His Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, for the term of
fourteen years, according to the Statute in that case made and provided; His
said Majesty, being willing to give encouragement to all arts, inventions,
discoveries, and preparations that might be for the public good, was graciously
pleased to hearken to our prayer, and by His Royal Letters Patent, bearing
date at Westminster, the Fifth day of May, in the eighth year of His reign,
of His especial grace, certain knowledge, and mere motion, did give and grant

page_text: unto us, the above-named John Brown and William Duderidge Champion,
our exors, adiñors, and assigns, His especial licence, full power, sole privilege
and authority, that we, the above-named John Browne and William Dude-
ridge Champion, our exors, admors, and assigns, and every of us, by ourselves,
or by deputy or deputies, servants or agents, or such others as we, the above-
named John Browne and William Duderidge Champion, our exors, adiñiors,
or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter, during the term of years therein expressed, should
and lawfully might prepare, use, and manufacture and vend our said Inven-
tion and preparation within that part of His Majesty's said Kingdom of Great
Britain called England, His Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-
upon-Tweed, in such manner as to us, the above-named John Browne and
William Duderidge Champion, our exors, adññors, or assigns, or any of us,
should, in our discretion, seem meet, and that we, the above-named John
Browne and William Duderidge Champion, our exors, admors, or assigns,
should and lawfully might have and enjoy the whole profit, benefit, and
advantage from time to time arising by reason of the said Invention, dis-
covery, or preparation, for and during the term of years therein mentioned;
to hold, exercise, and enjoy the said licence, powers, privileges and advantages
thereby granted unto us, the above-named John Browne and William Dude-
ridge Champion, our exors, adiñors, and assigns, for and during and unto
the full end and term of fourteen years from the date of the said Presents next
and immediately ensuing and ended, according to the Statute in such case
made and provided; in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso
that if we, the above-named John Browne and William Duderidge Champion,
or one of us, should not particularly describe the nature of our said Invention,
discovery, or preparation, and in what manner the same is to be prepared,
used, and manufactured, by an instrument in writing under our hands and
seals, or under the band and seal of one of us, and cause the same to be
enrolled in His said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within two calendar
months next and immediately after the day of the date of the said Letters
Patent, that then the said Letters Patent, and all liberties and advantages
whatsoever thereby granted, should utterly cease, determine, and become void,
any thing therein-before contained to the contrary thereof in anywise notwith-
standing, as in and by the said Letters Patent, relation being thereunto had,
may more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the above-named John Browne, in compliance
with the proviso hercin-before recited, do, for myself and the above-named
William Duderidge Champion, my aforesaid copartner, and with his privity,

page_text: knowledge, and consent, hereby describe and make known our discovery, and
declare the manner of preparing of our substance or composition, and of
manufacturing the same, to be as follows (that is to say):-
The composition consists of a mixture of clay, certain river deposit, as
herein-after described, and sand, or of such river deposit and sand only in
the proportions and of the qualities herein-after mentioned, and to be pre-
pared in the manner herein-after expressed. To manufacture goods from
the river deposit and sand,-take the deposit which is found on the banks
of the River Parrett, in the said County of Somerset, or other similar deposit
that may be found in other rivers or waters, and place it in large heaps
convenient for manufacture previously to its being used. To use the deposit,
it must be ground in a pugg or clay mill, taking care to moisten it with
water if it has become too dry to work kindly, but it must be observed that
the deposit will not require so much water to prepare it for the manu-
facturer if it be passed through the mill, as it would require if 'tempered by
manual labour, and this circumstance must have the attention of the manu-
facturer, for the workmen may feel disposed to add water, as it will reduce
their labour; but the article manufactured from deposit too much moistened
previously to its being ground will be very inferior in quality, it will be a longer
time exposed to the weather in drying, and it will probably get out of shape.
The mill commonly used for grinding clay may answer for some purposes, but
we recommend a mill to be fitted up which should have, in addition to the
horizontal cutters now used in such clay mills, two or three short cutters
fixed upon and perpendicularly to the plane of each of the horizontal cutters, or
any other contrivance by means of which a perfect and frequent separation of
the parts of the deposit will be effected, and the whole mass of material passed
through the mill may be as perfectly mixed and incorporated together as
possible. The appearance and close texture of the goods manufactured from
this deposit will depend very much on this process being well performed, and
if the common clay mill be used we advise that the deposit be passed twice
through the mill, but this must be left to the judgment and discretion of
the manufacturer. After the composition has been thus ground and prepared,
if intended for Bath or scoaring bricks, it should be moulded in the following
manner, namely, instead of the plan now adopted for. moulding either the
common building bricks on a fixed stock, or the plan now practised for
moulding the Bath or scouring brick on a loose board, let the moulder be
provided with a stock fixed on his table by hinges, placing the mould upon
this moveable stock, he must force the compost compactly and closely into the
mould, and afterwards turn up the stock by its hinges with the full mould

page_text: upon it, so as to turn the brick upon its side whilst yet in the mould, and as
soon as the mould is so on its side the stock may be allowed to return to its
place on the table, and leave the brick in the mould ready to be placed out
on a board and taken to the ground for drying in the usual manner. A
sliding motion of the mould at the time of disengaging the stock will also be
advantageous. By this process the bricks will be delivered square and the
edges free from the roughness heretofore occasioned by the compost.or mixture
being forced between the mould and loose board, and the article will be very
much improved in appearance in consequence of the workman being able, by
the mould being placed on the improved stock, to throw the compost with
considerable force into the moulds, and thereby made the compost more
compact, and give the article a closer texture. If the preparation or deposit
is intended to be manufactured into fine ornamental work, the deposit. should
be passed through the improved mill twice, and for work of the finest descrip-
tion it may frequently be further tempered by grinding or levigation on a
proper stone fitted up for the purpose, and made sufficiently long and wide to
allow two or three men to work with their mullers at the same time, the first
man merely working the deposit under his muller and then passing it on to
the second, and the second man in like manner to the third. A boy should
be employed to supply the muller of the first man. By this arrangement à
large quantity of material may be prepared for the manufacturer very rapidly.
The object of this grinding or levigation is to remove or grind down very
hard substance which may be found in the deposit. The deposit or sub-
stance of the best quality for the above purpose will be found lodged or
deposited on the banks of the aforesaid River Parett between half flood and
high-water mark of spring tides, and within two or three miles 'above and
below the bridge at Bridgewater. This deposits contains a considerable
quantity of marine salt, but nevertheless the articles manufactured from it
may be safely used for any building purposes, inasmuch as the heat required
to burn them is much more than will be necessary for the complete deconipo-
sition and destruction of such salt. The deposit, whether intended for bricks,
blocks, ashler slabs, or ornamental work, should be used shortly after it has
been ground and prepared as above, and if made into bricks they should be
set out in the open air to dry in the usual way, and the goods manufac-
tured will be much improved in appearance if they pass under the hands of
a dresser once or twice, according to the purpose for which they are required,
in the same manner that is now adopted for dressing front or dressed bricks;
if the deposit be formed into large blocks, ashler slabs, or ornamental work,
it must be treated in the manner herein-after directed respecting the goods

page_text: The
to be manufactured from the compost made of clay and deposit.
quantity of sand required either with the deposit or clay and deposit will
depend much on the state of moisture in which the compost shall be
manufactured; the workmen must in both cases use sufficient sand to allow
the moulds to discharge the article made freely; and for fine ornamental
work the mould must be rubbed with oil, that the article may not require
the least force, but deliver itself. The goods manufactured from deposit
and sand alone, as above described, will, when burnt, nearly resemble the
Bath stone in colour; but the river deposit mixed with sand only will not
produce articles sufficiently strong and compact for all building purposes.
Strength and closeness of texture may be acquired by mixing with the deposit
a greater or less proportion of fine clay, according to the, purposes for which
the article is wanted and the strength required; and if the quantity of clay be
added judiciously, and the quality of the clay be attended to, the colour of
the article nearly resembling Bath stone will still be preserved, but the manu-
facturer must observe that great attention will be necessary in selecting the
proper strata or beds of clay for his purpose. The several beds of clay known
to workmen by the name of iron mould clay are not good .for. any of the
above purposes, for notwithstanding that this clay will produce goods of the
closest texture, and of the greatest strength, yet when burnt this clay produces
a dark red colour, and is so exceedingly difficult to make it combine intimately,
with the deposit that the iron-mould clay should not be used if any other.
and better clay can be procured. After frequent trials we find that goods
manufactured with iron-mould clay and deposit frequently crack in drying,
and if they are perfect when placed in the kiln, yet it is probable that after.
the goods are burnt this clay will shew itself either in veins or cores. .If,
therefore, the iron-mold clay be used, it ought not to exceed one fourth,. or
at most one third part of the mixture; that is, the compost will then consist of
three fourths or two thirds river deposit and one fourth or one third of iron-
mold clay. But the mild clay of a light blue colour and close texture, or the,
clay used in brickyards for making tiles for roofs of houses, malt-kiln tiles,
and other fine work, should be sought for and applied to this new manufac-
ture, as it will unite very freely with the deposit. But it may be here again
observed, that some beds of the last-mentioned clay will burn of a much lighter
red than others; and if it be found that the clay when used alone burns of a
dark red, the manufacturer must be cautious not to use too large a quantity
of it, as he will lose the colour resembling Bath stone, which it has been one
of our objects to preserve, whilst on the other hand, if it be found that the
clay burns of a light red, three fourths of clay and one fourth of deposit may

page_text: be used with advantage to form the compost. But we are of opinion that as
a general direction one third of the blue clay and two thirds of deposit will
produce the best article and the color nearest in imitation of Bath stone, but
the manufacturer must exercise his judgment and try the beds of clay, and
use from one third to three fourths, according to the nature and quality of the
clay and the purposes for which it is required. Very great attention and care
will be necessary in preparing the beds of compost, which should be formed
during the winter season, and be turned once or twice at least for the purpose
of amalgamating the parts of clay and river deposit and of exposing the whole
bed of compost as much as possible to the weather, for its quality is much
improved by being exposed to the frost. When about to be manufactured,
it should be well tempered and then ground in a mill, as herein-before
directed, once or twice, according to the purposes for which it is intended.
A trial will convince the manufacturer of the great utility and importance of
grinding the compost and deposit as above directed, and thereby separating
and amalgamating the whole substance; and if the compost is intended to be
manufactured into fine or ornamental work, it should be levigated in the
manner herein-before directed in the case of river deposit. If the compost-
be manufactured into bricks 'or into square blocks or ashler slabs, or into
external or internal ornamental architectural work, then if the squares, slabs,
blocks, or ornamental work be not of very large dimensions (that is, not
exceeding about fifty pounds weight), the moulds may be taken off as soon
as the article is formed, and the block or slab or ornamental work manufac-
tured be carried away on a board prepared for the purpose, and it must remain
on such board until it be sufficiently dry and hard to be removed by the hand;
but blocks, ashler slabs, and ornamental work which exceed fifty pounds in
weight, will not bear their own weight immediately after they are moulded,
and they must therefore remain in the moulds until they are sufficiently
hardened by the weather to allow the moulds to be removed.
And in forming
or manufacturing articles of more than fifty pounds weight, additional attention
will be necessary to be given to the state of the compost when manufactured,
for in such case it should be moulded as dry as circumstances will admit so
as to enable it to keep its shape or figure as soon as possible, but at the
same time to take all the impressions of the mould. The blocks and orna-
mental work should be dressed once or twice, according to the judgment of
the manufacturer. Considerable attention should be given to the article at
the time of dressing to ascertain that it be perfect. In the heat of summer
the large blocks and other articles must not be exposed to the midday sun,
as the evaporation will be so rapid as to cause them to crack; they must

page_text: therefore be protected from too intense a heat during the warm days in
summer by a covering of boards, mats, or straw, which must be prepared to
cover them. The articles must also be protected as much as possible from
rain until after they are burnt.
From the above description it will appear that the object of the Invention
for which we claim an exclusive privilege and advantage under our Letters
Patent herein-before in part recited is, the preparing, using, and appropriation
of a substance or material never before so prepared, used, and appropriated to
the production of a new article of manufacture differing in texture and
appearance from all bricks, tiles, or articles produced either from burnt or
baked earth or from river deposit; we, therefore, claim the sole privilege and
advantage of making bricks, tiles, ashler slabs, blocks, and other articles to
be used either for building or other purposes, and either in a plain or orna-
mental state, from the said river deposit mixed with sand and clay or sand
only, and prepared by being ground in a mill or by grinding and levigation,
as herein-before particularly described and set forth; and likewise the sole use
and advantage of our aforesaid contrivance of a stock turning on hinges, for
facilitating and improving the delivery from the mould of such bricks, blocks,
and other articles as may require this process or be improved thereby; and
likewise the sole liberty, benefit, and advantage of vending and selling the
said bricks or other articles when so made or manufactured. In our aforesaid
description we have confined ourselves to the deposit found in a certain part
of the River Parrett, in the County of Somerset, because we are, at the time of
making this our Specification, unacquainted with other rivers in the Kingdom
of England and Wales in which a deposit of a similar nature and description
may be found, we therefore declare that the said deposit of the said River
Parrett is of the nature of a light loam or clay-like soil, plastic or capable of
being moulded into form when nearly dry, of a greyish colour, not very heavy,
and that its properties and qualifications for the above-mentioned purposes arc
best ascertained by first drying it in the open air and then baking it by
a fire heat fully equal to that which is generally used for burning bricks or
tiles; and as we have not any doubt but that similar deposits may be found
in other rivers and watercourses in England, so we likewise claim the same
exclusive rights, privileges, and advantages of using other river or water
deposits than those which are found in the said River Parrett for the pro-
duction and formation of our aforesaid new manufacture of bricks and other
articles, as berein-before mentioned and described, in all places and situations
within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, where the
same may be found, and will answer the purposes aforesaid.
And we

page_text: hereby further declare that the sand which we use, as aforesaid, to mix
with the said river deposit, or with clay and the said deposit, is not calcarious
sand, or sand which will burn to lime, but is siliceous grist, or of a hard and
flinty nature, being similar to the sharp clean grist or sand most approved by
masons and bricklayers for the formation of their mortar, and will be found
deposited in beds in the said' River Parrett at a place called or known by the
name of Cut, about four miles from the aforesaid Bridge of Bridgewater, and
can be taken up in any quantity at low water.
In witness whereof, I, the said above-named John Browne, in behalf of
myself and of William Duderidge Champion, my aforesaid copartner,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, the Eighteenth day of June, in
the eighth year of the reign of His said most Excellent Majesty
George the Fourth, and in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and twenty-seven.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Nineteenth day of June, in
the year of our Lord 1827, the aforesaid John Browne (on behalf of himself
and William Duderidge Champion, as one of the Patentees named, came before
our said Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form above
written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the
tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Twentieth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and twenty-seven.