Bleak Hill Works, Cobridge

 

Bleak Hill Works, Cobridge photos: Ewart Morris   Early occupiers of the Bleak Hill Works...   Peter Warburton (1773–1813) built the Bleak Hill Works, Cobridge (between Elder and Waterloo Roads) early in the 19th cent. James & Ralph Clews, Bleak Hill Works, Elder Road (1813-1827) Invention of underglaze decoration... 'Mr. F. J. Emery of the Bleak Hill Works introduced in about 1865 a method of crayon drawing and painting on the unglazed surface of earthenware and china, which came much in repute, and drawings were made in it by some of the artists as well as by lady and other amateurs. The unglazed articles and prepared crayons and colours were supplied by Mr. Emery, who afterwards became a partner with Edward Clarke at Longport, and proprietor of the Bleak Hill Works.' Jewitt's Ceramic Art of Great Britain   Later development of the area...  The western part of the Cobridge area around the former Grange farm was in 1960 still  largely waste, much of it was occupied by the workings of the disused Grange Colliery.  There are two council housing estates in this district. One was laid out off Commercial Street south of St. John's Church in the years between the world wars. The other, south of it, dates from after 1945. Demolition of the cottages around the Bleak Hill Pottery between Waterloo Road and Elder Road was in progress in 1958 and cottages in Waterloo Road west of Christ Church had been pulled down before the end of 1959. Cobridge Park (9 acres), between Elder Road and the railway, was opened in 1911. Victoria History of the County of Stafford

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Bleak Hill Works - photo taken from Orgreave Street 
(Originally Bleak Street - renamed in the 1950's)

the road in front of the works is Warburton Street 
(named after the Warburton family who were prominent potters in the late 1700's) 

to the right was Gilchrist Place - now replaced by housing
(originaly Parker Street - see the 1898 map below)  
 

1898 map showing the Bleak Hill Works at the end of Bleak Street 

 

1898 map showing the area of Cobridge around the Bleak Hill Works
Waterloo Road to the left and the Potteries Loop Line to the right

 

the tiled name on the pediment of the Bleak Hill Works 

at the time of the 1881 census Francis Emery employed 50 men and 40 women at the Bleak Hill Works

 

1881 census:
Dwelling: 222 Waterloo Rd
Census Place: Burslem, Staffordshire, England

Name	Marr | Age | Sex		Birthplace	Occupation
Francis J. EMERY	W 49 M	Head	Burslem	E Ware Manufacturer & Councillor Employing 50 Men 40 Females
Francis EMERY	U 20 M	Son	Burslem	Drapers Assistant
Mary EMERY	U 22 F	Daur	Burslem
Edmond J. EMERY	U 13 M	Son	Burslem	Scholar
Agnes LEDWITH	U 20 F	Visitor	Autherley	Book Keeper
Sarah JOHNSON	U 24 F	Serv	Tunstall	Servant Domestic

 

 

 

 

early 1851 map  showing the Bleak Hill Works 
the area in front of the works contains a small garden and a water pond
to the upper left is the Cobridge Brick Works

map © Staffordshire Past-Track

 

the 1851 map  showing the  Bleak Hill area 
Waterloo Road, Hill Street and Bleak Street are laid out on this map
on Waterloo Road Camoys Terrace and Grange Terrace can be identified 

 

contents: 2009 photos

Related pages..

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F J Emery - ware and markings 

A photo walk around Cobridge - a Victorian Suburb

Cobridge and Arnold Bennett

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