Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 3.djvu/479

 u s. in. JUNE 17, ion.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

473

somewhat similar in appearance to petro- leum oil. Some pieces realized high prices at an auction sale in London on 15 May. There was also cut glass manufactured at Cork, Dublin, Londonderry, and Belfast, but it has not the peculiar blue shade of the Waterford glass, and is not so heavy. I have heard that authentic specimens of Waterford cut glass are now so much in demand that they are actually sold by weight.

(Rev.) CAMPBELL LOCK. Ashknowle, Whitwell, Ventnor.

ANTRIM is correct in his opinion that glass of a high order was made in Belfast.

G. Benn ('History of Belfast,' 1877) states that the first glasshouse was started in 1785, thirteen persons of standing and influence contributing 100/. each for the purpose.

Mr. Dudley Westropp of the National Museum, Dublin, has recently written a valuable monograph on '^Irish Glass ' in the Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy. He gives full details of glass-making in Belfast, and would date its introduction at 1776 or thereabouts, w r hen Edwards, a practical glass-maker from Bristol, who had been at work near Dungannon, came to Bally- macarett and erected a large glasshouse. In 1792 Smylie & Co. were also at Work ; and a third manufactory was in existence at Peter's Hill. Advertisements for appren- tices to glass-cutting and engraving appear at this time in the local press.

John Kane carried on the business till about the middle of last century, and his assistant W. A. Ross was successful for some years afterwards, but turned to bottle- making only, as fashion changed and cut glass Was superseded by blown in public estimation. The principal articles made in Belfast were tumblers, wineglasses and decanters, sugar and sweetmeat bowls, pickle jars, jugs, cruet bottles, and more rarely ornamental bowls and vases for flowers and fruit. In some cases engraved designs are added. Mr. Westropp figures a decanter with the name Ben Edwards stamped on the bottom.

No porcelain was ever manufactured in Belfast, but Sacheverell, who visited the town in 1698, notes : " The new Pottery is a pretty curiosity set up by Mr. Smith, the present Sovereign, and his predecessor Capt. Leathes." Dr. Molyneux writes in 1708 : " Here we saw a very good manu- factory of earthenware which comes nearest to Delft of any made in Ireland." Benn figures a specimen of this ware dated 1724.

! Some fragments were recently unearthed j in Rosemary Street sufficient to show its I affinity to Dutch or Rouen tin-glazed ware. In 1791 another pottery was started by Thomas Greg, S. M. Stephenson, M.D., and John Ashmore. It continued till 1799. Specimens of this ware resemble Wedg- wood's Queen's ware : cups, saucers, plates, and jelly moulds are sometimes met with.

R. M. YOUNG. Belfast.

If ANTRIM turns up Benn's ' History of Belfast,' vol. i., 1877, pp. 355-8, he will find a full and interesting account of the manufacture of both glass and porcelain. Vol. ii., 1880, p. 72, also refers to " the sale of flint glass, cut and engraved," in Canuck Hill. EDITOR ' IRISH BOOK LOVER.'

[MR. TOM JONES and W. S. S. also thanked for replies.]

THE ROYAL EXCHANGE PAVING-BLOCKS (11 S. iii. 429). According to Baedeker's 4 London and its Environs' (1905) "the tessellated pavement of Turkey stone is the original one of Giesham's Exchange."

A. R. BAYLEY.

' THE CHURCHES OF YORKSHIRE ' (11 S. iii. 366, 418). In the list of Works by the Rev. George Ayliffe Poole, collated by the late Mr. John Taylor from his ' Bibliotheca Northantonensis,' and printed in vol. i. of Northamptonshire Notes and Queries, is the following item :

Skelton, Bolton Percy, Thirsk, Birkin, Budwith, Leeds, 1844."
 * ' Churches of Yorkshire. Vol. I. Adel, Methley,

JOHN T. PAGE.

Long Itchington, Warwickshire.

CHURCH BRIEFS (11 S. iii. 348). Two excellent articles on ' Some Early Briefs ' were contributed by Mr. S. R. Bird to The Antiquary, 1881, vol. iii. part i. pp. 167-9 ; part ii. pp. 218-20. There is also a note on ' Church Briefs ' by Mr. Richard B. Prosser in The Antiquary, 1881, vol. iy. pp. 34-5. Most of the points adverted to in the query will be found discussed in The Antiquary notices. S. W. S.

VESTRY HELD ON LADY DAY (11 S. iii. 288, 338). May I thank W. C. B. for point- ing out that what we should now call " secular " business used to be transacted at a vestry meeting held on Lady Day (quarter day) ? I take it this only meant that each parish held two ordinary vestry meetings in each year one at Lady Day, and the other at or about Easter. This