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Left: William Cookworthy by John Opie ©Plymouth City Council


©Plymouth History Centre


Below: Plymouth Porcelain Coffee pot- showing beautiful hand painted bird like creatures.


Local history


BY HOLLY TRUBSHAWE Curatorial Assistant


KINGSBRIDGE COOKWORTHY MUSEUM


WILLIAM COOKWORTHY: PIONEER OF PORCELAIN


Easter brings a new season at Kingsbridge Cookworthy Museum. 2019 also marks our final year of our exhibition William Cookworthy: Pioneer of Porcelain. This exhibition, in partnership with The Box, Plymouth celebrates the life and achievements of William Cookworthy, who was the first person to make hard paste porcelain in his Plymouth factory in 1768.


Early Life: William Cookworthy was born in Kingsbridge on the 12th


April 1705, the son of a weaver.


William was the eldest of seven children and the family were members of the Society of Friends, otherwise known as Quakers. Fol- lowing the death of his father & the family in financial trouble following an economic crash, William Cookworthy aged 15, was offered an apprenticeship with Quaker chemists Timothy & Silvanus Bevan. While it was not uncommon for Quakers to help other Quakers in need, this apprenticeship was based in London. William Cookworthy walked over 200 miles to London, being unable to afford the coach fare.


Cookworthy the chemist: During his apprenticeship Cookworthy learnt French, Latin, Greek as well as drug manufacture and dispensing. Cookworthy clearly excelled during his apprenticeship as Bevan and Cookworthy became a part- nership, setting up a wholesale business together in Plymouth in 1726. Cookworthy later went into partnership with his brother Philip as William Cookworthy & Co.


Family Life: In 1735 Cookworthy married Sarah Berry a fellow Quaker from Taunton. They had 5 daughters, Lydia, Sarah, Mary, Susanna and Elizabeth. Tragically in 1745 Sarah died, and two years later his youngest daughter Elizabeth died of smallpox, she was only 4 years old. These deaths had a huge impact on William, he retired to Looe in Cornwall to grieve for several months and his brother took over the running of his business.


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