Michael D.Heath-Caldwell M.Arch.

1791

James Caldwell of Nantwich (formerly from Beith) - age 69/70 - father of James Caldwell jnr

Hannah Caldwell (ne Armstrong) - to 1794 

Margaret Skerrett (ne Caldwell) - 41/42

Anne Caldwell of Nantwich  -  32/33 

Elizabeth Caldwell (Bessy) of Nantwich - 24/25 - sisters of James Caldwell

Hannah Stamford of Linley Wood - 37/38 - Elizabeth Caldwell's sister 

James Caldwell of Linley Wood – aged 31/32. 

Elizabeth Caldwell of Linley Wood – aged 37

Hannah Caldwell (later Rosoe)– aged 5/6 

Stamford Caldwell – aged 4/5

Mary Caldwell – aged 1/2 (baptised 27^th March 1789)

Anne Marsh-Caldwell – baptised 9 January 1791

Diary of James Caldwell

On the 1st. day of January 1791 commenced my connection with Mr Enoch Wood in the manufactury of Earthern Ware & a new set of Works were soon after begun to be erected.

9th January 1791

Baptism of Anne Caldwell to James Caldwell of Linley Wood and Elizabeth Caldwell (nee Stamford)

Various books on pottery record the firm of "Wood & Caldwell", existing from approximately 1791 to 1818. This company produced a wide range of products including figurines and table ware, some marked "Wood & Caldwell" but most were probably unmarked.  Examples can occasionally be found in antique shops, although they are rare and rather costly.  Enoch Wood ran the Pottery while James presumably handled the financial side and possibly some of the marketing.  

Both men were similar in age and had similar religious beliefs as they were both sympathetic to, if not complete followers of, the Unitarian ideals of the time.  This partnership of Potter and Lawyer was to last for approximately 28 years up until 1819 when Enoch bought James's share and James retired from the company. 

In his diary James notes, 18 July 1818, that he had agreed to accept £27,000 pounds from Enoch Wood for his share of the business.  James later notes that the sale was completed, 8 March 1819.  Shortly after this Enoch also purchased Hannah Stamford's interest in the partnership.  All these negotiations were quite lengthy and rather acrimonious as by now James and Enoch no longer enjoyed the good relationship which they must have had at the beginning.  For more information go to www.woodandcaldwell.info

Letter to James Caldwell  from his sister Ann Caldwell

Pre 1791 as both parents alive

Mr Caldwell

Newcastle

Dear Brother,

When I wrote to you yesterday my father had just sent on a great hurry for Doctor C. and I had heard nothing said about it before; I am afraid I alarmed you as well as myself more than there was any occasion for. I had sat down to write to you and before I had made two letters, my mother came down in a violent agitation to tell Will he must go immediately to Chester.

I was so frightened with hearing the message, that I wrote anything to you that came uppermost and there was not time to be particular as the bag was made up. I think I told you on Sunday my father’s complaint was a dizziness in his head. He was taken on Sunday morning. Mr Kent took a little blood from him, and he thought himself better till Tuesday night. After supper he was exceeding poorly in his head and so low he could scarcely speak. He got no sleep all that night and yesterday thought himself much worse.

Mr Penlington told him he did not apprehend him in the least danger, but as he seemed alarmed about himself he had better send for Dr C. This was all concluded on while I went down to write to you and you may suppose I should be a good deal shocked to hear of a physician being sent for.

He continued poorly till about five o’clock in the afternoon, but went better after drinking some tea. He had a very good night and is today a vast deal better. Dr [Curry?] came this morning to breakfast. He says [wax seal] not in the least danger, thinks his complaints are altogether nerves and has not a doubt but he will be quite well in a few days.

I have been exceeding unhappy ever since my letter went. I know you will think my father worse than he really is. And as from what I said you might think it necessary to come over tomorrow. We determined to send Will early in the morning to prevent you, and to ease the anxiety you would be in. I can now assure you there is not the least reason to be alarmed.

And if it is not convenient for you to come over tomorrow and stay with Mr Tomas, I would not have you think of it. We shall expect to see you on Saturday. And I would advise you not to let even business prevent you, for though I hope and believe there will not be the smallest occasion to come on my father’s account, yet I think he will be pleased to see you with Mr Tomas.

It will be quite unnecessary for you to come before Saturday. I shall order Will to send this letter to you, lest you should be frightened to see him. Doctor Skerrett has been seeing his new sister today. He has been talking to my father about his complaints in terms too learned for us to understand. My mother and Bessy desire love, they are well. Will you overlook all the fault of these scrawls I am sending you every day; and impute them to the infirmities of your affectionate sister A Caldwell.

Be sure to give my love to Mrs W, and tell her she must not think of sending for Miss Willett a long time yet. My mother would have sent Will to you tonight. But I thought you might perhaps not get my letter than morning.

15 July 1791

Death of James Caldwell of Scotland 1791 aged 71 

Miscellaneous Observations Expers. &c.

15th Dec 1791.

No.1. Is a piece of Quartz procured for me by Mr. More, the Secretary to the Society of Arts and Sciences, through the Intervention of Mrs. Bentley, & received by me the 14th Decr. 1791. The specimen was said by the person from whom it was obtained to be a foreign one, & he informed Mrs. B. that there was no English Quartz. The name "Dominica" is marked upon it. There is reason to believe, however, that Quartz is met with in Derbyshire, where it is called Quartz Spar, or Quartz Chrystal(sic); though all the Specimens which I have yet been able to procure, by no means correspond in Appearance or Quality with this sent me from London.

The . . .[Cutler] in the common culinary Fire as well as in a much stronger Heat crackles & flies, & burns to a dirty brown, whereas the former stands the fire without flying & is of a most beautiful Whiteness, both before and after it has undergone the Heat. Mr More says that there are large Quantities of Quaztz(sic) [quartz] in Wales, and that in the Island of Anglesey there is a Rock of it. In this I am induced to believe that he is right, from a very rough & bad specimen which I picked up myself in October last, off the common Turnpike Road, at the Calemel Mines, near Holy Well, in Flintshire.

This specimen is so strongly impregnated with Metallic Substances as perhaps to be utterly unfit for the purpose of Manufacture, but I make no doubt but that much fairer Specimens might have been procured at the same place, had I taken time to look for them, and it is extremely probable that there are large Quantities in other parts of the Country less impregnated with Metals. On putting this Stone into the fire, it neither crackled nor flew like the Spar; and on taking it out, after suffering it to remain red hot for about ten Minutes, I found a number of parts in it equal in Lustre & Whiteness to the Quartz, & the colour of which on a comparison could scarcely be distinguished from the other. The Metallic parts even with this Heat had the appearance of being vitrified, and I should suppose might by means of a much stronger be either dissipated or consumed so as to leave the Quartz . . .[pure] and fit for use. But this; I propose to try, by exposing it to the greatest Heat I can obtain at the Manufactory.