John Doulton

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John Doulton (November 17, 1793 - May 26, 1873) was an English businessman and manufacturer of pottery, a founder of the firm that later became known as Royal Doulton. John Doulton married Jane Duneau, a widow from Bridgnorth in Shropshire, who died April 9, 1841.[1] They had eight children, including Sir Henry, Frederick MP, Josiah[2] and Alfred.[3]

In 1815, soon after John Doulton had completed his apprenticeship as a potter, he invested his life savings of £100 in the Vauxhall Walk pottery of Martha Jones, Lambeth.[4] Her foreman, John Watts, was also taken into partnership and the firm became known as Jones, Watts and Doulton. It specialized in industrial ware, brown stoneware, drain pipes as well as stoneware bottles for chemicals, beer, and other industrial liquids among others. Martha Jones withdrew from the partnership in 1820 and the company moved to new premises in Lambeth High Street in 1826. In 1835 John's 15 year old son Henry Doulton was taken on as an apprentice. By 1846, Henry had set up an independent Lambeth Pottery which had become the leader in industrial products, particularly sanitation products. Following the retirement of John Watts in 1853, Doulton and Watts merged with Henry's company to become Doulton and Company and was highly recognized for its lines of hand decorated figurines, vases and dinnerware.[5]

[edit] References

  1. ^ “Mrs. Doulton”, The Baptist Magazine 33: 350-251, 1841, <http://books.google.com/books?id=jOYRAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA350&as_brr=1&ei=ZHOgR4_eI5T8iwGe8JSvCg#PPA350,M1> 
  2. ^ Hattie Beresford (2007), “The Way it Was: The Miramar No One Remembers”, Montecito Journal 8 March, <http://www.montecitojournal.net/article.php?a=823> 
  3. ^ “Deaths”, The Gentleman's Magazine 201: 255, 1856, <http://books.google.com/books?id=NghC0tBitFcC&pg=PA255&dq=%22John+doulton%22&as_brr=1&ei=4nOgR_KlBJ-0iQGS4d2rCg> 
  4. ^ The Vauxhall Society: Doulton, <http://www.vauxhallsociety.org.uk/Doulton.html> 
  5. ^ The History of Royal Doulton, <http://www.royaldoultonantiques.com/historyroyaldoulton1.htm> 

[edit] Bibliography

  • Eyles, D. (1965). Royal Doulton, 1815-1965: The Rise and Expansion of the Royal Doulton Potteries. London: Hutchinson. 
  • Eyles, D. & Irvine, L. (2002). The Doulton Lambeth wares, 2nr rev ed., London: Richard Dennis. ISBN 0903685795. 
  • Eyles, D. et al. (1994). Royal Doulton Figures: Produced at Burslem, Staffordshire, c1890-1994, 3rd rev ed., London: Richard Dennis. ISBN 0903685353.