The first thing you find out about Meashamware is that it is shrouded in myth and legend. There are many definitive histories, but most contradict each other, and so it is fair to assume that much of the Meashamware story is now lost. This description is how we understand the evidence.
Although known as Meashamware, these brown pots were never made there. They came from the south Derbyshire / Leicestershire coalfield areas, pretty much Donnisthorpe / Church Gresley, if you look on the map. Mason and Cash were the main makers, but it is believed that other potteries also made them. When we think of Meashamware, we have a mental image of a big brown teapot, with a tiny teapot on the lid, as a finial. Again, this is only half the story. There are many different designs of teapots, as well as sizes, some just for one, or huge, for a whole houseful. They also made more than just teapots. Tobacco jars, jugs and sugar-bowls can be tracked down with a bit of effort, and there are some real holy grails, like a chamber pot or smoker's compendium, which came to bits and slotted back together. Now, just to confuse the issue, they didn't just do brown. There are tales of pots in white, blue and green!
So where do narrowboats fit in? As far as we can tell, distribution. It is said that crews would order them on their way up the Ashby Canal when passing through Measham, and pick up the pots on their way back down. A lot of the ones that we find have personal details on them and would have been a serious gift. We have never found evidence to suggest that they didn't find their way into back cabins, but most probably ended up in a tiny terraced house as a prized possession. A prized possession yes, but one that was used. This was all happening from around the 1870s to about the First World War, although we have seen dates on pots as late as 1930, but not much after that.
Whatever the real story was, we will never know all the details now, but the fact is that even if most of their history was more mining than boating, they are now forever linked with our canal history. Love them or hate them, a large Meashamware teapot is a hard thing to ignore, and if you are lucky enough to own a family heirloom, look after it as you would a cuddly old uncle. If you want to have a piece for yourself, well, we welcome you to the club. Just remember though, once you start looking around, your first teapot could lead on to a passion for squat brown pots!
Although known as Meashamware, these brown pots were never made there. They came from the south Derbyshire / Leicestershire coalfield areas, pretty much Donnisthorpe / Church Gresley, if you look on the map. Mason and Cash were the main makers, but it is believed that other potteries also made them. When we think of Meashamware, we have a mental image of a big brown teapot, with a tiny teapot on the lid, as a finial. Again, this is only half the story. There are many different designs of teapots, as well as sizes, some just for one, or huge, for a whole houseful. They also made more than just teapots. Tobacco jars, jugs and sugar-bowls can be tracked down with a bit of effort, and there are some real holy grails, like a chamber pot or smoker's compendium, which came to bits and slotted back together. Now, just to confuse the issue, they didn't just do brown. There are tales of pots in white, blue and green!
So where do narrowboats fit in? As far as we can tell, distribution. It is said that crews would order them on their way up the Ashby Canal when passing through Measham, and pick up the pots on their way back down. A lot of the ones that we find have personal details on them and would have been a serious gift. We have never found evidence to suggest that they didn't find their way into back cabins, but most probably ended up in a tiny terraced house as a prized possession. A prized possession yes, but one that was used. This was all happening from around the 1870s to about the First World War, although we have seen dates on pots as late as 1930, but not much after that.
Whatever the real story was, we will never know all the details now, but the fact is that even if most of their history was more mining than boating, they are now forever linked with our canal history. Love them or hate them, a large Meashamware teapot is a hard thing to ignore, and if you are lucky enough to own a family heirloom, look after it as you would a cuddly old uncle. If you want to have a piece for yourself, well, we welcome you to the club. Just remember though, once you start looking around, your first teapot could lead on to a passion for squat brown pots!
