Coalport porcelain facts for kids

A plate from Harewood House made by Coalport, probably from the 1830s or 1840s.

Coalport in Shropshire, England, was a very important place for making porcelain and pottery. This happened from about 1795 until 1926. The name Coalport porcelain is still used today. In 1792, the Coalport Canal opened. This canal joins the River Severn at Coalport. It made the area a great spot for factories. From 1800 to 1814, two factories worked there. They were on opposite sides of the canal. They made similar pottery, which can be hard to tell apart now.

Both factories mainly made dishes for tables. These dishes had fancy designs painted on them. Most of the designs were flowers. In 1819, more factories joined together. This brought special moulds and skilled workers from Nantgarw porcelain and Swansea porcelain to Coalport. The Coalport factory was started by John Rose in 1795. He ran it very well until he died in 1841. The company often sold its items as Coalbrookdale porcelain. This was especially true for pieces with 3D flowers. People also called them Coalport China.

What They Made

A soup plate made in 1809.

John Rose hired William Billingsley as the main painter. Billingsley had worked at Nantgarw before. His chemist, Walker, also came to Coalport. Walker started a special maroon color there. He also brought secret recipes from Nantgarw to Rose. People think that a sculptor named Ellen Shenton created some designs in the 1850s.

Coalport and Coalbrookdale were very good at making dinner sets. They created the famous "Indian tree" pattern. This pattern looks like Chinese designs, not Indian ones. Many other British companies copied this pattern. You can still find versions of it today. Coalport also copied designs from famous factories like Meissen and Sèvres. Sometimes, they even used misleading marks. This was not a good practice. They also made items with tiny flowers stuck on them. These included vases, small boxes, and table baskets.

In 1820, John Rose won a gold medal. It was from the Society of Arts. He won it for his special feldspar porcelain. He also made a new, lead-free glaze. This glaze made the colors blend perfectly when fired. Some popular patterns were the "worm sprig" and "Tournai sprig." Billingsley had brought the "Tournai sprig" idea from another factory. Other designs included the "Berlin china edge" and the blue willow pattern.

In the 1830s, the factory started a new trick. They would print a light blue outline on the pottery. This helped the painters know where to put the colors. It made painting faster but still looked hand-painted. Many other factories started using this method later on.

At The Great Exhibition in London in 1851, Coalport showed a very fancy table set. It had deep blue borders. Queen Victoria had ordered it as a gift for Tsar Nicholas I of Russia.

In the late 1800s, Coalport added another special skill. They developed a technique called "jewelling". This involved putting small colored enamel beads onto the pottery. This was often done on a gold ground. It is believed that the Worcester porcelain factory first developed this in the 1860s. Turquoise was a very common color for this. They used it to decorate tea sets and other items. These pieces often had rich, raised gold designs too. They were sold in Britain and other countries.

Company History

Part of the old Coalport factory, which is now a museum. You can see a bottle kiln and the canal.

The Coalport porcelain factory was the first porcelain factory in the Ironbridge Gorge, England. It was started by John Rose in 1795. He was a very practical and clever person. Edward Blakeway helped him with money. John Rose probably learned his skills at the Caughley porcelain factory. This factory was less than a mile away. Rose had been making pottery on his own since about 1793. In 1799, Rose took over the Caughley factory. He continued to make pottery there, at least the first stage. Then, he moved the items to Coalport to be decorated.

From 1800 to 1814, John Rose's brother, Thomas, ran a small factory. It was on the other side of the canal. He worked with William Reynolds and Robert Horton. After Reynolds died, his cousin Robert Anstice became a partner. John Rose's company took over their factory in 1814. In the same year, John Rose moved all Caughley production to the Coalport site.

John Rose was very successful, very quickly. This allowed him to buy the Nantgarw porcelain factory in 1819. He also bought the Swansea porcelain factory. This meant he got all their special moulds and designs.

John Rose died in 1841. His nephew, W.F. Rose, and William Pugh continued the business. They kept the name "John Rose & Co." William Pugh became the only owner in 1862. He ran the company until he died in 1875. After that, the company faced money problems. In 1880, an engineer named Peter Bruff bought it. He renamed it the Coalport China Company. His son, Charles Bruff, took over in 1889. In the 1890s, they started selling a lot of pottery to the United States and Canada. The factory buildings were rebuilt in 1902.

In the 1920s, the company had money troubles again. In 1925, another company called Cauldon Potteries took it over. In 1926, all production moved to Staffordshire. This area is known for making ceramics in Britain. The Coalport name was still used as a brand. In 1967, the company became part of the Wedgwood group.

The original factory buildings are now the Coalport China Museum. There is also a YHA Youth Hostel there. You can also find a cafe and shops for artists and crafts.

Images for kids

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  An early jug from around 1802, with printed designs.

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  A large covered vase from around 1810. It shows a scene of the factory and Coalbrookdale.

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  A plate from around 1815.

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  A plate from a set, showing an American scene called "Hudson Highlands from Bull Hill", from around 1820–1830.

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  A floral centrepiece from around 1840, made of bone china. This type is often called Coalbrookdale porcelain.

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  A small cup and saucer with "sea-urchin foam" jewelling, from around 1890.

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  A jeweled bonbonnière (small candy box) from around 1891-1919.

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  A plate made before 1967 (perhaps in the 1950s).

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  A diorama showing the Coalport site around 1820, found in the Museum of the Gorge, Ironbridge.

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  The oldest part of the original Coalport factory, now a cafe and hostel.