Low Pottery

Low Pottery was in production before 1728. Ball suggests that the Newbottle Potteries were founded in 1700 and 1740 {3}. There were two potteries at Newbottle, the other was High Pottery (HER 4641). Andrew Fletcher, a local historian from Houghton-le-Spring, is researching the Newbottle Potteries. A man called Ralph Watson of Newbottle Tile Kilns died there on 10th August 1728.The Watson family had leased Newbottle mill since 1668. The tile kilns may have been the same site as Low Pottery Yard. Henry Wilson may have taken over at that time. In 1760 Henry Wilson Esq. is listed as paying 8/10d for his tile kilns. Mr Thomas Byers paid 4/4d for his pot houses. In 1764 the Newbottle Pottery was definitely being run by the Wilson family. An order for a house at Elemore, signed by Henry Wilson, consisted of a w. flint teapot, a large punch bowl, 2 large pipkins (a small earthware pot or pan), 12 small gulpots, 4 chamber pots, 6 pudding pots and 2 trays. Henry Wilson's will is dated 30th September 1761 and he died in 1765. An advert in the Newcastle Courant on 18th and 25th May 1765 advertised the pottery to be let. 'Well fitted with all conveniences, workmen, a large stock of clay, flints and other material for the making of both white and brown ware. A farm may be let with it and houses, cart etc sold'. An order of pottery from Thomas Byers on 23 April 1764 included dishes, a fish drainer, chamber pots, flower jars, sauce boats and dessert plates. From 20th September 1779 Henry Scott & Co. ran the Newbottle Pottery. Orders included a teapot and punch bowl of 'Tally Ho' design, which may have depicted a fox hunting scene. Henry Scott died in 1801. Between 1797 and 1815 church records and census returns list some 200 pottery workers in the Newbottle and Houghton area. Robert Fairbairns & Co were running Newbottle Pottery from 1825. In 1836 a fire broke out at Newbottle Pottery. The tithe plan of 1839 shows the Newbottle Tile Sheds in a field called Cow Gap. The area of the Low Pottery is waste ground and gardens. Pottery waste was dug up during road widening in 1968 at Pottery Yard {2}. Sunderland Museum has two plates made at Newbottle on display. They are transfer-printed in blue willow pattern with Newbottle on the reverse. 6 inches in diameter.