West View of the Cast Iron Bridge – bridges 10 & 22
This view shows the Lord Duncan, the largest ship built in Sunderland at that time, passing under the bridge. The ship was launched in 1798, just a couple of years after the bridge opened. But any real acquaintance with the bridge would have been short lived, as she was blown up in 1807 by an explosion in San Domingo. However, images of the ship passing under the bridge continued to be used by Dawson, North Shields and Moore & Co into the 1840s and 50s.
Dawson, Low Ford Pottery – bridge 10 early imprint
Photo Lacy, Scott & Knight
This is an earlier (1805) incarnation of the transfer below. Note that the oval shapes to the far left and right of the title are blank. They would later be engraved 'J Dawson & Co' and 'Low Ford Pottery'. The Bridge is paired with 'Lord Nelson engaging the Toulon Fleet of the Mouths of the Nile', The Battle of the Nile was fought in 1798.
Dawson, Low Ford Pottery – bridge 10 later imprint
An exceptionally crisp later imprint with bright over-enamels. This is Baker's bridge 10, marked 'I. Dawson & Co, Low Ford Pottery'. As with all the transfers on this page, the name of the ship, the 'Lord Duncan' can be seen on the ship's stern (see left). The ship was the biggest built in Sunderland at that time, so another source of local pride passing under the bridge.
The second larger mug below is from the Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens, Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums collection.
The second larger mug below is from the Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens, Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums collection.
These ovoid jugs were likely made before 1820. This one showing the launch of a ship on the reverse, and the verse 'May Carpenters Flourish'.
The jug below is from the Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens, Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums collection, again with the Battle of the Nile transfer.
A jug of similar age and shape to the one above, decorated with hand-painted flowers.
New Bedford Whaling Museum
Two canary yellow mugs with the transfer, and distinctive handles used by Dawson, again likely from before 1820.
The copper transfer plate in the Sunderland Museum below.
Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens, Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums
It appears that the copper plate was taken out of retirement in the 1840s. Below, a large and exceptionally well decorated jug with the transfer, and an inscription for 1846.
The transfer remained in use on slip-cast jugs into the 1850s.
Photo Keith Cockerill
Attributed to Dawson, Low Ford Pottery – like bridge 22, plate 1 signed Ed Barker
This version of the transfer is almost identical to those that appear on lustre jugs from North Shields in the 1830s which have the bridge 22 shown in Baker. The frog (Dawson type 2) is found on reliably attributable Dawson mugs.
The mug above has a thick-set looking frog with short legs. This version of the transfer is signed 'Ed Barker'. Below is, an almost identical mug, but without the frog, and another from the Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens, Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums collection.
Attributed to Dawson, Low Ford Pottery – like bridge 22, plate 2 early imprint
This ovoid jug and the mug below have a version of the transfer almost identical to the mugs above, except without the 'Ed Barker' signature. The inscription on the mug is typical of those found on Dawson's items. Both items are from the Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens, Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums collection.
Attributed to Dawson, Low Ford Pottery – like bridge 22, plate 2 later imprint
The images above are from the mug below. The frog (Dawson type 1) is found on items reliably attributable to Dawson's. Note that, unlike the mug above, there are two masts underneath the birds on the right side of the ship.
Small nicks / speckles show this is the same transfer as on the mugs above and below. The enamelling and script is, however, unusual for Dawson's. The inscription is dated 1819.
Apologies for the quality of the images, but you'll see that all the items above (details shown respectively below), have a small nick to the left of the top of the mast, of the ship passing under the bridge. The transfer plate was at some point reengraved with two masts behind the houses to the right of the ship.
