Felbridge & District History Group

 

 

Manufacture of clay tobacco pipes

Traditionally there were eight stages in the process of manufacture and distribution of a clay tobacco pipe but by the mid 19^th century the traditional hand, pressed method was being superseded by the use of slip-casting, which allowed for the production of more intricate designs. 

 

1)  Lumps of pipe or ball cay, generally imported from Southwest England, were soaked in troughs of water and then beaten on benches, covered with an iron plate, to make the clay pliable.  It is not known whether this process happened on site or whether the clay had already been prepared on arrival.  

2)  The pliable, softened clay would then be rolled to form the pipe stem, leaving a lump at one end to form the pipe bowl.  This process was often performed by women.

3)  The ‘roughed-out’ pipe would then have a wire inserted up the narrow stem to form the bore of the pipe.  This was a very skilled job as the wire had to be inserted as centrally as possible up the stem, again another job frequently undertaken by women.  The pipe was then placed in an oiled 2-part mould that was clamped together.  Then a stopper of wood or an iron cone was pushed into the head of the pipe to form the hollowed-out bowl.  Originally the moulds were made of wood, but later moulds were made of lead, brass, bronze or iron and, when slip-casting was introduced, plaster.

4)  Once moulded, any excess clay from the moulding process was trimmed off and the surface of the pipe was smoothed out.

5)  The moulded pipes were then left to dry out on racks for at least three days to ensure all the moisture had gone, as any moisture left in the clay could cause sagging and distortion in the firing process.

6)  The dried pipes were then stacked into a container called a sagger ready for firing and fired in a purpose built kiln at 900-1000°C.

7)  When cooled, the pipes were ready for tipping.  This involved dipping the tip of the pipe mouthpiece into a red lead glaze and then firing just the tips, to a lower temperature than the main firing temperature.  The glaze turned green when fired and was used to prevent the smoker’s lips from sticking to the porous body of the pipe stem.

8)  Once the tips had been applied, the pipes were packed ready for distribution, often through local Public Houses, but later through newly established tobacconists. 

 

Makers marks found on some of the clay tobacco pipes on the database

Manufacturers sometimes stamped their initials or name on some part of the clay tobacco pipe, generally on the heel or spur or along the stem and sometimes on the bowl, although the vast majority of pieces are not stamped and therefore the makers cannot be indentified.  Whilst little is known about these makers, pieces of clay tobacco pipe with the same initials as those on the database have been identified in other collections found in Surrey, in particular the 1981 report ‘Surrey Clay Tobacco Pipes’ by David Higgins, a leading expert in the identification and analysis of clay tobacco pipes.

 

A few of the clay tobacco pipes on the database have initials on the spur of the pipes that include the makers RP, RC, *W (or W*) and *I (or I*) and one bowl has DUBLIN in an oval cartouche incised into the rear of the bowl. 

RP: the initials are located, in relief, one initial either side of the spur and RP is a popular maker’s mark found on pipes in Surrey.  A possible candidate for RP is Richard Price who was working in the mid to late 18^th century, many of whose pipes have been found in the Guildford area.  Three pieces with the initials RP have so far been found in the Felbridge area, one at Vine Cottage, Crawley Down Road, and two in Brick Field, Imberhorne Farm, all three showing remnants of the leaf design pattern running along the mould seam lines of the fragment of pipe bowl.  The piece of stem found at Vine Cottage has a bore of 2mm, whilst the other two have a bore of 1.5mm, dating them, respectively, to the early 18^th to mid 18^th century and mid 18^th century.

 

RC:like the above, the initials are located, in relief, on either side of the spur; again a popular maker’s mark found on pipes in Surrey.  A possible candidate for RC is Robert Corney who was working in Croydon from the mid 18^th century or Robert Cook who was working in Kingston-upon-Thames from the mid 18^th century.  One partial bowl and stem, with a spur, and a leaf design pattern running along the mould seam lines was found in the grounds of Oaklands, Furnace Wood.  The stem has a bore of 1.5mm, dating it to the mid 18^th century.  

 

*W or W*: unfortunately one side of the spur is damaged so only the W, in relief, is visible.  There are, however, several makers using a W as one of their initials that have been found on pipes in Surrey and Horsham in Sussex, dating to the 19^th century, so unfortunately it has not been possible to determine the maker’s name.  The partial stem, with a partial rear of bowl and partial spur, was found at Vine Cottage, Crawley Down Road, and has a bore of 1.5mm, running slightly off centre through the stem.

 

*I or I*: unfortunately, like the above,one side of the spur is damaged so only the I, in relief, is visible (for further details see below).

 

DUBLIN:plain bowls withthe word Dublin incised on the rear of the bowl are quite common and date to the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries.  However, not all clay tobacco pipes with Dublin incised on them originate from Ireland as most were made, after the decline of pipe production in Ireland, in Scotland or by the clay tobacco pipe makers of Northern England.  The complete bowl found in Felbridge is 3mm thick, straight sided with a rouletted or milled top edge; the rim is parallel to the stem.  The rear of the bowl is stamped with the incised word DUBLIN inside an oval cartouche and the bowl has very visible mould seam lines.  There is a spur and the bore of the stem is 1mm, running very off centre through the stem.  The fineness of the bore suggests that the pipe is probably late 18^th century. 

 

Of the clay tobacco pipes on the database only a few have identifiable manufacturer’s marks, which include the following:

Harrington of Horsham, Sussex

A partial stem was found in the garden at Fir Tree Cottages, Crawley Down Road, with HARRIN, in relief, on one side of the stem and ORSHAM, in relief, on the other side; the stem missing at the end of the first word and the beginning of the latter, thus the complete words would have been HARRINGTON and HORSHAM.  These two words relate to the clay tobacco pipe makers of Harrington, of Brighton and Horsham.

 

Harrington of Horsham refers to James Harrington (junior) who was born in Mortlake, Surrey, in 1836, the son of James Harrington and his wife Mary née Holloway.  James senior had been born in Battersea, Surrey, in about 1816 and by 1841 had moved to Mortlake where he was working as a clay tobacco pipe maker.  By 1851, the Harrington family had moved to Church Row, Richmond, Surrey, where James senior employed 4 men and 2 apprentices (his two sons, James aged 15 and William aged 14) in the manufacture of clay tobacco pipes.  By 1861, the Harrington family had moved to 11, Queens Road, Brighton, Sussex, where James senior, a tobacco pipe manufacturer, employed 11 men (including his two sons James and William), 18 women and 15 boys.  By 1871, James senior, tobacco pipe manufacturer, and most of his family had moved to 6, Queens Road, Brighton; James senior employing ‘12 men, 9 boys, 5 women, 2 boy grocers and 1 woman tobacconist’.  At this date, William was still living with his parents, described as grocer, tobacconist and pipe manufacturer.  However, James junior, who had married Fanny Greenin in February 1871, had moved to 7, Queens Road, and described himself as a ‘partner in tobacconists, pipe makers and grocers’.  This would suggest that father and son James Harrington had gone into business together.  By 1881, William appears to have pursued the path of a grocer (later a baker and confectioner), whilst James junior had become a wholesale dealer for the tobacconists, grocers and pipe manufacturing business, moving to 11, Albion Terrace, Horsham.  As a point of interest, James junior appears to have had connections with Horsham from as early as 1870 as he was elected a member of the School Board for the Parish of Horsham in November 1870.

 

Clay tobacco pipes produced by the Harringtons carry their surname and either Brighton or Horsham, in relief, on either side of the stem.  James Harrington died in 1887 and James Harrington junior describes himself as a ‘retired wholesale dealer in tobacconist and fancy goods’ in 1901.  James junior’s son Horace Greenin Harrington (born in 1872) did not follow either his father or grandfather into the tobacco pipe manufacturing business but instead followed his uncle William and became a grocer, thus Harrington clay tobacco pipes probably ceased production on the retirement of James Harrington junior.  The partial stem found in the garden of Fir Tree Cottages, Crawley Down Road, bearing the mould relief of Horsham, implies that it was one of James Harrington junior’s pipes and was probably made between 1870 and the end of the 19^th century.

 

Henderson

A complete, straight sided bowl, with rim edge parallel to the stem, chipped spur and partial stem of a clay tobacco pipe bearing a badly stamped, circular maker’s cartouche was found in the grounds of Long Cottage, Imberhorne Lane, now the site of Willard Way on the Birches Industrial Estate.  The only incised word that is clearly legible in the cartouche is the word HENDERSON that curves over a horizontal 5-letter word, which is very badly incised that could be either H/M  I  C/G/ S  H/N *, with a 5-letter word, again badly incised, that reads PE***, curving under the horizontal word. 

 

Sadly it has so far proved impossible to determine who Henderson was.  However, there was a successful family of clay tobacco pipe makers by the name of Henderson operating in Edinburgh and Glasgow in the early to mid 19^th century and one William Henderson (relationship not yet established) emigrated to Montreal in Canada, founding an equally successful clay tobacco pipe making business operating between 1847 and 1876; although both branches seem to be somewhat distant to Felbridge for a bowl and partial stem to have been manufactured by either branch of the Henderson family.    

 

The complete Henderson bowl and partial stem found in Felbridge with the incised cartouche would suggest that the clay tobacco pipe dates to the early to mid 19^th century, as later marks were engraved into the pipe mould resulting in relief letting.  However, it has a spur dating to the mid 18^th century the bore is only 1mm making it more likely to date from the 19^th century.

 

W Southorn & Co. of Broseley, Shropshire

A complete, plain clay tobacco pipe with a slightly chipped rim, which is parallel to stem, was found in the garden of 4, Rose Cottages, Crawley Down Road.  The stem is stamped along the top side with the incised words: W SOUTHORN & CO, ROSELEYE [Broseley] and the last 22mm, including the nipple or button mouthpiece, of the 71mm stem are glazed with green glaze.

 

The Southorn family have been associated with clay tobacco pipe making since the early 19^th century when William Southorn established a tobacco pipe making business at Legge’s Hill, Broseley, Shropshire, in 1823, believed to be the first purpose built factory in Britain.  The pipe works at Legge’s Hill had at least three kilns and was the Southorn’s principal pipe works, known as Southorn & Co, until the 1930’s when production was amalgamated with the Broseley Pipe Works and moved to Kings Street, Broseley (see below).   

 

William Southorn had been born about 1793 and had three children, including sons Edwin, born about 1821, and William junior, born about 1827.  In 1851, William senior, was recorded as living in Simpson’s Lane (close to Legge’s Hill), employing ‘36 hands’ at his tobacco pipe works.  In 1853, William senior died and left his dwelling house and Pipe Works to his son William junior.  Meanwhile, in 1858, Edwin, who was living at Speed’s Lane, Broseley, acquired the Pritchyard Pipe Works, re-naming it the Broseley Pipe Works.  Edwin introduced the use of steam power and is known to have produced some of the finest English tobacco pipes of the period and, by 1863, was employing 28 people, which had increased to 40 by 1871.

 

In 1861, William junior was living at Simpson’s Lane and was employing 6 men, 6 boys and 16 girls at his pipe works.  In 1876, William junior’s brother Edwin died and in 1879 his Broseley Pipe Works were sold to Hopkins & Co who renamed it as the Rayleigh Pipe Works.  However, by 1882, William junior had bought back the business and renamed it the Broseley Pipe Works.

 

In 1881, William junior was still living in Simpson’s Street and was employing 70 people and his son, William Edwin, who was living three doors away from him, was also described as a tobacco pipe manufacturer.  By 1891, William junior, by then a widower, and his son William Edwin, and his family, were under the same roof in Simpson’s Lane, both listed as tobacco pipe manufacturers.  William junior died in 1894, being described as a ‘Wholesale and Export Tobacco Pipe Manufacturer’, leaving effects to the value of £920 13s 4d.  In 1901, William Edwin is listed as living in the property that his grandfather William left to his son William junior (William Edwin’s father), and is still described as tobacco pipe manufacturer and employer.  William Edwin died in 1910, leaving effects worth £1,875 13s and by 1911, his son Henry Starr Southorn, who had been born in 1888, had followed his father into the pipe manufacturing business and was living at 16, Legge’s Hill, Broseley.

 

William Starr appears to have consolidated the principal Southorn pipe works of W Southorn & Co with the Broseley Pipe Works, moving both operations to King Street, Broseley, in the early 1930’s.  However, by 1939, production had ceased and the works had closed; William Starr living and working as a publican at the Kings Head in Wenlock, Broseley.  However, the former Southorn pipe works remain intact on Kings Street, Broseley, and are now the Broseley Pipe Works of the IronbridgeMuseum.

 

The clay tobacco pipe found at 4, Rose Cottages has an incised maker’s mark and a bore of 2mm, suggesting an early to mid 19^th century pipe.  However, the finish and the fact that it is a short stemmed pipe, would imply that it actually dates to the latter part of the 19^th century.

 

C Vining of Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey

A damaged bowl of a clay tobacco pipe in the style of an Acorn in an Acorn Cup, with a partial stem, was found in the garden of 4, Rose Cottages, Crawley Down Road.  Unfortunately there is a chunk missing out of the rear of the bowl, which represents the acorn, but the rim is parallel to the stem; the pipe was not made with a spur.  The interior of the bowl is stained dark brown by tobacco and the exterior of the acorn cup base of the bowl and the stem are also dark brown; some of the colouring may be tobacco stain but the stem and acorn cup may be intentionally coloured brown.  The stem is marked, in relief, with KINGSTON on one side and C.VINING on the other, after which point the remainder of the stem has been broken off and is missing.  C Vining is Charles Edward Vining of Kingston-upon-Thames.

   

Charles Vining came from a family with a long heritage of tobacco pipe making, which can be traced back to Elias Vining, born about 1759, who was a pipe maker of Westminster.  Elias had a son Edward, born about 1781, who was also a pipe maker of Westminster, and his son James Robert Henry, born in 1816, was also recorded as a pipe maker, living at Trafalgar Street, Walworth, in 1843.  In 1851, James Robert and his family had moved to 8, Princes Place, York Road, Battersea, where he was still working as a tobacco pipe maker.  By 1851, James Robert and his wife Eliza had had James Joseph, born in 1844, and Charles Edward, born in 1846, both of whom would follow their father’s trade.  By 1861, the Vining family had moved to Park Road, Norbiton, Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey, where James Robert listed himself as a tobacco pipe manufacturer employing [illegible] men, including four sons: James Joseph, Charles Edward, Edmund William (who also known by the name William) and Robert Henry; the latter two born in Battersea.  Robert Henry married but died in Kingston, in 1885, aged just 31.  As for Edmund William Vining, in 1891, he, his wife Harriet and three step-children were living at 444, Old Ford Road, St Mary-le-Bow, London; Edmund working in the family trade as a tobacco pipe maker.  However, in 1901 and 1911, he and family were living at 28, Park Road; Edmund still working as a clay tobacco pipe manufacturer.  Edmund died in 1920.

 

By 1871, James Joseph had married and set up home in Arthur Road, Kingston, working as a tobacconist, whilst Charles Edward remained at the Vining family home at 2, Park Road, listed, along with his father James Robert, as clay tobacco pipe makers.  James Robert continued to live with his son Charles Edward at 22, Park Road, until his death in 1904.  By 1911, James Joseph had retired as a tobacconist and was living at 46, Park Road, and died in 1922.  By 1927, Charles Edward had also retired from the tobacco pipe making business and, from the 1911 census, none of his children appear to have followed him into the trade.  Charles Edward Vining died in 1937.  As a point of interest, there was a Henry Vining still making pipes in Kingston-upon-Thames in 1931 but it has so far not been possible to determine a relationship between him and Charles Vining.

 

The acorn and acorn cup design clay tobacco pipe found at 4, Rose Cottages, has a 1.5mm bore and was made without a spur.  It was probably a short stemmed pipe which would imply that it was made in the late 19^th century.

 

Plain clay tobacco pipes on the database

A fairly large number of plain clay tobacco pipe bowls, either complete or fragments, and some with partial stems, have been found in the Felbridge area.  These range in date from the mid 17^th century right through to the late 19^th century.  The following details some of the older plain clay tobacco pipe bowls and where they were found.

 

A complete bulbous bowl was found in the stream in the garden of Long Cottage, Imberhorne Lane (now the site of Willard Way, Birches Industrial Estate).  The bowl rim, with evidence of rouletting round the edge, is not parallel with the stem, which is missing, the inside diameter of the bowl is 12mm, and it has a bore of 3mm, features that indicate that the bowl dates to the between 1660 and 1680.  Although the stem is missing, the heel is intact and is a fairly large, flat oval measuring 12mm by 10mm and 2mm in height.  

 

A slightly larger, partial bulbous bowl with a heel and partial straight stem was found at Felcot Farm, Furnace Wood [for further information see Handout, Felcot Farm, JIC/SJC 05/08].  The bowl, which has an incised groove running round it just below the rim, is not parallel with the stem, the bore is 3mm and the inside diameter of the bowl is 13mm, again features that indicate that it dates to the between 1660 and 1680, although the sides are slightly less bulbous than the Long Cottage pipe bowl indicating that it was made slightly later.  The pipe has an oval heel measuring 10mm by 8mm and 3mm in height.

 

A complete bulbous bowl with spur and partial straight stem was found in the garden of Long Cottage, Imberhorne Lane (now the site of Willard Way, Birches Industrial Estate).  The bowl, which has an incised groove running round it just below the rim, is not parallel with the stem, the bore is 2mm and the inside diameter of the bowl is 13mm, features that indicate that it dates to the between 1660 and 1680.  In this case the sides of the bulbous bowl are similar in shape to those of the Felcot Farm clay tobacco pipe, although in this instance it does not have a heel but a circular spur measuring 4mm in diameter and 3mm in height, indicating that it was made slightly later than the Felcot Farm pipe.

 

Another complete bulbous bowl was found in the garden of Long Cottage, Imberhorne Lane (now the site of Willard Way, Birches Industrial Estate).  The bowl rim, with evidence of rouletting round the edge, is not parallel with the stem, which is missing along with the heel.  The inside diameter of the bowl is 14mm and it has a bore of 3mm, features that indicate that the bowl dates to the between 1660 and 1680, indicating that it was probably made later than the previous three pipes.    

 

Finally, a plain bowl with straight sides was found at Felcot Farm, Furnace Wood.  The sides of the bowl are straight and more upright when compared with the earlier bulbous bowls.  The bowl rim, with evidence of rouletting round the edge, is parallel with the straight stem, the bore is 2mm and the inside diameter is 18mm, features that indicate it dates to between 1720 and 1740.  The pipe has an oval heel measuring 9mm by 7mm and 4mm in height, which has a maker’s mark, in relief, of I on one side but sadly the corresponding initial on the other side of the heel is illegible.  

 

Decorated or ‘Fancy’ clay tobacco pipes on the database

Prince of Wales Feathers

Two clay tobacco pipe bowls have been found in the Felbridge area that can be identified as having the Armorial pattern of the Prince of Wales Feathers.  One was found in the grounds of Felcot Farm, Furnace Wood, and the other in Heathy Field, Imberhorne Farm.

 

The Felcot Farm bowl is virtually intact, missing just a small section of the rim and front of bowl.  There is a spur with an indistinguishable maker’s mark, a little like a heart shape in relief, on both sides; it has a 2.5mm bore but the stem is missing.  The Prince of Wales feathers (3 ostrich feathers) are in relief on the rear of the bowl with ICH (I) in a swag cartouche to the left of the feathers and DIEN (SERVE) in a swag cartouche to the right side of the feathers.  The Heathy Field bowl is only a fragment of the rear of the bowl, missing its no spur or stem and is too damaged to ascertain any further information, except a partial image of an ostrich feather and the partial word DIE [bowl missing from this point].

 

It is believed that the crest of three ostrich feathers and the motto ICH DIEN (I Serve) was assumed by the Prince of Wales, Edward the Black Prince, the eldest son of Edward III.  The image was popular on clay tobacco pipes in London from the mid 18^th century, although the design did later spread outside of London and was still in use throughout the 19^th century, particularly in Southern England.  From the size of the bores and their finish, both the Felcot Farm and Heathy Field clay tobacco pipes probably date to between the late 18^th century and early 19^th century.

 

Leaf

Nine clay tobacco pipe bowls (or fragments of) have been found in the Felbridge area that can be identified as having a sprigged Leaf pattern running along the mould seam lines.  Of these, three are mentioned above under the maker’s marks section as having either RC or RP on the spur.  Of the remaining bowls and fragments, they were found in the grounds of Felcot Farm, Furnace Wood, the garden of The Poynings, The Limes, the garden of Vine Cottage, Crawley Down Road, and in Long Field and Heathy Field at Imberhorne Farm. 

 

The Felcot Farm bowl has a 2mm bore, the spur is missing but it does have a partial straight stem and its leaf pattern is the same as that of the bowl found at The Poynings, which has a partial straight stem showing that it once had a spur, although it has a bore of 1.5mm.  The pattern on the Felcot Farm and The Poynings bowls is that of sprigged leafs alternating with sprigs of acorns (or thistles or buds) running along the mould seam of the front of the bowl and just sprigged leafs running along the mould seam on the rear of the bowl.  The bowl found at Vine Cottage has a rouletted or milled rim edge, a bore of 1mm and a partial straight stem that shows that the pipe was not made with a either a heel or spur, implying it was a short pipe.  The leaf pattern is different to that on the bowls found at Felcot Farm and The Poynings, consisting only of sprigged leafs that are much smaller in size. 

 

The two bowl fragments, both with missing spurs and stems, that were found in Long Field, are too small to determine any information except the sprigged leaf pattern that consists of just leafs in relief, running along the mould seam lines.  Both pieces are slightly different to any of the above sprigged leaf patterns and one of the fragments shows that its bowl was also decorated with a relief design that looks initially like bobbles but on closer inspection appears to be stems with foliage or buds running vertically up the side of the bowl.  Finally, the bowl found in Heathy Field, also a small fragment with the spur and stem missing, is also too damaged to ascertain any further information, except the sprigged leaf pattern running along the mould seam line is the same foliage relief design as that of the previous pipe found in Long Field.

 

The leaf pattern first became popular around 1750 but from the bore sizes, bowl thickness and finish of the clay tobacco pipes, the Felcot Farm bowl probably dates to the mid 18^th century; the Long Field and Heathy Field bowls date to the same as the clay tobacco pipes with the maker’s marks of RP and RC (see above), which is probably mid 18^th century, whilst The Poynings bowl probably dates to the late 18^th century and the bowl of the short pipe from Vine Cottage probably dates to the mid 19^th century.

 

Ribbed

Two clay tobacco pipe bowls have been found in Felbridge that are Ribbed, one in the stream bank in the garden of Long Cottage, Imberhorne Lane (now the site of Willard Way, Birches Industrial Estate) and one in the garden of Vine Cottage, Crawley Down Road. 

 

The Long Cottage bowl has narrow ribs in relief and the rim is parallel with the partial straight stem; there is no evidence of a heel or spur and it has a bore of 1.5mm.  The Vine Cottage bowl has wide ribs in relief, but unfortunately the bowl edge is badly damaged, although there is some evidence to suggest that the rim was also parallel to the stem, which is missing, and the bore is 1mm.

 

Ribbed bowls began to appear around 1790 and continued to be popular into the mid 1800’s.  Ribbed or scalloped tobacco pipes were considered to be very elegant with the ribs following the curve of the bowl, although they were generally produced with a spur.  The two ribbed bowls found in Felbridge are probably of a similar age and potentially date to the early to mid 19^th century. 

 

Sailing Ship and Train

A partial bowl and partial straight stem of a clay tobacco pipe bearing the image of a sailing ship and steam train was found at Felcot Farm, Furnace Wood.  The bowl is missing a chunk out of the left and right sides and the sailing ship is on the left side and the stream train engine is on the right side, both in relief.   The sailing ship appears to have a front mast with furled sails and rigging.  In the centre of the ship there is what could be a large funnel with a small funnel either side (or a thick mast with two thin masts either side), there is a flag at the rear of the ship and it is sailing towards the rear of the bowl.  The train engine has a stack in full steam, then a dome and two smaller stacks running along the top of the engine towards the driver’s area where the driver is stood on a platform without a cabin roof.  The centre of the engine is damaged but there are two wheels visible, one under the driver and one at the front of the engine before the extended bumper.  The engine faces the rear of the bowl.  There is a repeated arrow-head pattern, in relief, along both the front and rear mould seam lines of the bowl.  The right side of the bowl has the word ROW, in relief, this may be a maker’s name for Row of Yarm, North Yorkshire and South County Durham working in between 1785 and 1868. The partial stem has a bore of 2mm and there is a complete spur that may have a mark on either side of it, but if this is a maker’s mark, both marks are totally illegible.   

 

Sailing ships were a popular design in the mid 19^th century and a clay tobacco pipe was produced that bore a sailing ship on one side and a steam train engine on the other to celebrate the advancement of transport in connection with the Great Exhibition of 1851, so it is possible that the Felcot Farm pipe bowl dates to the mid 19^th century.

 

Irish or Maid of Erin Harp

Two Irish patriotic pipe bowls have been found in Felbridge, one in the grounds of Strath Cottage, Copthorne Road (now the site of Mulberry Close), and the other in the garden at Llanberis Farm, Crawley Down Road. 

 

The Strath Cottage bowl is slightly chipped on one side and the rim edge is rouletted or milled.  The bowl is probably parallel to stem, although this is missing, and there is an impressed Irish or winged Maid of Erin harp on the rear of bowl.  There is a spur which has an Irish Harp motif in relief on either side; this may be a maker’s mark but has not yet been identified, and the bore is 1mm.  The Llanberis Farm bowl also has a rouletted or milled rim and an impressed Irish or Maid of Erin Harp.  There is a partial straight stem and the spur is stamped with a shamrock design, which again is probably a maker’s mark that has not yet been identified.

 

The use of the Irish or Maid of Erin harp and the shamrock became widely used in the latter half of the 19^th century as an emblem to show Irish patriotism.  These Irish pipes were extremely common and were mainly made during the second half of the 19^th century and into the 20^th century.  However, for the pipes to have a spur the Strath Cottage and Llanberis Farm bowls probably date to late 18^th or early 19^th century.

 

Cricketer

A complete bowl and partial straight stem of a clay tobacco pipe with cricket associations was found in the garden of 4, Rose Cottages, Crawley Down Road.  The bowl has a slightly chipped rim and is parallel to stem.  There is a cricketer on the left side of the bowl wearing a top hat, shirt and trousers (indicative of the clothing worn for cricket in the 1840’s and 1850’s) who is holding a cricket bat.  On the right side of the bowl there is a set of stumps with crossed cricket bats and a ball in front of the stumps; both designs are in relief.  The interior of bowl is stained dark brown by tobacco.  There is a partial stem with a bore of 1.5mm and it is evident that it was not made with a spur and is potentially a short pipe.

 

Sports’ themed clay tobacco pipes were common in the second half of the 19^th century, which is probably the time to which this pipe dates.

 

Eagle’s Claw and Egg

A virtually complete bowl of an Eagle’s Claw clutching an egg, minus just its spur claw, was found at Felcot Farm, Furnace Wood.  The bowl represents the egg, which is held by four claws at the end of a short feathered leg.  There is no evidence for a spur and the stem, which has a bore of 2mm, appears to be complete to the point at which it would have had some type of mouthpiece inserted.

 

Simple Claw pipes first appeared in 1830 but by 1860 more elaborate ones, like the Felcot Farm Eagle’s Claw and Egg, were being produced that had a reduced stem into which a mouth piece of another material, usually vulcanite, was inserted.  These more elaborate pipes were Britain’s answer to recently introduced, intricately carved meerschaum pipes imported from Germany.  The Felcot Farm Eagle’s Claw and Egg bowl probably dates to the late 19^th century.

 

Thorn Prickle

Two pieces of Thorn Prickle clay tobacco pipe stem have been found at Vine Cottage, Crawley Down Road.  Evidence would suggest that the partial straight stems come from two different pipes.  The longer piece has a bore of 1mm with 11 thorns along it and the second piece has a bore of 2.5mm and only 2 thorns.

 

The Thorn Prickle design was popular from about 1870 until the early 20^th century.  Some of the clay tobacco pipes of this date had the thorns on just the bowls whereas with the two pieces of Thorn Prickle stems found at Vine Cottage, the prickles extend along both pieces of stem, and with two different sized bores would suggest two Thorn Prickle pipes.

 

Flags

A bowl with two Flags on it was found in the garden at Long Cottage, Imberhorne Lane (now the site of Willard Way, Birches Industrial Estate).  The complete bowl has a slightly chipped rim, which is parallel to the straight stem.  On the left side of the bowl, in relief, is the Unionor British flag and on the right side of the bowl, in relief, the Irish or French flag.  The stem has a bore of 2mm and was not made with a spur.

 

Clay tobacco pipes with the Union and Irish flags were common between 1850 and 1910; however, with the onset of World War I, British and French flags began to appear on pipes.  Based on the bore size of the Long Cottage pipe, it would imply that it dates to the second half of the 19^th century.

 

Terracotta stem

Two pieces of the same stem were found in a midden trench behind 3, Imberhorne Farm Cottages, Imberhorne Farm.  The stem is not made of white ball clay but from terracotta and when the two pieces were rejoined it forms a 71mm section of the stem, including the complete nipple or button mouthpiece.  The stem is unglazed, slightly curved and has incised lines running along its length giving the appearance of wood grain.  The bore is 1mm implying that it probably dates to the late 19^th century or possible even the early 20^th century.

 

Observations of the Clay Tobacco Pipe Finds on the database

It is evident, at the time of writing, that the whole Felbridge area is not well represented by the collection of clay tobacco pipe pieces as most of the finds come from the southern end of the area on the Sussex side of the county boundary, the vast majority from Imberhorne Farm, Gullege, The Birches and the south side of Crawley Down Road, with a few pieces found off the north side of Crawley Down Road and in Furnace Wood.  The database shows nothing reported as found on the Surrey side of the county boundary except for one piece in the grounds of the former manorial seat of Felbridge, now the site of WhittingtonCollege, and another piece from the opposite side of the road at The Limes Estate. 

 

The oldest pieces of clay tobacco pipe on the database, at the time of writing, date to the mid to late 17^th century and consist of three pieces of stem with a 3.5mm bore, found in the garden of Long Cottage, Imberhorne Lane (now the site of Willard Way, Birches Industrial Estate), the garden of Vine Cottage, Crawley Down Road (formerly part of Hedgecourt Common) and in Heathy Field, Imberhorne Farm.  Five bulbous clay tobacco pipe bowls with a 3mm bore, dating from a similar period, have been found in the gardens of Long Cottage and Vine Cottage and in Heathy Field at Imberhorne Farm; the majority of bowls coming from Heathy Field.  Heathy Field and Long Field produced the most damaged fragments, but this is only to be expected considering the ploughing activity that has been practised there since at least the 16^th century [for further information see Handout, The Farm at Imberhorne, SJC 05/03].

 

The most common design on a clay tobacco pipe amongst the Felbridge collection is various forms of the Leaf pattern, consisting of nine pieces of various dates.  The most intricate Fancy in the collection is the Eagle’s Claw and Egg pipe found at Felcot Farm, Furnace Wood.  There are thirteen pieces with a maker’s mark, of which only three can be positively identified, although the majority of the initials and symbols have been reported as commonly found in the Surrey area in other studies of clay tobacco pipes.  Out of seventy-nine bowls or fragments of bowls and ninety-seven pieces of stem, only one complete pipe has been found, at 4, Rose Cottages, Crawley Down Road.  All the stems are plain and made of white pipe clay except: three pieces made of terracotta, one of which was part of a plain straight stem, whilst the other two were adjoining pieces with a wood grain effect running along the curving stem; two pieces have a grey clay body; two white pieces that appear to have tiny black inclusions in the body implying the possible use of local clay; and two pieces, which although made of white pipe clay, were obviously once part of two separate Thorn Prickle tobacco pipes. 

 

The largest number of pieces of clay tobacco pipe found ‘under foot’ in Felbridge come from the fields of Imberhorne Farm, most of which are partial stems and badly fragmented bowls.  The majority of the remaining bowls and stems have been found either in gardens, the stream bank at Long Cottage and a ditch at the bottom of the garden at Vine Cottage, and some of the most unusual location for the finds include: a partial stem found in the midden at the rear of 3, Imberhorne Farm Cottages; a bowl fragment and partial stem found in the back-fill of a well dating to the turn of the 18^th century in the garden of 3, Imberhorne Farm Cottages; and a bowl dug out with the spoil of the old ‘Thunder Box’ or EC [earth closet] of a ruined building on Llanberis Farm, once a small cottage on Hedgecourt Common, inhabited from at least the early 19^th century until the mid 1940’s.

 

Tobacco Jars

With the increase in pipe smoking, containers to hold the tobacco started to be made to keep the dried, shredded tobacco leaves as fresh as possible.  These containers, known as Tobacco Jars, began to appear in the early 1750’s and were made in a variety of shapes and in a variety of materials, including tin, wood, lead, pewter, porcelain, majolica and bisque pottery.  No matter what construction material was used or the shape of them, they were all called Jars. 

 

Tobacco Jar

A Tobacco Jar was found in the garden of Vine Cottage, Crawley Down Road, which is made of lead.  Lead Jars were introduced in the 1750’s and remained popular until the early 1900’s.  The Jar is cylindrical in shape with a lead band around the top and bottom edges; there is no patterning or decoration.  The jar was found with its lid, to keep out the air, and its interior lead presser weight that held down the tobacco in a compact way.  The Jar measures 3¾ins (9.5cms) in diameter and stands 4¾ins (12cms) tall.  The lid, with a metal stud handle (which may not be original but a later repair) sits inside the container and the presser weight is a disc of lead 3¼ins (8.3cms) in diameter with a scroll of lead attached as a handle.  The Jar weighs 3lbs 6oz (1.53kg) including the lid and presser weight and there are no obvious maker’s marks.   The Jar is fairly knocked about and although the lid is in one piece, it would originally have rested on the rim of the Jar and not in it.  

 

Snuff Containers

Snuff is a smokeless tobacco made from ground tobacco leaves, which is inhaled (historically known as ‘snuffed’) into the nasal passages.  There are three ways to take snuff; 1) a pinch of it is sniffed or inhaled from the back surface of the hand; 2) it is sniffed or inhaled from a pinch held between the thumb and index finger; or 3) a pinch is held by a specially made ‘snuffing’ device.  All three methods deliver a quick hit of nicotine together with any flavouring that may have been blended with the tobacco.

 

Snuff originated in the Americas but was in common use in Britain by the 17^th century and had reached the ‘peak of sophistication’ by the mid 18^th century, being taken by both men and women.  Snuff is made from tobacco leaves that have been specially cured or fermented, with many blends of snuff requiring months or even years of special storage to reach the required maturity, during which time the snuff gains its individual characteristics and flavour.  Traditional ‘fine snuff’ is achieved through blending varieties of tobacco leaves, without any addition of scents or essences, although snuff can be scented or flavoured with varieties of spice, fruit, floral and menthol (sometimes called medicated), with each snuff manufacturer using their own unique recipes and blends. 

 

The taking of snuff in Britain reflected the rigid class system of the era and helped to distinguish the ‘elite’ members of society from the common populace, who generally smoked its tobacco rather than inhale tobacco powder.  With the advent of snuff taking, several accessories were introduced for the storage of snuff.  In Britain and Europe, two types of snuff boxes began to appear, large ones called mulls that were kept on the table at home, and small, pocket size boxes that were portable and generally held a day’s worth of snuff, which could be carried on the person.  Prolonged exposure to air causes snuff to dry out and lose its quality, thus snuff boxes had to be air tight and were made in a range of materials from horn to precious metals.  Later the snuff box was replaced by the Oriental Snuff Bottle, which was used by the Chinese to hold their ‘powdered tobacco’.  During the Qing Dynasty, which began in 1644, the smoking of tobacco had been made illegal but the use of snuff was allowed because it was seen as a remedy for common illnesses such as colds, headaches and stomach disorders.  As such, snuff was stored and carried in a small bottle like any other Chinese medicine.  The bottles were originally made of glass but later, ornate carved jade and soapstone snuff bottles began to appear.  The bottles had stoppered tops with a tiny snuff spoon inserted into the stopper for ease of removing the snuff from the bottle to inhale.

 

Snuff Bottle

A Snuff Bottle was dug up in the garden at Brook Nook, Furnace Wood, and was for some time kept by the resident but sadly has since been lost.  However, the finder has a good description of it and made a sketch of the bottle, which when researched, points to it being a Snuff Bottle, probably dating to the late 19^th or early 20^th century. 

 

The bottle was made of dark greeny black stone, possibly black soapstone or nephrite.  It was about 3½ins (90mm) tall, including a rectangular neck, and was about ½in (12.5mm) in depth, with flat sides; unfortunately the stopper was missing.  It had curving shoulders from the neck and tapered from about 2ins (51mm) to 1½ins (38mm) at the base.  The front was decorated with small carved swirls in a non-uniform pattern.  

 

Hedges Snuff Tins

During a field walking session at Imberhorne Farm, one complete, but badly squashed Hedges snuff tin, and one lid, also badly squashed, were found.  The tins are made of aluminium and measure 1½ins (40mm) in diameter (both are too badly damaged to determine the depth).  Both lids are labelled: Hedges (Chemist) Ltd.  The Snuff L.260 REG’D 10, Dale End, Birmingham, and the style of label suggests that the tins date to the 1930’s.  Round the edge of the lid is printed ‘Menthol 4.5% Oleum Eucalypti 4.5% Tabacum pulverato - 91%’.

 

Hedges Snuff L.260, also known as ‘The Snuff’, is based on a recipe dating back to the 1800's that was invented by William Ross Hedges, a chemist from Birmingham, who prescribed Hedges Menthol Snuff as a ‘cure for colds and other ailments’.  William Ross Hedges, the son of William Hedges and his wife Margaret née Ross, was born in Lincolnshire in 1829.  By 1851, he had moved to Birmingham and was working as an assistant druggist to John Yeoman, who ran a Chemist and Druggist business at 7, Dale End, Birmingham.  By 1861, William had taken over the business, which, at some point, moved to 10, Dale Road, and by 1891, William’s son, also named William Ross Hedges, joined the business.  Under the father and son team the business expanded, with William senior registering several patent medicines to his name.  Alongside the general products associated with a chemist shop, the Hedges also created menthol snuff, known as ‘The Snuff’, which they marketed as a cure for colds. 

 

Hedges ‘The Snuff’ is still on sale today and is a slightly moist, medium brown colour, fine to medium ground menthol snuff, available in what is deemed ‘'large' round tins that gives several days worth of snuffing’ and is considered by many snuff takers to be an everyday snuff that ‘is suitable for both beginners and experts alike’.  The fact that ‘The Snuff’ is considered to be everyday snuff might explain how two empty tins were found on a field walk at Imberhorne Farm, probably dropped by former farm workers as they went about their business on the farm in the early part of the 20^th century.

 

Bibliography

On-going Felbridge Finds Database, FHA

Clay Tobacco Pipes by Eric G Ayto

Clay Tobacco Pipe manufacturing techniques, www://heritagecrafts.org.uk/clay-pipe-making/

The Clay Pipe Manufacturing Process, www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk

Surrey Clay Tobacco Pipes by David Higgins,

www.pipearchive.co.uk/pdfs/publications/Higgins%201981%20-%20Surrey%20Pipes.pdf   

Guidelines for the Recovery and Processing of Clay Tobacco Pipes from Archaeological Projects by David Higgins, www.pipearchive.co.uk/pdfs/howto/Guidelines%20Ver%201_2%20030917.pdf

Manufacture Techniques, https://heritagecrafts.org.uk/clay-pipe-making/

Census records, 1851, 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901, 1911

James Harrington: Poster for the Election of members of the School Board for the Parish of Horsham, 21^st Nov. 1870, www.horshamposters.com

John Henderson: https://dunfermlinehistsoc.org.uk/william-richmond-clay-pipe-manufacturer/

William Henderson: www.ssc.uwo.ca/assoc/oas/pubs/19thCenturyNotes.pdf

William Southorn: http://shropshirehistory.com/industry/claypipes.htm

Will of William Southorn, 1853, TNA PROB 11 2176, F142

W Southorn, 1939 Register, www.ancestry.co.uk

The Archaeology of the Clay Tobacco Pipe VI. Pipes and kilns in the London region, edited by Peter Davey

Leaf decoration pipes, http://www.cafg.net/docs/articles/claypipes.pdf

Handout, Felcot Farm, JIC/SJC 05/08, FHWS

Handout, The Farm at Imberhorne, SJC 05/03, FHWS

Clay Tobacco Pipes by Dawn Mist, www.dawnmist.org

Tobacco Jars, www.collectorsweekly.com/tobacciana/tobacco-jars

Tobacco Jars, England, 1790-1850, ScienceMuseum, www.broughttolife.sciencemuseum.org.uk

Chinese Snuff Bottles, www.christies.com

The Art of the Chinese Snuff Bottle, www.worthwhile-magazine.com

Antique Snuff bottles, www.collectorsweekly.com/bottles/snuff  

Hedges Snuff, 10, Dale Road, Birmingham, www.nationaltrustcollections.org.uk/object/1148451

Hedges Snuff, www.moseley-society.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Captain-William-Herbert-Hedges

 

Our grateful thanks are extended to all those who have joined us for Field Walking sessions; all those who have found items ‘underfoot’ in the Felbridge area and brought them to our attention; and, to any future finders of items ‘underfoot’, please do not hesitate to contact us for identification, verification, recording and inclusion on the Felbridge Finds Database to help us gain a better understanding of the social history of the Felbridge area and its community.

Texts of Handouts referred to in this document can be found on FHG website: www.felbridge.org.uk 

JIC/SJC 09/19