It is generally believed that in 1750, perhaps a little earlier, the manufacture of china first sprang into existence in Derby--about a year or so before the works at Worcester were established; and there is a tradition that the first maker was a Frenchman, who lived in a small house in Lodge Lane, and who modelled and made small articles in china, principally animals--cats, dogs, lambs, sheep, &c.--which he fired in a pipe-maker’s oven in the neighbourhood, belonging to a man named Woodward. There were, at this time, as I have shown, some pot works on Cock-pit Hill, which afterwards belonged to Alderman Heath, a banker; and the productions of this French refugee, or rather son of a French refugee, having attracted notice, an arrangement was made between him and Heath and Duesbury, by which the manufacture of porcelain was to be carried on jointly. This man’s name, to whom I take it belongs the absolute honour of commencing the Derby China Works, was Andrew Planché; and I am enabled to arrive at this conclusion by means of a draft of a deed now in my possession, by which a partnership for ten years was entered into by the three already named. In this arrangement I apprehend Planché found the knowledge of mixing bodies and glazes, Heath the money (£1,000), and Duesbury the will, ability, and skill to carry out the scheme. These articles of agreement are as follows:-- “ARTICLES OF AGREEMENT between John Heath of Derby in the County of Derby Gentleman, Andrew Planche of y^e same Place China Maker & W^m Duesberry of Longton in y^e County of Stafford Enamellor. Made and enter’d into the 1_{st} of Jan_{y} 1756.