William Cookworthy (1705 - 1780)

Born 12 Apr 1705 in Kingsbridge, Devon, England

Husband of Sarah (Berry) Cookworthy — married 12 Feb 1736 in Taunton, Somerset, England

Descendants

Died 17 Oct 1780 at age 75 in Plymouth, Devon, England

Biography

William was a Friend (Quaker)

William Cookworthy is Notable.

Birth and Parents

William was the son of William Cookworthy and Edith Debell. He was born at Kingsbridge, Devon on 12 April 1705.^[1][2]

Chemist and Druggist

Following the death of William's father in 1718, when William was about 13, the family became impoverished, as result of the collapse of the South Sea Company in 1720. William became an apprentice of Silvanus Bevan and Timothy Bevan, Quaker chemists of London: to save the coach fare, he walked from Plymouth to London. The Bevans established a partnership with him after his apprenticeship ended, with the firm of Bevans and Cookworthy, wholesale chemists and druggists, being set up in Plymouth, Devon in 1726.^[3]

In 1745 William and his brother Philip acquired the Bevans' interests in the Plymouth firm,^[4] and Philip was a partner. But, following the death of his wife Sarah at Plymouth on 11 September (Quaker 7th month) 1745,^[5] William took a break from his business, staying at Looe, Cornwall: his brother Philip handled its day-to-day affairs. Philip remained in effective control of the business, while William turned his attention to his Quaker interests and to the use of Cornish china clay in the manufacture of porcelain.^[3] William's nephew, another Philip Cookworthy, subsequently became a partner.^[6][7]

China Clay and Porcelain

Probably in the second half of the 1740s William discovered deposits of china clay and moorstone, key ingredients of porcelain, in Cornwall. By 1758 he was able to use these successfully. He then found large deposits of them in the St Austell region of Cornwall,^[3] and the exploitation of these was the start of what became an important local industry (the resulting spoil heaps and pits are a very visible feature of the landscape^[8]). Thomas Pitt was one of the landowners and correspondence between the two men is held by the British Library.^[9] With Thomas Pitt's assistance, William was granted a patent for the manufacture of porcelain from the Cornish deposits in 1768, and Thomas also gave him financial support. William established a factory near the quay of Plymouth, Devon.^[3]

Two years later, in 1770, production moved from Plymouth to Bristol, perhaps because of quality issues. There William was in partnership with Richard Champion. In May 1774 he transferred his patent and share of the factory to Richard in return for an annuity for him and his heirs. Financial problems resulted in the factory closing in 1778.^[3]

Religion

After his wife's death in 1745, William began to engage more seriously in Quakerism. In the second half of the 1740s, with Quaker pacifist principles in mind, he sought to persuade other Plymouth Quakers not to have dealings in goods taken from ships captured in the War of Austrian Succession. He was a recognised Quaker minister and represented Devon Quakers in London Yearly Meeting.^[3]

Although a prominent Plymouth Quaker, he received the sacraments of bread and wine on his deathbed, even though this was counter to Quaker principles.^[3]

Translations and writings

William translated religious works, and helped to introduce the works of Emanuel Swedenborg to Britain. His translation of Swedenborg's The Doctrine of Life appeared in 1763 and was the first appearance of a work by Swedenborg in English; that of Swedenborg's Heaven and Hell was published in 1778.^[3]

In 1778 William wrote an essay on the use of divining rods in locating metal ores: this was published in Mineralogia Cornubiensis by William Pryce.^[3]

Contacts

In the later 1750s John Smeaton stayed with William while working on the rebuilding of the Eddystone Lighthouse.^[3]

William's extensive contacts also included Captain James Cook, Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander, who dined at his house before embarking for the Pacific in 1768.^[3]

Marriage and Children

On 12 February 1735/6 William married Sarah Berry (daughter of Peter and Elizabeth Berry) at Taunton Quaker Meeting House, Somerset.^[3] They had the following children:

• Lydia, born at Plymouth, Devon on 29 January 1736/7 (Quaker 11th month 1736)^[10][11]
• Sarah, born at Plymouth, Devon on 12 June (Quaker 4th month) 1738^[12][13]
• Mary, born at Plymouth, Devon on 18 November (Quaker 9th month) 1740^[14][15]
• Elizabeth, twin of Susanna, born at Plymouth, Devon on 16 March (Quaker 1st month) 1743,^[16][17] died on 8 March 1749 and was buried on 10 March at Plymouth Quaker burial ground^[18][19]
• Susanna, twin of Elizabeth, born at Plymouth, Devon on 16 March (Quaker 1st month) 1743^[20][21]

Death and Will

William died at his Plymouth home^[3] on 17 October 1780 and was buried at Plymouth Quaker burial ground on 22 October.^[22][23][24] His will, dated 26 May 1780, was proved on 22 March 1781. In it he:^[6][7]

• described himself as a druggist of Plymouth, Devon
• named:
  • his daughters Lydia Cookworthy, Mary Hobson, Sarah Fox and Susanna Harrison (wife of George Harrison)
  • his brother Benjamin Cookworthy and Benjamin's daughter Sarah Cookworthy
  • his brother Jacob Cookworthy
  • his nephew and partner Philip Cookworthy
  • his servants John Ryder, William Gillet, William Hodge, William Webb and Mary King
• made his daughters Lydia, Sarah and Susanna residuary legatees
• appointed as executors George and Susanna Harrison (his son-in-law and daughter) and his daughters Lydia Cookworthy and Sarah Fox

Legacy

There is a memorial to William on Tregonning Hill in the parish of Germoe, Cornwall, where William first discovered Cornish china clay.^[25]

A Cookworthy Museum, named after William, was opened at Kingsbridge, Devon in 1972. It focuses on the social history of the area.^[26]

Research Notes

The Cookworthys' chemist and druggist shop continued as a pharmacy until 1974 when the last proprietor retired. The business had flourished supplying merchant ships in the busy port.

The earliest known extant piece of Cookworthys' hard-paste is now in the British Museum; a blue decorated mug bearing the Arms of Plymouth with the inscription "14 March 1768 C.F."^[27] The British Museum collection includes other products of his factories, with images viewable on the museum website.

Sources

1. ↑ The National Archives, ref. RG6/1596, DEVON: Monthly Meeting of the West Division of Devon (comprising Plymouth, Kingsbridge, etc): Kingsbridge, births, FindMyPast
2. ↑ "England and Wales Non-Conformist Record Indexes (RG4-8), 1588-1977," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FWXB-TLM), William Cookworthy, 12 Feb 1705, Birth; citing p. 61, West Alvington, Devon, record group RG6, Public Record Office, London
3. ↑ ^{3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12} Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, entry by Angus J L Winchester for 'Cookworthy, William', print and online 2004, revised online 2022 ($ for web access, or free via some libraries etc)
4. ↑ Wikipedia: William Cookworthy
5. ↑ The National Archives, ref. RG6/1480, DEVON: Monthly Meeting of the West Division of Devon (comprising Plymouth, Kingsbridge, etc): Plymouth, burials, FindMyPast
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} The National Archives, ref. PROB 11/1075/251, Will of William Cookworthy, Druggist of Plymouth, Devon, Discovery Centre catalogue entry
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} Quaker Family History website, Transcription of William Cookworthy's will
8. ↑ Personal knowledge of Michael Cayley who has visited the area
9. ↑ British Library, Add MS 69323, National Archives Discovery Centre catalogue entry
10. ↑ The National Archives, ref. RG6/1480, DEVON: Monthly Meeting of the West Division of Devon (comprising Plymouth, Kingsbridge, etc): Plymouth, births, FindMyPast: transcript gives year as just 1736
11. ↑ "England and Wales Non-Conformist Record Indexes (RG4-8), 1588-1977," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F7NL-SJB), William Cookworthy in entry for Lydia Cookworthy, 29 Jan 1736, Birth; citing p. 119, Plymouth, Devon, record group RG6, Public Record Office, London: gives year as just 1736
12. ↑ The National Archives, ref. RG6/1480, DEVON: Monthly Meeting of the West Division of Devon (comprising Plymouth, Kingsbridge, etc): Plymouth, births, FindMyPast
13. ↑ "England and Wales Non-Conformist Record Indexes (RG4-8), 1588-1977," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F7L4-2RQ), William Cookworthy in entry for Sarah Cookworthy, 12 Nov 1738, Birth; citing p. 121, Plymouth, Devon, record group RG6, Public Record Office, London: misreads date as 12 November
14. ↑ The National Archives, ref. RG6/1480, DEVON: Monthly Meeting of the West Division of Devon (comprising Plymouth, Kingsbridge, etc): Plymouth, births, FindMyPast
15. ↑ "England and Wales Non-Conformist Record Indexes (RG4-8), 1588-1977," FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FQSZ-MLT), William Cookworthy in entry for Mary Cookworthy, 18 Nov 1740, Birth; citing p. 125, Plymouth, Devon, record group RG6, Public Record Office, London
16. ↑ The National Archives, ref. RG6/1480, DEVON: Monthly Meeting of the West Division of Devon (comprising Plymouth, Kingsbridge, etc): Plymouth, births, FindMyPast
17. ↑ "England and Wales Non-Conformist Record Indexes (RG4-8), 1588-1977," FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FWXS-R7S), William Cookworthy in entry for Elisabeth Cookworthy, 16 Mar 1743, Birth; citing p. 125, Plymouth, Devon, record group RG6, Public Record Office, London
18. ↑ The National Archives, ref. RG6/1480, DEVON: Monthly Meeting of the West Division of Devon (comprising Plymouth, Kingsbridge, etc): Plymouth, burials, FindMyPast: transcript misreads the day of death as 1 March
19. ↑ "England and Wales Non-Conformist Record Indexes (RG4-8), 1588-1977," FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FQSF-4X9), Elizabeth Cookworthy, 10 Mar 1749, Burial; citing p. 127, Plymouth, Devon, record group RG6, Public Record Office, London
20. ↑ The National Archives, ref. RG6/1480, DEVON: Monthly Meeting of the West Division of Devon (comprising Plymouth, Kingsbridge, etc): Plymouth, births, FindMyPast
21. ↑ "England and Wales Non-Conformist Record Indexes (RG4-8), 1588-1977," FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FQ2L-22N), William Cookworthy in entry for Susanna Cookworthy, 16 Mar 1743, Birth; citing p. 125, Plymouth, Devon, record group RG6, Public Record Office, London
22. ↑ The National Archives, ref. RG6/276, DEVON: Monthly Meeting of the West Division of Devon (comprising Plymouth, Kingsbridge, etc): Burials, FindMyPast
23. ↑ "England and Wales Non-Conformist Record Indexes (RG4-8), 1588-1977," FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VWCY-JQQ), William Cookworthy, 22 Oct 1780, Burial; citing p. 153, Plymouth, Devon, record group RG6, Public Record Office, London
24. ↑ Image of grave at Find A Grave: Memorial #101091947
25. ↑ William Cookworthy memorial on Tregonning Hill, William Cookworthy memorial on Tregonning Hill - geograph.org.uk Geography and Wikimedia Commons
26. ↑ Kingsbrudge Museum website, accessed 21 April 2024
27. ↑ British Museum website, collection no. 1887,0307,VII.9, image here, accessed 21 April 2024

See Also:

• Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Vol. 12, pp. 106-107, entry for 'Cookworthy, William', Wikisource
• Quakers in the World website - William Cookworthy
• Wikipedia: Plymouth porcelain