The “_Ilkeston Potteries_” were established by the late Mr. George Evans in 1807, and were carried on by him until his decease, in 1832, when he was succeeded by his son, Mr. Richard Evans, the present sole proprietor of the concern. At first, and during the lifetime of Mr. George Evans, Derbyshire stone bottles alone were made, and these are still manufactured to a large extent. By the present proprietor the buildings have been considerably increased, and a general pottery added for the production of useful articles in stoneware and ornamental terra-cotta goods. The present productions of the works are in stoneware bottles, jars, pans, &c., of all sizes and of every usual form; filters of an improved construction; carriage, foot, and other warmers; sanitary pipes, and ware of every kind, &c., &c.; and in terra-cotta, vases, pedestals, flower and tree boxes and pots, garden-edgings, chimney-tops, &c., of various designs, and all the more usual productions of fire-clay goods. PINXTON. The village of Pinxton (a large parish in East Derbyshire, close on the borders of Nottinghamshire) is principally inhabited by colliers and other “hardy sons of toil,” who work in the ironstone mines and at the furnaces of the neighbourhood. The manor belongs to the family of Coke, the same family as the Cokes of Trusley and the Cokes of Melbourne, and to one of this family, John Coke, Esq., the establishment of the china works is owing. Mr. John Coke was the youngest brother of D’Ewes Coke, Esq., the lord of the manor; the second brother being Sir William Coke, Judge of the Supreme Court, Ceylon, who died at Trincomalee, in Ceylon. The present head of the family is Lieut.-Col. E. T. Coke, of Debdale. Mr. John Coke, who was born in 1775, passed several of the early years of his life at Dresden, and there, doubtless, acquired that love for porcelain ware which induced him to commence the manufactory at Pinxton on his return to this country. Having an idea that some clays found on the family estates near Pinxton might be made available for the manufacture of china ware, Mr. Coke entered into correspondence with Mr. Duesbury, of the Derby China Works, and sent him samples of his clays for trial and experiment. Whatever encouragement or otherwise he received from Mr. Duesbury--and I have reason to believe that encouragement was _not_ given--the result of his own convictions and his own trials, &c., determined Mr. Coke on starting the works, and he ultimately made an engagement with William Billingsley, of the Derby China Works (which see, page 102); and having built a somewhat large and very conveniently arranged factory, commenced the manufacture of china ware in 1796.