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William Cookworthy

Header: William Cookworthy
Also known as: William Cookworthy; primary name: Cookworthy, William
Details: individual; manufacturer/factory; British; Male
Life dates: 1705-1780
Biography: William Cookworthy was a Quaker and chemist, born in Kingsbridge, Devon and proprieter of the Plymouth Porcelain Factory. Cookworthy is credited with the discovery of China Clay in Cornwall circa 1755 but did not get a patent for porcelain manufacture until 1768 after years of experimentation. The factory at Coxside, Sutton Pool in Plymouth operated for only two years 1768-1770 before it moved to Castle Green in Bristol under the joint leadership of Cookworthy and Richard Champion. Cookworthy retired in 1773, signing over the patent and factory ownership to Champion.
Bibliography: R N Worth 'William Cookworthy and the Plymouth China Factory' (Transactions of the Devonshire Association for the Advancement of Science, Literature and Art, 1876) Theodore Compton 'William Cookworthy' (London, 1895) F Severne MacKenna 'Cookworthy's Plymouth and Bristol Porcelain,' (Leigh-on-Sea, 1943) Hubert Fox 'The Story of William Cookworthy' (1972) John Penderil-Church 'William Cookworthy 1705-1780' (Truro, 1972) A Douglas Selleck 'Cookworthy 1705-80 and his circle' (Plymouth, 1978) A Douglas Selleck 'Cookworthy 'a man of no common clay'' (Plymouth, 1978)

Museum number: 1896,1118.1 |
Producer name: Factory of:William CookworthyFactory of:Plymouth Porcelain Factory |
Production date: 1768-1770 |
Production place: Factory in:Plymouth (Devon)

Museum number: 1970,0104.47 |
Producer name: Factory of:William CookworthyFactory of:Plymouth Porcelain Factory |
Production date: 1768-1770 |
Production place: Factory in:Plymouth (Devon)

Museum number: 1908,0413.1 |
Producer name: Factory of:William CookworthyFactory of:Plymouth Porcelain Factory |
Production date: 1768-1770 |
Production place: Factory in:Plymouth (Devon)

Museum number: 1887,0307,VII.1 |
Producer name: Factory of:William CookworthyFactory of:Plymouth Porcelain Factory |
Production date: 1768-1770 |
Production place: Factory in:Plymouth (Devon)

Museum number: 1945,1003.2 |
Producer name: Factory of:William CookworthyFactory of:Plymouth Porcelain Factory |
Production date: 1768-1770 |
Production place: Factory in:Plymouth (Devon)

Museum number: 1940,1101.46 |
Producer name: Factory of:Plymouth Porcelain FactoryFactory of:William Cookworthy |
Production date: 1768-1770 |
Production place: Factory in:Plymouth (Devon)

Museum number: 1945,1003.1 |
Producer name: Factory of:William CookworthyFactory of:Plymouth Porcelain Factory |
Production date: 1768-1770 |
Production place: Factory in:Plymouth (Devon)

Museum number: 1887,0307,I.12 |
Producer name: Factory of:William CookworthyFactory of:Plymouth Porcelain Factory |
Production date: 1768-1770 |
Production place: Factory in:Plymouth (Devon)

Museum number: 1905,0218.3 |
Producer name: Factory of:William CookworthyFactory of:Plymouth Porcelain Factory |
Production date: 1768-1770 |
Production place: Factory in:Plymouth (Devon)

Museum number: 1887,0307,VII.7 |
Producer name: Factory of:William CookworthyFactory of:Plymouth Porcelain Factory |
Production date: 1768-1770 |
Production place: Factory in:Plymouth (Devon)

Museum number: 1887,0307,VII.9 |
Producer name: Factory of:William CookworthyFactory of:Plymouth Porcelain Factory |
Production date: 1768 |
Production place: Factory in:Plymouth (Devon)

Museum number: 1887,0307,VII.8 |
Producer name: Factory of:William CookworthyFactory of:Plymouth Porcelain Factory |
Production date: 1768-1770 |
Production place: Factory in:Plymouth (Devon)

Museum number: 1940,1101.56 |
Producer name: Factory of:Bow Porcelain FactoryFactory of:William Cookworthy |
Production place: Factory in:Bow (Tower Hamlets)Factory in:Plymouth (Devon)

Museum number: 1890,0724.8 |
Producer name: Factory of:William CookworthyFactory of:Plymouth Porcelain Factory |
Production date: 1768-1770 |
Production place: Factory in:Plymouth (Devon)

Museum number: 1887,0307,VII.5 |
Producer name: Factory of:William CookworthyFactory of:Plymouth Porcelain Factory |
Production date: 1768-1770 |
Production place: Factory in:Plymouth (Devon)

Museum number: 1942,1209.4 |
Producer name: Factory of:William CookworthyFactory of:Plymouth Porcelain Factory |
Production date: 1768-1770 |
Production place: Factory in:Plymouth (Devon)