Cambrian Pottery

Swansea porcelain plate, from the Dynevor Service, c. 1817. Painting by William Pollard.
Trade-card, 1806

The Cambrian Pottery was founded in 1764 by William Coles in Swansea, Glamorganshire, Wales. In 1790, John Coles, son of the founder, went into partnership with George Haynes, who introduced new business strategies based on the ideas of Josiah Wedgwood. Lewis Weston Dillwyn became a partner in 1802 and sole owner when George Haynes left the pottery in 1810. In 1811 Dillwyn took T.& J. Bevington into partnership, the company becoming known as Dillwyn & Co.

Initially "its main product was coarse redware for farm and domestic use, though creamware and lead-glazed earthenware were also made".[1] But Dillwyn, who also wrote naturalist books, was keen to move upmarket and employed the artist William Weston Young from 1806, and also Thomas Rothwell (1740-1807). Between 1814 and about 1822, the famous Swansea china or Swansea porcelain was made there.

  1. ^ British Museum, "Cambrian Pottery"