Early North Hylton or Sunderland inscriptions
The Sunderland Museum attributes many of the items on this page to North Hylton. The pottery there was established by the Maling family in 1762, and taken over by Phillips after 1815 when the Malings moved to Tyneside. Nearly all the items on this page would fall into the Maling period, and the red flower decoration is similar to that found on later North Hylton inscriptions.
However, the inscriptions and decoration also have features found on items from the Garrison Pottery. According to Baker, John Phillips leased the Garrison Pottery from 1807, although a pottery likely existed on that site from before 1753. So another possibility is that these items were made in Sunderland on the Garrison Pottery site. Note that the bridge transfer on the 'Warner Thorp' bowl at the end of this page, appears on items firmly attributable to Dixon, Austin and Co and made at that site.
However, the inscriptions and decoration also have features found on items from the Garrison Pottery. According to Baker, John Phillips leased the Garrison Pottery from 1807, although a pottery likely existed on that site from before 1753. So another possibility is that these items were made in Sunderland on the Garrison Pottery site. Note that the bridge transfer on the 'Warner Thorp' bowl at the end of this page, appears on items firmly attributable to Dixon, Austin and Co and made at that site.
The mug below, from the Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens, Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums collection, is attributed in their catalogue to North Hylton, most likely on the basis of the similarity of the red roses to items produced at that pottery in the mid 1820s (see Baker p 19). Note the shape of the lower case 't' and the small cross in the centre of the flower above the verse.
This mug, also from the Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens, Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums collection, has a large vertical, red and yellow bloom on either side of the verse. The lower case 't' is similar to the mug above. The flowers have small black crosses in the centre.
Although the lower case 't' is not crossed like a 4 on the marriage mug below, the inscription is otherwise very similar to the items above. Note the ampersand and lower case 's' shaped like an 'f'. Norman Lowe has identified a John Watson and Ann Galley married at Monkwearmouth on 20 May 1797, and that date seems to fit. The text on this mug is an almost perfect match for the George and Isobella Beatty on the Bridge 1 page. The bridge opened in 1796.
Photo Ian Holmes
The inscription on this jug has features that match those on Dixon Austin items. Either the enameller had a long working life, or perhaps trained an apprentice to form letters in a similar way.
The inscriptions on the mugs below are similar to the Sarah Henderson mug above. The first, again, is attributed in the Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens, Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums catalogue to North Hylton. The dotted border around the rim of the first mug is similar to that found on the bowls below. The green and red motif on either side of the inscription on the first mug is similar to those with red roses above.
As with the Sarah Henderson mug above the names on these mugs are separated by a large dot, surrounded by a halo of smaller dots.
This item has the same bridge transfer as the jug above, but the inscription appears to be in a different hand. The black crosses in the centre of the flowers link it with the mugs above and below. The Wearmouth Bridge opened in 1796, and this bowl was likely made soon after that. Norman Lowe has provided the following information: There were two possible candidates for dates of birth for Ann Lax. Ann Lax born 2 June 1800 christened 22 June 1800 at South Shields and Ann Lax born 17 May 1804 christened 3 May 1804 Houghton le Spring.
This mug has similar decoration to the bowl above. The 't' is again shaped like the number 4. There are centres of the flowers are crossed with black, like an asterisk. Again, thanks to Norman Lowe for the following information: I have looked for marriage records associated with Joseph Petrie and there are a lot in Angus from 1794 to 1820. Take your pick of 1794, 1800, 1812 twice and 1820 twice.
Norman suggests that this mug might have been made to celebrate the 40th year (not anniversary) of George III in 1799, or perhaps his 50th in 1809. The formation of the sprigs of flowers is similar to the mug above. Compare, also, the word 'God' with the mug below.
The mug below, from the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London is undoubtedly by the same hand as the two above, but again has a long red and yellow bloom on either side of the verse. Similar motifs are found on Dawson items making identification more difficult. Unlike the Dawson items, the items on this page often have more intricate brick red borders around the rim.
The National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London draws attention to the similarity of the mug above with a jug in their collection. On the other side, the jug has the following inscription: By untoutch'd (sic) credit/& by honnest (sic) Trade/The upright dealer/Eminent is made.
John Phillips at the Garrison Pottery from 1807
This large punch bowl has a different bridge transfer, but one that is found on firmly attributed Dixon Austin items. The rim of the bowl is decorated in the same way as the Ann Lax bowl above. The bowl has hand-painted panels with flower decoration similar to some of the items below. The dotted border on the bowl with two brick red lines is found on the Thomas Dunn mug (1798) and the Ann Lax bowl above.
Unfortunately, this is the only view I have of this hand-painted tankard. The inscription 'Horsefield' has a lower case 'f' which matches the pre-Phillips items above. The man is painted in similar enamels to the ploughman above.
Photo Wilkinsons Auctioneers
Another punch bowl with a similar mixture of hand-painting and Sunderland Pottery transfers, from the Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens, Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums collection. There's a transfer of Francis Burdett, a reformer imprisoned in the Tower of London in 1810. Read more here. The aerial balloon transfer depicts Napoleon Bonaparte, 1813, and, therefore, could only have been made at the Garrison Pottery, as it predates Phillips' time at North Hylton.
This large tankard sits firmly within the Phillips period. Norman has identified a Joseph Wakefield who married Ann Blakey at Earsdon, near Whitley Bay, on 27 June 1816. It has a variation of a shipping transfer that also appears with 'Sunderland Pottery' marks (see plate below). Note its similarity to the hand-painted ships above, although a mirror image.
The monochrome rose decoration provides a link with firmly attributable North Hylton items from the early 1820s. The text, on the other hand, is very similar to the late 18th century items above.
These plates, with printed marks for 'Phillips & Co' and the 'Sunderland Pottery', could have been made at either of Phillips' sites.
