 |
Introduction to
the walk around Shelton |
This is a history walk around part of Shelton. The purpose of the walk is to
look at the relationship
between the Ridgway family, pottery manufacturers of Caldon Place, and the
development of the surrounding
area. Emphasis will also be placed on the role played by their religious
beliefs – they were prominent
members of Bethesda Methodist New Connexion Chapel in Hanley.
on the Methodist New Connexion
The
actual walk was conducted in July 2000 by Andrew Dobraszczyc (Keele
University). Photos & web production by Steve Birks.
The Caldon Place Works was
built by Job Ridgway (1759-1814). He was the son of Ralph Ridgway, a potter in Burslem. In 1782,
with his brother George, he took over the Bell Works, Shelton (now the site of
the Potteries Museum). The
partnership ended in 1802 and then or shortly afterwards Job built the Caldon Place Pottery.
The site
of the new factory was on the main turnpike road between Hanley and Stoke below the Caldon Canal
opposite the Shelton Hall, built in 1782 for the brothers Ephraim and Charles Chatterley, prominent
pottery manufacturers in Hanley
Job was one of the founder
members of the Methodist New Connexion in Hanley in 1797 who met temporarily in a coach house in
Albion Street until Bethesda Chapel was built on the site in 1798. He married Elizabeth, daughter of
Elijah Mayer, potter, in 1785 and had three sons, John, William and Joseph (who died in infancy).
John (1785-1860) and William (1788-1864) became partners in the business
in 1808 when they began to
manufacture porcelain at the Caldon Place Works. Job died in 1814 and his
two sons continued the
partnership until 1830 when William took the Bell Bank Works leaving his
brother John in sole charge of the
factory in Shelton.
Ridgway family tree
