Mr. Thomas Minton, the founder of these works, was born in Wyle Cop, Shrewsbury, in 1765, and received his education at the Shrewsbury Grammar School. He had an only brother, Arthur Minton, and a sister, Elizabeth. On leaving school, Thomas Minton was apprenticed to an engraver (probably Hancock), at the Caughley China Works, at Broseley, one of his fellow-apprentices (also a Salopian) being Richard Hicks, who became founder of the firm of Hicks, Meigh, and Johnson. On the expiration of his apprenticeship, Thomas Minton continued to be employed for a time at the Caughley China Works under Mr. Turner, and then removed to London, where he engraved some patterns for Josiah Spode, whose London warehouse was at that time in Portugal Street. From London, having married, he removed into Staffordshire, in 1788 or 1789, where the rapidly increasing demand for blue printed earthenware gave promise of a good opening for so skilful a draughtsman and engraver as he had become. On removing into Staffordshire, he set up as a master-engraver, at Stoke-upon-Trent, his residence and engraving shop being one of a block of buildings then called Bridge Houses, so called from being close to Trent Bridge, which houses had been erected by Thomas Whieldon, the first partner of Josiah Wedgwood. Here he became very successful, one of his chief employers being Josiah Spode, for whom he engraved a tea-ware pattern called the “Buffalo,” which continued in demand for many years; the “Broseley,” so called from being first produced at the Caughley Works, Broseley, by Mr. Turner, and which, like the “Willow Pattern,” remains a favourite stock pattern to the present day; the famous “Willow;” and many others. In the latter he was assisted by Mr. Henry Doncaster of Penkhull; the original plate from which this pattern was thus engraved passed from Mr. Doncaster into the hands of Mr. Wildblood, engraver, of Burslem, and from him into the possession of Minton & Co., where it appropriately remains, as do also some drawings and other interesting relics. Mr. Minton had two apprentices, one of whom, Greatbatch (father of the eminent artist William Greatbatch, engraver of the “Waterloo Banquet”), became chief engraver, and manager of that department at Messrs. Spode and Copeland’s. In 1793, having determined to commence the manufacture of earthenware, Mr. Minton purchased a plot of land, the site of the present manufactory, of Mr. John Ward Hassals, and commenced building on a very small scale. The following account of the early progress of the works has been kindly written for me by Mr. Stringer:--