Edward Bird , R.A., 1772 - 1819
Portrait of Henry Ricketts circa 1783–1859 , Bristol Glass Maker as a Young Child
Signed/Inscribed:
inscribed on the reverse '' Henry Ricketts ''
oil on panel
15 x 11.50 cm.
Henry Ricketts was a Bristol glass-maker who devised an innovative bottle-mould in 1821. His three-part mould enabled bottles to be blown to exactly the same size and capacity every time. It revolutionised production and energised the local industry. Ricketts set up his own bottle-making company which continued until 1923.
The Ricketts family was involved in the glass business for almost a century, beginning in 1789, when Jacob Ricketts and his brother, Richard, operated the Phoenix Glass Works at Temple Gate, Bristol, England. After a few changes, the firm became Henry Ricketts & Co., probably to celebrate the invention of a mechanical mold system that used three-piece mold and had a “washer” baseplate allowing embossing on the bases – by Jacob’s son, Henry, al
...though son, Richard (not to be confused with his uncle, Richard, Jacob’s brother), took over the business, soon partnering with William Powell, who continued to run the operation after Richard’s death in 1856 – producing Codd-stoppered bottles until 1923.
Although they were deeply involved in the tobacco trade (a subject not relevant to this research area), the Ricketts family glass holdings began and remained in Bristol, England, centered during the entire period on three glass houses along Cheese Lane (later Avon St.). The firm expanded several times, eventually becoming the only glass house in Bristol. As is often the case in glass history, several researchers from 1876 to 2015 have presented confused (and confusing) portrayals of the relationships between these plants, none with a full understanding of the early conditions – which set the stage for all the subsequent changes – until the most recent study by Gregory et al. (2019). Phoenix Glass Works, Bristol, England (1785-1811) A group of local businessmen, composed primarily of soap manufacturers, built the first glass house along Cheese Lane ca. 1715 to produce bottles – frequently called the Soap Boilers’ glass factory. A few years later, the same group constructed a second, nearby plant to create crown window glass – a second Soap Boilers’ plant. Robert Hixon assembled another group of businessmen, including hoop-makers, merchants, and other investors, to open a third plant – another bottle house – often known as the Hoopers glass house – in 1720 (Gregory et al. 2019:5). This set the stage for local glass production. 237 Gregory et al. (2019:5) reported that the partners involved in the ownership of the three factories changed repeatedly during the 18th century, although he provided no details. At some point, the crown window glass factory evolved into a flint (colorless) plant, producing tableware. This became the Phoenix Glass Works. A merger of the Redcliff Backs [only about a mile west of the Phoenix; only mentioned by this source] and the Phoenix Glass Works was completed in 1802 to become Ricketts, Evans and the Ricketts Glass Company.
Henry Ricketts replaced Richard Ricketts as a partner, Richard, brother of Jacob and father of Henry’s wife, Elizabeth, having retired in 1801. Henry’s wife was also his cousin. Jacob presented Henry with Ł500 when he married Elizabeth in 1805 as well as Ł1,000 as Henry became a partner in the business (Burton 2015:191). The firm became Henry Ricketts & Co. in 1811. 238 Henry Ricketts & Co., Bristol, England (ca. 1811-1851) The partnership reorganized as Henry Ricketts & Co. in 1811, with Jacob W. Ricketts, his son Henry Ricketts, David Evans and John Cave as partners, also acquiring a lease on “the Soapboilers’ Glass-house on Avon Street, formerly Cheese Lane,” St. Philips, at the same time (Burton 2015:191). The Soapboilers’ Glass-house” referred to by
Internal Reference: 4354
Antique ID Number (AIDN): SA758849
Dateline of this antique is 18th Century
Height is 15cm (5.9inches)Width is 11.5cm (4.5inches)Depth is 1cm (0.4inches)
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