Ridgway, Morley & Wear

Earthenware manufacturer at the Broad Street Works, Shelton (Hanley), Stoke-on-Trent, England.

The partnership was between William Ridgway and his son-in-law Francis Morley with William Wear. William Dutton and James Davidson were the '& Co'.
In October 1837 James Davidson left the partnership.
In 1840 they employed 348 people - adults: 125 males 69 females; 13-21 year olds: 42 males, 71 female; under 13: 23 boys, 18 girls.
In June 1842 William Wear and William Dutton left the partnership which continued as Ridgway & Morley.

The London Gazette
24th October 1837

notice that James Davidson left the partnership

The London Gazette
28th June 1842

notice of the dissolution of the partnership which
is to be carried on by Ridgway & Morley

EVIDENCE TAKEN IN THE STAFFORDSHIRE POTTERIES By SAMUEL SCRIVEN, Esq. (1840/1)

Messrs. RIDGWAY, MORLEY, WEAR, and Co., Iron-Stone China and Earthenware Factory.
PRESSING ROOM
No. 93. Thomas Furnival,	aged 58
I have been a potter 51 years, first as a moulder; and have through every department; am now the overlooker or manager of the works. It is my duty to hire and discharge all the hands. We employ now, being low, 348 persons, that is 125 males 69 females, adults; 42 males, 7I female, under 21; 23 boys, 18 girls; under 13. The premises stand upon about three acres, more or less : and consist of 60 rooms; seven ovens, and five offices, well drained and lighted by candles ; there is no engine of any kind except jiggers. The people come at six in the summer, and seven in the winter, and leave at six; there is sometimes over-work when orders come in; and they work 'till nine. The plate-makes, saucer-makers, and bowlers take on their boys with the consent of the overlooker, and pay them by the day. All paid by the master, are paid in hard cash. We sometimes for the people advance sums of money, and let them work it out ; we sometimes do that with the men, and let the boys work it out, or girls, but we have no such thing as written contracts with parents for the employment of children. All advances are made for the benefit of the people, and are considered favours. We should not advance money to a drunken character. We consider the dipping as the most unhealthy process in the department, that indeed is the only one ; the scouring is bad, but the women do not continue long in it ; they get married and leave. I think potters' children are tolerably healthy ; they look white, but that is from the clay, which is not pernicious. We have no boys as painters in the works, the painting is done here by men and women. I do not know that I have any other information to give.

There was an interchange of patterns between the Ridgway business and between previous and sucessive companies.