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Descendants of William Russell, China Painter of Worcester

Generation No. 1

1. WILLIAM¹ RUSSELL was born Abt. 1770¹, and died Aft. 1837. He married SARAH DOUGHTY 23 August 1801 in The Parish Church, Claines, Worcester, daughter of THOMAS DOUGHTY and MARGARET ROBERTS.

Notes for WILLIAM RUSSELL:
A china painter at the Worcester Porcelain Factory. William was shown as a china painter in 1837 when his son married Mary Ann Gould.

William Russell is listed as as painter or gilder in the wages lists of the company of Robert Chamberlain of Worcester during the period December 1796 - May 1808. It is thought that when William left Chamberlains he probably went to work for one of the rival factories of Flight or Grainger.

The Worcester Porcelain Company was founded in 1751 with fifteen partners, the most celebrated being Dr. Wall who died in 1776. Another of the 15 partners was a William Russell. I cannot say whether my William and William Russell, Dr. Wall's partner, were related. Mr Flight took over the factory of Dr Wall in 1783. In 1786 Robert Chamberlain, who was the first apprentice of the Worcester Porcelain Company, left the Worcester Company and set up his own decorating establishment and later his own factory. In the early years they set up the business of decorating and gilding porcelain produced by Turner's factory at Caughley.

In August 1802 Lord Nelson visited Worcester and inspected the Chamberlain factory and retail shop, apparently disregarding the rival works of Messrs Flight & Barr. A contemporary account records this visit: On Monday morning his Lordship and friends, preceded by a band of music, and attended by Mr.Weaver, of the Hop-pole Inn, and Messrs. Chamberlain, visited the china factory of the latter, over the door of which was thrown a triumphal arch of laurel.... For more than an hour his Lordship viewed with the minutest attention evey department of this highly improved works, so much the object of general curiosity; and on inspection of the superb assortment of china at the shop in High Street, honoured Messrs. Chamberlain by declaring that ..... he had seen none equal to the productions of their manufactory, in testimony of which he left a very large order for china, to be decorated with his arms, insignia, etc. Sir William and Lady Hamilton also favoured the proprietors with liberal purchases.

In September 1807 further honour was bestowed on the Chamberlains when the Prince of Wales visited the establishment after previously patronizing the works and granted them the honour of the style "Porcelain Manufacturers to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales". William Russell was employed at the time of both visits - I wonder if he met either Lord Nelson or the Prince of Wales and whether he painted some of the large order placed by Lord Nelson?

Chamberlains prospered to such purpose that by 1840 they amalgamated with the original Worcester firm and moved it into their own establishment at Diglis, Worcester, where it has remained to this day.

William possibly died between 1837 and 1851 - he is not shown on the 1851 census for Worcester.

I have in my possession a small Chamberlain double shanked tea bowl, pattern 300 - enamelled blue and gold wreaths etc., circa 1801-5. As it dates from the period that William worked for the Chamberlain manufactory it would be nice to think that, just maybe, he may have painted it! In December 1800 there were 47 china painters/gilders employed at Chamberlains. I purchased this tea bowl for Ł38 from an antique shop in Dorking, Surrey in 1998.

More About WILLIAM RUSSELL:
Fact 1: 1796, China Painter²
Fact 2: 1808, China Painter³
Fact 3: 1837, China Painter⁴

More About SARAH DOUGHTY:
Fact 2: 17 March 1779, Baptised All Saints, Worcester

Children of WILLIAM RUSSELL and SARAH DOUGHTY are:

GEORGE² RUSSELL, b. Abt. 1804.

More About GEORGE RUSSELL:
Fact 2: 26 November 1804, Bap. All Saints, Worcester⁵

ii.

JOHN RUSSELL, b. Abt. 1807, Worcester; m. ANN.

More About JOHN RUSSELL:
Fact 1: Coach Painter⁶
Fact 2: 25 December 1807, Bap. St. Andrew, Worcester⁷

iii.

ELIZA RUSSELL, b. Abt. 1811, Worcester.

More About ELIZA RUSSELL:
Fact 2: 21 April 1811, Bap. All Saints, Worcester⁸

iv.

WILLIAM RUSSELL, b. Abt. 1815, Tything, Worcester; d. Aft. 1859.

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