Verreville Pottery

Overview

The works started life, as the name suggests, as a glassworks in 1777, on the North banks of the Clyde at Finnieston.
In 1802, John Geddes, who had been manager of the glassworks, expanded the works to establish a pottery to the south of the glass manufacturing.

Robert Montgomery purchased the pottery aspect of the works in 1830 and was made bankrupt in 1833. Robert A. Kidston, owner of nearby Anderston pottery, continued the works until 1841 when he was also made bankrupt. The pottery was taken over in 1845 by Kidston, Robert Cochran and his brother Alexander, Charles Watson and Robert Goodwin.
Kidston, Watson & Goodwin quickly left. Alexander Cochran managed the glassworks and Robert focused on the pottery.

From 1845 until 1918, three generations of Robert Cochran ran the pottery until its closure.

Robert Cochran Senior established a purpose built factory in the 1850’s at St Rollox, slightly North of Glasgow centre. The pottery was named Britannia and the Cochran family ran both sites for two generations. As a result, both potteries often used the same mark “R C & Co” or “R Cochran & Co” – also sometimes sharing the same patterns.

Main Products

During the first period under Geddes, the Northern American export market was the primary market, with porcelain and earthenware decorated in hand-painting, sponge-printed and transfer-printed wares.

The wares in the 1830s under Montgomery are thought to have been the same as produced by Geddes.

Kidston produced soft paste porcelain with violet sprig wares, black basalt which was never marked and commercial slip ware which is only found in archaeological evidence.

From 1845 until 1918, the Cochrans dropped all unprofitable lines and made just white and coloured earthenware for the home and overseas markets. The most popular transfer-printed ware being the “Syria” pattern, which was made in abundance. The 1860-70s saw the pottery specialise in jugs. Large dinner ware sets were produced.

Spongeware was created throughout the existence of the pottery but is never marked and is said to have been exported to Asia.

Articles in SPHR

3 - References
4 - Scottish Potteries in Pictures
5 - Patterns
6 - Scottish Potteries in Pictures 3
7 - References
8 - Patterns
9 - References
10 - Patterns
11 - Patterns
12 - The Jugs of ... - Henry E Kelly
14 - References
15 - The Kidston Connection with Anderston Pottery and with Verreville Pottery at Finnieston - John K Tait
18 - The Anderston and Verreville Potteries and Glass Works 1842 - Douglas Leishman
21 - The Wares of Britannia - Henry E Kelly
20 - The Export Wares of the Cochrans from The Britannia & Verreville Potteries - Henry E Kelly
23 - A Brief History of Verreville Pottery - Henry E Kelly & Roger McAslan

Articles in Bulletin (Members only)

Articles in Bulletin (Members only)
Continued

Typical Backstamps & Marks

John Geddes, JG, Verreville Pottery and Glass Company, M with ‘warranted’ mark, RAK, RAK & Co, R. C & Co, R. Cochran & Co, R C & CO VP.
“Princess Royal” known as a black basalt creamer, from sherd evidence from the site.