_Astbury._--Having already, in the first volume, spoken of the manner in which one of the family of Astbury discovered the use of calcined flint, and how the secret of the brothers Elers was surreptitiously obtained, it is not necessary to recapitulate it here. The Astburys were a very old and important family, as connected with the potteries, and one of them, Samuel Astbury, was uncle to Josiah Wedgwood (having married his father’s sister, Elizabeth Wedgwood), and in 1744 was one of the witnesses to the deed of his apprenticeship. The discoverer of the use of flint, it appears more than probable, was John Astbury, whose gravestone is in Stoke churchyard. The inscription on the stone is, “Here lieth the body of John Astbury, the Elder, of Shelton, Potter, who departed this life March 3rd, 1743, aged 55 years.” The use of flint was discovered about 1720, when he was about thirty-two years old, and the brothers Elers had previously left the district, about 1710. John Astbury had a son Joshua, of the Foley, who died 1780, as recorded on the same stone. Other sons were Thomas and Samuel. “John Astbury, the elder,” as recorded on his tombstone, lost a daughter Margaret, aged six, in 1728, and he had afterwards a second daughter of the same name, who married Robert Garner, potter, and was the mother of Robert Garner (father of Robert Garner, Esq., of Stoke), an eminent potter of Lane End (which see). Twyford, who shares the credit of having wormed out the secrets of the Elers, was a fellow workman, and afterwards a partner of Astbury, and was, either himself or by his descendants, connected with the family. * * * * * _Baddeley._--Another of the old potteries of this place was carried on in 1750 by R. & J. Baddeley, who, at a somewhat later date, were famous for their blue ware. An interesting reference to these works will be found at page 137, vol. i., in connection with a workman named Doe. In 1794 Ralph Baddeley was in business in Shelton, and in 1796 the firm was “John & Edward Baddeley, Shelton,” as appears by their billheads of that date. The premises were afterwards used by Hicks, Meigh, & Co. (see Broad Street Works). Of another potter of this name, William Baddeley, a notice will be found on a later page. * * * * *