At this time, however, several of the old hands--actuated by the laudable desire of securing the continuance of a business which for a century had been so successfully carried on, and of continuing it as one of the trades of their native town--clubbed together (to use a characteristic expression), and commenced business on their own account. They each and all threw into the common stock what knowledge, experience, money, and tools, &c, they possessed, took premises in King Street (on the site of old St. Helen’s Nunnery), and under the name of “Locker and Co.” commenced making “Derby china,” and adopted, very properly, a distinctive mark, which shows this epoch in the works. It is a somewhat curious circumstance, that on the site of the old china works the modern Roman Catholic nunnery of S. Marie was erected; while on the site of the old nunnery of St. Helen, the present china works are now carried on. Great difficulties were encountered by this band of workmen, but their zeal and determination overcame them. Mr. Locker (who was a native of Blackfordby, and had been clerk and warehouseman at the old works in the latter part of their existence) died in 1859, and the works were next conducted under the style of “Stevenson and Co.,” and “Stevenson, Sharp, and Co.,” till the death of Mr. Stevenson, when the style was changed to that of “Hancock and Co.,” and the works are now continued by Mr. Sampson Hancock, and bid fair, if not to rival the early glory and success of the works, at least to do credit to the town of Derby, in which they are situated. Some of the productions are highly creditable to the taste and skill of the men, and show that “ye art of making English china,” imparted to William Duesbury in 1756, is not forgotten, but remains with his successors to the present day. One of the last large services made by Bloor was a magnificent dessert made for her present Majesty, and some large additions to that set, and pieces for replacing, have been from time to time made by the present owners of the works, which are still therefore as fully entitled to the name of “Royal” works as any of their predecessors. The marks used by these later firms will be found engraved on page 93; I give them to complete the chronological series. The name of Courtney, which appears on one of these marks, was Bloor’s agent.