| The story of Belleek and how the pottery came
into being is remarkably interesting and one which would merit
a detailed study on its own. However, this is not a book on
the history of Belleek or the Pottery but rather a pictorial
tribute to the porcelain produced there. None the less, no book
on Belleek would be complete without some mention of the past.
Belleek is strategically situated on the River Erne, two
and a half miles downstream from Lough Erne. In the past,
the fast-flowing river tumbled over rapids and waterfalls
in its rush to reach the Atlantic Ocean. At Belleek the river
hurled itself over one such fall, at the foot of which was
a calm pool with a large flat rock, known in Gaelic as Beal
Leice, which literally translated to "the ford mouth
of the flagstone".
Hundreds of years before any settlement, the flagstone was
well known as a crossing place and Belleek's strategic significance
is illustrated by the fact that the Vikings used to camp by
the ford and later the Normans built two castles there (both
of which were immediately destroyed by the natives). Throughout
the early days of Irish history Belleek is mentioned again
and again.
In 1610 Thomas Blennerhassett and his brother Sir Edward,
of Norfolk, England, planters installed by the British, were
granted two estates in Fermanagh and founded the town of Belleek.
Francis Blennerhassett, son of Sir Edward, built a castle
in the area, naming it Hassett's Fort. The family remained
in Belleek until 1662 when the estate was sold to the Caldwell
family.
Sir James Caldwell, the new owner, gave the castle its present
name, Castle Caldwell, and through his line it succeeded to
John Caldwell who, returning from military service in America
and finding the estate and castle in virtual ruin, assiduously
rebuilt it. In 1830 the estate was inherited by his eldest
daughter, who had married Major John Colpoys Bloomfield. It
was their son, John Caldwell Bloomfield, born in 1823, who
was the principal founder of the Pottery.
In fact, the Belleek Pottery owes its origin to three
men, John Caldwell Bloomfield being the first. The other
two, with diverse backgrounds and interests, were Robert Williams
Armstrong and David McBirney.
Armstrong, born in 1824, was an architect and civil engineer
from County Longford who had settled in Dublin. He went to
work in England and by the mid 1850s had built up a substantial
practice working as architect to the potteries in the Midlands.
In 1855 he met Bloomfield whilst working for the Worcester
Porcelain Company, under the management of Kerr.
McBirney, born in 1804, was a merchant of Dalkey, county
Dublin, and a highly successful businessman. He was a director
of several railway companies and had other business interests
including clothiers of Aston Quay and an Irish woollen warehouse.
Bloomfield was an enterprising landlord and always on the
look-out for ways of helping the natives of Belleek to gain
employment. Finding rich deposits of fine kaolin and felspar
on his land, he became possessed with the idea of founding
a porcelain factory which would provide local employment and
enhance Ireland's prestige. at the 1853 Dublin International
Exhibition, the Worcester Porcelain Co won the highest award
for its exhibition of a dinner service called "Midsummer
Night's Dream" Bloomfield produced from Belleek clay.
However, in spite of its fine raw material, Ireland had nothing
on show and it became even more important for Bloomfield to
find the means of getting a pottery established.
Shortly after the 1853 Dublin Exhibition, Bloomfield and
Armstrong met. With so much in common, they soon agreed to
work together to build the Pottery. Bloomfield would provide
the land at a nominal rent whilst Armstrong would design,
build, and manage it. A financial backer was all that was
needed and Bloomfield felt he knew the right man - David McBirney.
Bloomfield and Armstrong's enthusiasm was such that McBirney
was intrigued and travelled to the Worcester Porcelain Factory
and then to Belleek. Soon afterwards he agreed to finance
the venture. The pottery would be known as "D. McBirney
& Co."
Rose Isle was the site chosen. the first notable non-military
building constructed in Belleek, "a fine residence for
the Dowager Lady Caldwell", had been on this island,
and it was there that the Pottery's foundation stone was laid
in July 1857. By the end of the year earthenware was in production,
though the factory was not completed until June 1860. Costing
some £40,000, Armstrong's design of the Pottery reflected
his architectural skill and his understanding of pottery production.
It was built to resemble a large country house with a facade
of local cut stone and large well-lit rooms. figures vary
but it seems that the Pottery was built to accommodate up
to 500 employees. In fact no more than 250 have ever been
employed there.
The site had many advantages. The island was on a bend of
the river where the water could be harnessed to give up to
15,000 horse power, more than adequate to drive the water-wheel
required for the Pottery. There were many unemployed people
and a wealth of local resources - kaolin, felspar and other
raw materials. Ballyshannon, a port three miles down stream,
played an important role. Machinery for the Pottery was landed
at the Salt Works Quay and transported by horse and cart to
the Pottery. Most probably the coal required for the Pottery
came by the same route until the railway reached Belleek in
1886, having taken nine years' effort and expense by McBirney
and Bloomfield to get the line from Enniskillen extended to
Ballyshannon via Belleek.
It has also been claimed that water transport on the Erne
to Enniskillen and by the Ulster Canal to Lough Neagh, Belfast
and Derry was a significant asset, but this seems unlikely.
The Ulster Canal was constructed to narrower dimensions than
other canals in Ireland, and goods transported on the canal
had to be transferred to special narrow boats. Furthermore
the canal was troubled by lack of water, often drying out
completely during the summer months.
To begin with, production at the Pottery was confined to
earthenware and a wide range of articles were made - high-quality
domestic ware, floor tile, hospital sanitation ware and telephone
insulators. Such was the range that on occasions pieces of
earthenware turn up whose use is difficult to establish. Being
cheaper to produce, earthenware was Belleek's most profitable
line and many times was the lifeline upon which the future
of the Pottery was to depend. However it was Bloomfield, Armstrong
and McBirney ambition to produce porcelain, as they felt that
it was only through porcelain that the pottery could achieve
international recognition, and so in the early days the profit
made from the sale of earthenware was ploughed into experiments
on parian. The early attempts failed and it was not until
late 1863, following the recruitment of William Bromley (foreman),
William Gallimore (chief modeller) and other skilled men from
Goss, that Belleek parian developed to a quality fit to be
marketed.
Bromley and Gallimore were exceptionally qualified and experienced,
and it is probable that they brought moulds with them as several
Belleek parian pieces are very like those from Goss. Eventually,
with the exception of William Henshall, most of these recruits
left the pottery, either to return to Goss, as in the case
of Bromley and Gallimore, or to go to the USA. However, their
knowledge and skills had been passed on to the local people
who seemed to have a natural talent for this fine work.
Even then the experiments were continued. Armstrong, always
the perfectionist, would not allow products to be marketed
unless they met with his approval. It is said barrel-loads
of rejects were tipped into the Erne river.
At the 1872 Dublin Exposition the Belleek Pottery had the
largest display area in the Irish and English industrial section,
showing domestic tableware as well as nine parian statues
and the double-spouted Chinese tea urn. Gold medals were gained
in both categories and Belleek's future looked safe at last.
It became fashionable and received commissions from Queen
Victoria, the Prince of Wales and members of the nobility.
Belleek's order books were full with exports to the United
States, Australia and India, and it was also selling well
at home. At the Melbourne International Exposition in 1880,
the Pottery won yet another Gold Medal.
Then in 1882 tragedy struck. McBirney, now 78, caught a cold
whilst visiting Cork and died. He had lost fortunes on the
Belleek Pottery and a proposed railway system from Belleek
to Sligo which never materialised. His heir was his son Robert
who was living abroad and, having no interest in the Pottery,
wanted it sold. Armstrong of course resisted, claiming a "gentleman's
agreement" forming a partnership between himself and
McBirney. However, nothing was on paper and Robert refused
to recognise his claim. Armstrong had put his entire savings
in the Pottery and was now faced with ruin. A fierce legal
battle ensued, but this was cut short in 1884 by the untimely
death of Armstrong. He was only 59.
As far as the Belleek Pottery was concerned, Armstrong and
McBirney had achieved their aim. Belleek porcelain had achieved
acclaim for Ireland and Irish porcelain was known throughout
the world.
The Pottery closed for a short period as a mark of respect
for Armstrong. Then it was put up for sale by public auction,
where a group of investors bought it for a song. The price
paid was £4,500 for a 999 year lease from 1858, with a £50
yearly rent. For this sum the investors purchased the Pottery,
the entire stock, the water and the fishing rights. Mrs Armstrong
was paid a paltry sum for patents she could claim were hers
or her husband's.
In September 1884 the Pottery re-opened with a new name -
Belleek Pottery Works. Joshua Poole came from Staffordshire
to manage the works. The directors were only interested in
the Pottery's profitability and were not prepared to continue
backing endless experiments on parian, so the production
of earthenware was increased at the expense of parian. By
the end of the fist year the Pottery had succeeded in making
a profit - but at a price. Joshua Poole lasted only a few
months and left, forced out by the workers wanted an Irishman
and a Catholic. Many of the highly trained and skilled workers
found their artistic temperaments clashed with the new regime
and also left.
Joshua Poole was succeeded by James Cleary who remained until
1900. Trained by William Gallimore, he was responsible for
modelling the Cleary pieces, and during his tenure the Pottery
won a Gold medal at the 1887 Adelaide exhibition in Australia.
In 1900 James' brother Edward, having trained and worked in
the painting department, took over the management and in the
same year another Gold Medal was won, this time at the Paris
Exhibition, for the International Centre Piece modelled by
Frederick Slater and taking six weeks to create.
The early 80's also saw the start of a long running dispute
with the Erne Drainage Board. In an attempt to control the
water levels of Lough Erne and drain the land around the lake
shore, they blasted away the waterfalls at Belleek and built
sluice gates in lieu. Before doing so they undertook to keep
the Erne at a level suitable to drive the Pottery's all important
water-wheel but the factory had constant water problems thereafter
and eventually the Directors took the dispute to court and
won.
However, it was too late. These problems, the consequences
of war, and empty order books all had their effect and the
workforce dwindled from 180 to 46. In September 1919 the Pottery
was up for sale again and a year later, Bernard O'Rouke, a
wealthy mill owner from Dundalk, offered the Directors £10,000
for the Pottery. They accepted on the one condition that the
property had to continue as a pottery and should not be converted
for any other use.
Now called Belleek Pottery Limited and with new Directors,
new life was injected into the Pottery, A succession of managers
were appointed and, though most did not stay for very long,
one or two had a significant effect on the development of
the Pottery. Derrigan came from Stoke-On-Trent but only stayed
for two years. He was succeeded by K.E. Loed from Hungary
who modernised the works and put much effort into reviving
trade abroad, particularly in the United states. He introduced
a number of new ranges and also engaged the services of Madame
Boroniuxz, a fellow Hungarian. Madame Boroniuxz introduced
the Celtic range, taking inspiration from the Book of Kells.
K.E. Loed ideas were good but the old markets no longer existed
and it proved difficult to find new outlets so soon after
the war. In 1925 J.F. Dolan took over the management until
his death in 1931. He was followed by Michael Dolan who managed
the Pottery for a year before a Mr Upton came out from England
and held the job for two years. He made cuts to the parian
and concentrated on earthenware, so much so that he became
known as "the earthenware man". Mr Upton also added
the words "Melvin Ware" to the trademark for earthenware.
During this period Belleek sold its water rights to the Erne
Drainage Board and the dispute with them was finally settled.
Also, in 1930, a fire destroyed the Company's records and
most of the history of the form was lost.
Then in 1934 Harry Arnold took over as manager and the Pottery
at last entered a stable and continuous period of management.
Harry managed for seven years before handing over to his brother
Eric Arnold in 1940. Eric kept the position for 26 years.
It was his tenure which saw the Pottery through World War
II. This period was very hard and once more the Management
turned to earthenware for survival. Earthenware required less
china clay and lower firing temperatures and was therefore
easier and more economic to produce, especially as the raw
materials were hard to obtain and coal was rationed. Production
had to be reduced and exports became almost non-existent.
Despite these difficulties, with some ingenuity, small amounts
of parian and especially baskets continued to be produced.
Hot spots in the kilns and, once installed, the very high
and even temperatures required for firing of parian at last
became possible. Production of earthenware ceased.
After many years of struggle the Pottery seemed to have found
its way again. Now the Pottery could hardly keep up with the
demand, with the order book full for both domestic and overseas
markets. In 1952, after nearly one hundred years of coal burning,
during which time the Pottery must have consumed thousands
of tons of coal, electric kilns were installed. The Pottery
had full employment with a compliment of 240 workers
- the largest number ever employed there.
However, by 1982 the Pottery was fighting for survival again.
This time the Northern Ireland Industrial Development Board
rescued it. Roger Troughton was appointed Managing Director
and the work force, which in 1981 totalled 250, was reduced
to around 120. With these and other efficiencies the Pottery
was once again on a firm footing and put up for sale again.
Roger Troughton headed a consortium which successfully bought
it and with his influence the Collectors Society was formed
and gathered momentum. In 1982 the first official Collectors'
Tour took place and Commander Fred Gray became the first recipient
of the coveted "Hall of Fame" award.
Then in 1988 Powerscreen International, an engineering company,
purchased the pottery from Troughton. Barry Cosgrove was installed
as the Managing Director and a major improvement programme
was carried out with the International Fund for Ireland. Now
the Belleek Pottery, with a new Visitors' Centre, a restaurant,
museum and an audio-visual theatre, attracts over 70,000 visitors
a year.
Finally, in March 1990 George Moore, originally from Drogheda,
now settled in California, purchased the Pottery from Powerscreen. |
