Carroll Street Pottery

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HOW TO USE THE DATABASE

The Database is organized by location, but you can find a pottery initially by searching for its name, which is at the top of the of the page with dates of operation below. Alternate names and the names of other potteries on the same site are noted at the top of the right-hand column, just above the pottery’s location.

The types of wares made appear below the pottery name in the left-hand column, followed by the references that informed these classifications.

Sample images of maker’s marks may be enlarged by clicking on the image.

Notes include a variety of information compiled from many standard sources and are presented as miscellaneous tidbits.

In the Gallery and Map Gallery in the right-hand column you will see historic images and insurance maps of the pottery’s facilities if available as well as historic advertisements and images of the wares made.

You can download more detailed information in all of these categories by choosing a PDF of the pottery’s full listing, which also includes the documentary sources. The PDF is text only and does not contain any images.  Data from the 1860, 1870 and 1880 industrial censuses area also included in the PDF if they exist for a given pottery. This data gives you a picture of the size of the pottery operation and the age and gender makeup of its work force.

You can help expand the database by contributing pictures and information. Contact POTS by the email address at the bottom of the page.

In operation    1860-1878

Wares

GardenIronstonePorcelainQueenswareSanitaryTablewareToilet setsWhite granite

White ironstone china (Millington, Astbury & Colcough 1865/66 advertisement)

Notes

“Fire Last Evening. — About six o’clock last evening a fire broke out in the packing shed of Millington, Asbury & Co.’s pottery on Perry Street. An alarm was instantly sounded and the fire department hastened to the scene, but as the building was of wood and contained a quantity of straw used for packing the crates of crockery, the flames speedily consumed it. Fortunately, however, the main building was not damaged.”

— “Fire Last Evening.” Trenton State Gazette, Thursday, December 20, 1866.

 

Selected References

“The Manufactories of Trenton. Article II. The Pottery Trade.” Trenton State Gazette, Monday, August 27, 1866.

“Fire Last Evening.” Trenton State Gazette, Thursday, December 20, 1866.

Industries of New Jersey, Trenton, Princeton, Hightstown, Pennington and Hopewell.  1882. Historical Publishing Company, New York, New York, Newark, New Jersey and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Harney, W.J. 1929.  Trenton’s First Potteries.  Sunday Times Advertiser< July 7, 14, 21 and 28, 1929.

Van Hoesen, Walter Hamilton. 1973.  Crafts and Craftsmen of New Jersey.  Associated University Presses, Inc., Cranbury, New Jersey.

Wetherbee, Jean. 1996.  White Ironstone: A Collector’s Guide.  Antique Trader Books, Dubuque, Iowa.

Goldberg, David J. 1998.  Preliminary Notes on the Pioneer Potters and Potteries of Trenton, N.J.: The First Thirty Years – 1852 – 1882 (And Beyond).  Privately published, Trenton, New Jersey.

Other firms at this site:

Other Names

Millington, Astbury & Co.; Millington, Astbury & Poulson; Millington, Astbury & Colclough; Millington & Astbury; Millington, Astbury & Maddock; Astbury & Maddock

Block and Lot:
10B; 11A; 12C/29, 103

Historic Street Address:
106 Ewing Street and Perry Street; Perry Street near Canal; 106 Ewing Street and 94 Carroll Street; Ewing & Ogden

Municipality:
City of Trenton

Image Gallery

1865 Millington, Astbury and Colclough
The Colonel Ellsworth Pitcher, 1861, 9 in H, designed by Charles Coxon (1805-1868), made by Millington, Astbury & Poulson (1860-1865), Trenton, NJ, decorated in colors by Anne Smith Coxon, Coxon's daughter. The pitcher is marked M.A.P./TRENTON/N.J. in an oval. Collection of the New Jersey State Museum, Museum Purchase CH1971.192
The Colonel Ellsworth Pitcher, 1861, 9 in H, designed by Charles Coxon (1805-1868), made by Millington, Astbury & Poulson (1860-1865), Trenton, NJ, decorated in colors by Anne Smith Coxon, Coxon's daughter. The pitcher is marked M.A.P./TRENTON/N.J. in an oval. Collection of the New Jersey State Museum, Museum Purchase CH1971.192

Map Gallery

1870 Beers Map (Millington & Astbury)
Carroll Street Pottery 1875 Everts & Stewart Map
Map References

Beers, F. W. 1870  Map of the City of Trenton, New Jersey. F.W. Beers & Company, New York, New York.  (Shown as “Millington & Astbury Potty”)

Everts & Stewart.  1875  Combination Atlas Map of Mercer County. Everts and Stewart, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  (Shown as “Pottery”)

1870 Census

Name in censusMillington & Astbury
Capital Invested60000
Type of power 11 Steam Engine
Horsepower 124
Machine name 1Jiggers, Grinding Pans, etc.
Machine quantity 14
Raw material type 1Coals
Raw material quantity 1900 tons
Raw material value 14850
Raw material type 2Ball Clay
Raw material type 3Kalon Clay [Kaolin]
Raw material type 4Flint
Raw material type 5Spar
Raw material type 6Chemicals
Raw material type 7Lead
Raw material type 8Total
Raw material quantity 2150 tons
Raw material quantity 350 tons
Raw material quantity 4200 tons
Raw material quantity 5150 tons
Raw material quantity 610 tons
Raw material quantity 7500 tons
Raw material value 21420
Raw material value 31275
Raw material value 43000
Raw material value 52720
Raw material value 6320
Raw material value 716200
Raw material value 816200
Product type 1White Earthen Ware
Product value 140000
Male hands above 1629
Female hands above 167
Children12
Yearly wages21000
Months operating8