Moore inscriptions
I'm hugely grateful to Dr Simon Spier at the Victoria and Albert Museum for providing photos of the second mug below. The first is in the the Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens, Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums collection, and has a printed mark for the UNION POTTERY. The Southwick Union Pottery was run by John Brunton until 1805, with Samuel Moore and Peter Austin taking over the pottery at that date, and operating under the name of the Wear Pottery, S Moore & Co. The frogs of the two mugs below are a good match. The decoration of the second mug, which is consistent with other items below, suggests a date of 1820–30.
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Many of the attributions on this page stem from the first jug on the right with an inscription for John and Benedicta Wiles. It has Baker's bridge 32, titled 'Success to the Coal Trade'. The jug has a verse with a 'Moor & Co Southwick' (sic) printed mark. Although undated, the jug is typical of the 1830s.
From there, it's a question of extrapolation. On other jugs, that bridge transfer pairs with a version of the Mason's Arms. The third jug on the right has that transfer combined with an inscription with a distinctive bow and flowers, which appears on the mugs above and below. There are consistencies of lettering / text shared by this extended group of items.   |
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The bridge 32 transfer also appears on items with green and red enamel decoration, peculiar to Moore's. This style of decoration was used into the 1840s. Below are two items with elaborate inscriptions. The second, from the Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens, Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums collection, has Baker's bridge 8 transfer, again with a 'Moore & Co, Southwick' printed mark.
Inscriptions by date
This is the earliest inscription found to date that is potentially attributable to Moore's. Norman Lowe has identified two potential Elizabeth Ellis christenings at Diss: one 1815 and one 1828. The latter seems more likely. The leaf motif around the Farmers' Arms, is very similar to the David Lawson mug below. There are similarities in the text also, although the lower case 'g' is more elaborate than on other items on this page.
Ann Hewett Osmond was baptised on 27 May 1825 at Bedhampton, Hampshire.
This item is undated, but included here because it has a similar bow above the text and flowers to the mug above.
This jug, again undated, has similar flowers to the items above and a hand-painted armorial – the Smith's Arms. Thanks to Norman Lowe for the following: 'Henery Watson christened 21 October 1792 in Arbuthnott, Kincardineshire. Presumably he became a qualified smith in later life but apparently died before 1841 as he doesn't appear in the census.'
Below left, one of a pair of seemingly identical plates, but in fact decorated by different hands from neighbouring potteries, Moore's and Scott's. Read more on the Scott inscriptions page. The couple are believed to be Nathaniel Barnaby and Anna (or Hannah) Fowler who married in Rainham, Kent on 20 April 1828. Their son, Sir Nathaniel Barnaby, was a naval architect of some note. There was an old clipping about him Sellotaped to the back of one of the plates.
This is the earliest inscription with a date (1829) that I have found on a Moore's pottery item.
Photo Clevedon Salerooms
Norman Lowe writes about this jug as follows: I think the date is actually 1834 which ties in with other items on the page. But I think there has been a mix-up between the customer and the pottery painter – a seemingly frequent occurrence as we know from other examples. Phoebe Featherstone married Ralph Sanderson at Stanhope Co. Durham on 24 May 1834. This is the only reference I can find combining the names Ralph, Phoebe and Featherstone. Perhaps the jug was commissioned by a member of the Featherstone family who requested the inscription but either they failed to mention the bridegroom’s surname or the painter misunderstood and thought the groom’s name was Featherstone.
This mug is included here because the flowers and text are a good match for the Featherstone jug above. However, note also the similarity of the lime green and orange enamelling to the mug below. Norman Lowe has unearthed the following information. There was a David Lawson, blacksmith, living in Houghton-le-Spring in 1841 and 1851. He was born in Scotland around 1779 and married in Edinburgh in 1808 moving to Houghton between then and 1812 when his first child was born. This makes it difficult to date the piece
It is hard to date the plaques above. They are pearlware, at least, and the cherubs appear to come from a separate mould and are joined with slip. For that reason, they are likely earlier in date than the 'cherub' plaques below.
The verse transfer on this jug with the printed mark 'Moore & Co Southwick'. Norman Lowe has identified a John Wiles who married Benedicta Drowley on 7 November 1808 at New Romney, Kent. They were still living there at the time of the 1851 census. So perhaps the jug was commissioned as a 25th or even 30th wedding anniversary present?
Photo Anderson and Garland
This inscription in the same distinctive hand as the jug above. Compare the lower case 'h' and 't' in particular. The mug has a transfer recycled from Warburton's Pottery on Tyneside. Norman Lowe has identified a John Winchester in Wooler, North Northumberland, born 1825 (Ian or Iain corresponding to John in Northern parts). However, if the search is broadened to the whole of the UK there are other contenders. The mug is likely early to mid 1830s.
Although these plaques are unmarked, compare the decorative devices with those on the items above and below. They appear to be a later incarnation of the 'cherub' plaques above, this time modelled in a simple two-part mould (front and back). The are lightly potted and a fraction of the weight of their predecessors. There are, however, similarities in decoration, although a wider range of colourways, verses and decorative devices appear on these plaques.
An interesting pair of jugs commissioned for members of the same family. They have likely resided apart ever since Edwin and Charles left the family home. Note that the burgundy and green enamelling around the name is very similar in colour to two of the plaques immediately above.
A mug from the Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens, Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums collection with a similar style of inscription to the jugs above.
A jug with an inscription for 1842. NB there is a printed mark, 'Moore & Co Southwick', under the bridge transfer.
Photo Norman Lowe
A very large Moore-impressed bowl with a dated inscription for 1859. Note the similarity of fine script with the three items below.
Photo Nivingstone Antiques
A pair of large Moore jugs with a military inscription.
The jug was made much later than the date on the inscription (1830). The Start of Tasmania was launched in 1856, and the New Bridge over the River Wear opened in 1859.
This inscription on the reliably attributed Moore jug above is very similar to those found on earlier Dawson items from the Low Ford Pottery in South Hylton. See right photo for a Dawson jug dated 1841 in the Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens, Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums collection. So it appears that the enameller at some point moved from South Hylton to Southwick.
Photo Lawrences Crewkerne
Although dated 1847, the orange lustre suggests this jug was made c1860. NB it has a transfer of the New Sunderland Bridge, which didn't open until 1859. The ship, the Great Australia, also features on this jug. It was launched in 1860.
This mug is included here because of the striking similarity of letter formation with that on the jug above. Otherwise, in this undecorated state, there is little to indicate that it is was made in Sunderland.
Photo Ian Holmes
Orange, green and blue items
This mug shown out of time sequence because of similarity of script to the items below. The (very rare) Shakespeare transfer appears on plaques with the Moore & Co impressed mark.
Norman Lowe has identified a Dorothy Jacques who was born in Ryhope on that date and christened in Sunderland. It seems likely that this mug was made later than that, in the 1870s, perhaps as a first communion present.
The items above and below with blue, green and orange decoration to the foot and rim are also attributable to Moore's. The fine script on these items is very similar to the Richard Gale jug above. The bowl above is dated 1873. The first orange-lustre mug below was again made later than the inscribed date and sometime after 1870. Norman Lowe has identified an Amelia Morgan baptised on 29 November 1871, at Bishopwearmouth.
