William Ridgway (& Co)






 

Location and period of operation:

William Ridgway & Co

Shelton

1830 

1854

 

Manufacturer of earthenware the Bell Works, Albion Street and Church Works, Hanley, Stoke-upon-Trent, England

 

  • The brothers John Ridgway and William Ridgway were in partnership at the Cauldon Works from 1814-30. 

  • In 1830 the two brothers inherited the Bell Works from their uncle George, John kept the Cauldon Works and William moved to the Bell works.

  • The Church Works were owned by Joseph Mayer who, in about 1832, rented part of the works to William Ridgway.

  • William Ridgway was Joseph Mayer's cousin. Joseph Mayer had in his employ a 'clever modeller', Leonard James Abington, who was also a chemist, and around 1834 he placed him in partnership, thus making the '& Co' in William Ridgway & Co. 

  • When Joseph Mayer ceased potting in 1832 he then let the majority of his works to W. Ridgway & Co., retained an oven and other parts of the works, 

 

Formerly: John & William Ridgway [1814-30] 

Concurrently: William Ridgway, Son & Co [1841-48] 

Also see: The Ridgway family of potters

 

 

 


jug in light blue stoneware by William Ridgway
with hand painted flowers and guilded accents

 

 


relief moulded stoneware jug dated  October 1, 1835

The jug is decorated with relief moulded designs and figures, 
which are scenes from the Robert Burns poem about Tam O'Shanter.

similar style jugs were also made by William Ridgway, Son & Co 

 

 

 

 


William Ridgway & Co plate in the Marmora pattern


W R & Co
Marmora

a printed mark with an urn and anchor
MARMORA is the pattern name 

the inclusion of '& Co' indicates 
a date 1834-54

 

 

 


William Ridgway & Co plate in the Tyrolean pattern

Tyrolean was a series of Alpine scenes with mountains, 
buildings & figures and used on a wide range of wares.
Tyrolean
W R & Co

1834-54

 

 

Marks and Initials used on ware for identification:

W. R.

WILLIAM RIDGWAY

without '& Co' indicates 
a date 1830 - 34

W. R. & Co.

WILLIAM RIDGWAY & Co. 

the inclusion of '& Co' indicates 
a date 1834-54

 

 


W R
ENGLAND

without '& Co' indicates 
a date 1830 - 34
Ridgways
W. R.
England
W. R.
England 
 Ridgways
marks with W.R. & Co were produced in the 1834-1854 period

A number of patterns and printed marks were reissued at later periods by a subsequent company:- Ridgways at the Bedford Works.  

  • If the mark has the name 'Ridgways' (in the plural) then is is from the later 1879-1920 period. 

  • If 'ENGLAND' is included then it is after 1891. 

a printed mark with an urn and beehive
ORIENTAL is the pattern name 

 

 

 


raised pad on the base of the jug shown above 

 


the backstamp is on and applied pad of clay  
the mark displays an urn and anchor in relief along with 
W. Ridgway & Co. impressed along a ribbon banner at the bottom.

 


published by
W. RIDGWAY & Co
HANLEY
October 1, 1835

impressed mark 


W R & Co
Marmora

a printed mark with an urn and anchor
MARMORA is the pattern name 

the inclusion of '& Co' indicates 
a date 1834-54



 The Bell works 
In 1830 the two brothers, John & William Ridgway, 
inherited the Bell Works from their uncle George.
John stayed at the Cauldon Works and William took the Bell Works.

- click for more -

 


The Church works 

- click for more -

 

 

Imported ware - passing off as William Ridgway & Co 

 


Although marked W R & Co - William Ridgway was not known for making this type of ware 
this a modern day import, probably from China
There was a company called ‘Staffordshire Figure Company Ltd’ who imported this type of ware around the 1990’s

 


the drawing of the mark on the back is very poor compared with a genuine Ridgway mark, 
the lettering is unclear and the wrong style - also the ‘O’ in ‘& Co’ should be smaller than the other letters, 
early Ridgway ware did not have ‘STAFFORDSHIRE’ in the mark - probably the ’98’ is for 1998

 

Questions, comments, contributions? email: Steve Birks