A Compton pottery St Louis pattern pot

with large circular manufacturers stamp and with workmans initials

Literature: The Watts Chapel, An Arts and Crafts Memorial by Veronica Franklin Gould, Arrow Press, Farnham, Surrey.

The Compton Potters Art Guild was started by Mary Watts, the wife of G.F. Watts the Victorian allegorical painter. In 1895 work began on the Watts Mortuary Chapel. Designed by Mary Watts, it was to be built from local clay by the villagers of Compton, near Godalming, Surrey. Mr and Mrs Watts were dedicated supporters of the growing Home Arts and Industries Association, a voluntary movement launched by Earl Brownlow in 1885 to revive the dying art of handicraft among the working classes. The idea was that young uneducated artisans should have their eyes opened to the wonders of art. They would be rescued from idleness, gambling and drinking –so the notion ran- during long winter evenings. Uplifted and taught how to use their hands with skill they would acquire a hobby to be proud of and develop this hitherto unknown talent, where possible to professional standards. The Pottery Art Guild continued from strength to strength, winning medals at the Royal Botanical Society and the Home Arts’ highest award, the gold cross. Liberty’s sold their garden ornaments as well as hand tufted Donegal carpets designed by Mrs Watts. They received architectural commissions from Lutyens, Clough William-Ellis and Goodhart Rendel. Recommended by Jekyll, they made miniature versions of their pots for the garden of Queen Mary’s dollshouse in the early 1920’s. The Guild became a limited company run by George Aubertin and continued to produce works based on Mrs Watts’ designs until after her death in 1938.  In 1902 the Irish Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction commissioned Mary to make architectural and garden ornaments to show what could be produced from Irish raw materials.  This pot was presumably made from Irish clay and among her exhibits in the Irish pavilion at the St Louis World's Fair in 1904