36 replies to this topic

[potter]

HELLO Le200, YES THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN TO EXTRACT SALT FOR THE GLAZING PROCESS WHEN FIRING POTTERY IN THE KILN,AS OLLIE HAS SHOWN, THEY COULD HAVE BEEN USED IN BETWEEN DIFFERENT FIRINGS,A DIPPING POND MAY HAVE BEEN USED FOR SLIP GLAZES, WHICH ARE LIKE A LIQUID CLAY, WHICH YOU DIP THE BISCUIT FIRED POTTERY INTO.BISCUIT FIRING, IS THE FIRST INITIAL FIRING WITHOUT ANY GLAZE ADDED.GLAZES ARE BUILT UP LAYER BY LAYER,WITH EACH COLOUR REQUIRING IT'S OWN FIRING.SALT THROWN IN DURING THIS PROCESS CAUSES A REACTION AND ORANGE PEEL EFFECT ON THE GLAZE.SUN PONDS AND SUN PANS ARE FOR DRYING OUT AND KEEPING MOIST, FIRED POTTERY AND THEIR DIFFERENT CLAYS.REGARDS POTTER.

[Le200]

Thanks for the explanation Potter

[bridger]

Several extensive chemical works in St Helens at this time.

Muspratt and Gamble specialised in manufacturing soda for the soap industry.
Henry Baxter St Helens Baxter 1890 1927
The Globe Alkali Co Ltd St Helens Globe 1890 1920
The Greenbank Alkali Works Co Ltd St Helens Greenbank 1890 1921 Production ceased 1914 Small package works until 1921 when transferred to Widnes - amalgamated with Pilkington Sullivan Works 1931
A G Kurtz & Co St Helens Kurtz 1890 1920
James McBryde & Co Ltd St Helens McBryde 1890 1895
St Helens Chemical Co St Helens St Helens Chemical 1890 1891
The Sutton Lodge Chemical Co Ltd St Helens Sutton Lodge 1890 1896
Thomas Walker St Helens Walker 1890 1892
The Atlas Chemical Co Ltd St Helens Atlas 1890 1898
Duncan McKechnie St Helens McKechnie 1891 1925
J C Gamble Son St Helens Gerrards Bridge 1891 1918
J C Gamble Son St Helens Hardshaw Brook 1891 1928
E Bramwell & Son St Helens 1890



Hi Ratty,
I have ancestors who were chemical labourers on the 1881 census they lived in Pocket Nook St and Frederick St. So where do you reckon they worked if most of the list above only started in the 1890's

[potter]

Hello Bridger,do not know when most of those chemical companies first began, but you might find some of those listed started before the 1890's.I can confirm one did and that was Henry Baxter's company.He was a close friend of my grt grandfather who was a pottery manager in Sutton.In the late 1870's he used to travel to see Henry at his business venture and vice versa they where drinking partners in the local hostelries allbeit the companies where on a smaller scale then. Potter

[bridger]

Thanks Potter, I'll have a Google round to see if I can find anything. One of my ancestors was a "Cooper" by trade and on one of the census's he was described as "Cooper, wet and dry" do you think he worked in a chemical works?

[gypsygeoff]

More chemical works.
Robert Dalgliesh, they made acid eggs,
Wm Meadows.They made Naptha
Charles Rawlins ,they made blue pigments called ''smalts''. Later sold to Reckitts,

[potter]

Hi Bridger, Yes very possible he did work within the chemical industry or the food packaging industry as both these industries involved wet and dry coopers, as the name suggests wet was for liquids and dry for powders and solids.Ranging through the likes of detergents,sugar,tea,dyeing powders,metals,butter,salts and delicate goods packed in barrels filled with sawdust to protect the contents.Aswell of course the wet trade of wine beer and spirits. potter