James Wright 1819-1887 & Whau Brickworks

Look what I found at The Kauri Museum Matakohe...
I just love this big old teapot!
the clay looks very yellow, the little jug has red clay.

some links I have found..

https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/2w35/wright-james

http://archaeopedia.com/wiki/index.php?title=Whau_Brickworks




Not sure what decoration is on this jug.?

Brilliant thanks Kat !!
I don't think I've heard about this chap.
The yellow clay is just like the early Ambrico ware.

Im itching to go back & talk someone into opening the cabinet so I can photograph the bottom of these pots...

Lisa at TimeSpanner has written about him - this from her blog archive:

"A potter of skill arrived in Auckland in September 1863: James Wright. Pollen snapped him up and put him in charge of his pottery kilns, responsible for meeting the contract requirements. By 1865, this proved a failure. James Wright seemed to be more interested in using Pollen's kilns to produce fancy goods for display in exhibitions than he was the more humdrum work of insulator manufacture. The arrangement between Wright and Pollen ceased, and Wright went his own way, starting potteries in New Lynn, Ngaruawahia and Paparoa."

I think this article from Papers Past has some interesting detail : https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DSC18760322.2.12

A detail history may have missed in regard to James Wright is that apparently there was a 'Wright's pottery' in Lake Road, Hamilton sometime in the 1870/80s. Was this the same Wright? It is hard to believe there was another.

I have this information from Jim Pike who has copies of newspaper advertisements from the period. They record the award of some exhibition prizes to Wright for his fancy molded wares, which were said to include New Zealand flora decoration such as fern leaves and other native plants.

Yes it must be him https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/2w35/wright-james

Thanks Kat. Good to see the information has been recorded somewhere.