John Dwight is credited with pioneering English pottery because of his development of the processes he patented in 1671 and 1678. In the first he claims he had 'discovered the mystery of the stone or cologne wares hitherto made only in Germany' and 'commonly known by the names of porcelain of China or Persian ware as well as the Cologne stoneware.' The later records the means 'for several new manufactures called by the name of White Georges, marbled porcelain vessels, statues and figures and other items never made in England or elsewhere as well as he discovered mystery of transparent porcelain and red and dark coloured porcelain.' As early as 1677 the Keeper of the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford recorded Dwight's innovations. He set up a pottery here, opposite the junction of the New Kings Road and Hurlingham Road, some time a little before 1674 and this manufacture continued in various hands on the site to 1986.

An oddity of Dwight was his hoarding habit. His personal records include notes of '240 guineas in a wooden box in a garret hole under the fireplace', '460 guineas in the old laboratory', 'in two more holes under the fireplace 200 more guineas'. A more common but no less sad feature of his life was the death of four sons and a daughter in childhood. The daughter is the subject of one of his pieces held in the Victoria and Albert museum. He also managed to fall out, seriously, with a remaining son. He allowed him just £5 in his will.

O/S Co-ords:2450.7604
Source(s):

A History of Fulham

Chambers Biographical Dictionary