On the campaign trail at the 1812 elections - a letter from the Enoch Wood scrapbook
In this letter, Thomas Sparrow recommends to Enoch Wood that 21-year old Parliamentary candidate Edward John Walhouse should "go as quickly thro' the County as possible - to do otherwise cannot answer ...
Open letter from E.J. Walhouse to the electors of Staffordshire - 1812 election notice from the Enoch Wood scrapbook
The 1812 election shows that government affairs have not not always been dominated by today's party politics - but they were far from democratic.
"Strictly pure and independent..."
Local issues ...
Packing a Parliament - A pro-reform notice from the Enoch Wood scrapbook
In the early 1830s, new ideas for changing Britain's political system were one of the hottest topics for debate.
Corrupt and Selfish
The authors of this notice direct their venom at "the most shamelessly ...
Patent Cast Iron Octagon Box Nave - an advertisement from the Enoch Wood scrapbook
Rough and potholed roads posed serious problems in this period, when a broken wheel could mean damaged cargo or long delays to a journey.
Tomorrow's World
Just imagine - to talk excitedly about ...
Patent Potter's Ovens - Document from the Enoch Wood Scrapbook
Protecting ideas
Printed notice informing pottery manufacturers of Valentine Close and James Keeling's successful application for patent on a new oven design.
The new design promises to use less ...
Peace - 1813 petition from the Enoch Wood scrapbook
Hard Times in the Potteries
By 1813, years of war with France, and later the United States, had pushed Britain's businesses to the brink of bankruptcy.
The pottery manufacturers were no exception, ...
Peace meeting at Hanley Town Hall - a document from the Enoch Wood scrapbook
Hard Times in the Potteries
By 1813, years of war with France, and later the United States, had pushed Britain's businesses to the brink of bankruptcy.
The pottery manufacturers were no exception, ...
People of England - document from the Enoch Wood scrapbook
A restless and ambitious Usurper
Broadsheet outlining the dangers posed to Great Britain by Napoleon Bonaparte and the French army.
Napoleon had fought many successful land wars with the monarchies ...
Petition to John Davenport - An 1831 election document from the Enoch Wood scrapbook
Before 1831, Stoke-on-Trent shared its Member of Parliament with the rest of Staffordshire.
By July 1831, a new Reform Act was promising to transform the face of elections forever.
An MP for the ...
Plain Answers to plain Questions in a dialogue between John Bull and Bonaparte - document from the Enoch Wood scrapbook
Satirical Wartime Propoganda
Fictitious dialogue between John Bull (a well-known name used to personify England) and Napoleon Bonaparte.
It was produced during the Napoleonic Wars shortly after ...
Pottery manufacturers' behaviour - notice from the Enoch Wood Scrapbook
In December 1796, handbills and notices appeared all over the Potteries casting doubt on the characters of 43 pottery manufacturers after they dissented from a resolution.
The following industry leaders ...
Precaution is Prevention: Or, A Friendly Warning to the Landed and Agricultural Interest; respecting the Real Designs of the Grand Trunk Canal Company in their Intended Application to Parliament - Pamphlet from the Enoch Wood scrapbook
During 1808, the Trent and Mersey Canal Company was attempting to persuade the government that it should be exempt from paying the 'poor rates.'
The 'poor rates' were local taxes raised by every parish ...
Price list for blue printed goods - Document from the Enoch Wood Scrapbook
Pottery manufacturers would often agree upon a standard lowest retail price for their wares in an attempt to avoid being undercut by their peers.
This price list for blue ware features recommendations ...
Price List for Printed Ware - from the Enoch Wood Scrapbook
This is a list of "prices delivered by the several persons who have subscribed to the same, below which none of them are to sell the following goods after the 24th of June, 1795."
In other words, pottery ...
Proposed Commercial Canal - Declaration from the Enoch Wood scrapbook
A committee of subscribers to a scheme for a new canal are in uproar about the publication of a hand bill claiming to reflect their views.
At this time, the committee were taking on a weighty opponent, ...
Proposed Grand Commercial Canal - Pamphlet from the Enoch Wood scrapbook
In this statement, a group of landowners protest that they have been misrepresented in print.
They believe that they have been cast as supporters of a controversial new canal scheme, simply because ...
Proposed Grand Commercial Canal - Pamphlet from the Enoch Wood scrapbook
In this statement, a group of landowners protest that they have been misrepresented in print.
They believe that they have been cast as supporters of a controversial new canal scheme, simply because ...
Prys Courant van Engelsche Aardewere - Document from the Enoch Wood Scrapbook
Stoke-on-Trent's pottery industry has long been famous all over the world.
Even in 1797, price lists were issued in other languages for the benefit of the export trade.
Dutch speakers, for example, ...