Pottery to celebrate the Watts' legacy!

**news 20th june 2007**
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Grayshott Pottery to celebrate the Watts' legacy! Rebecca MacPherson from Watts Gallery & Chris Greenaway Sales Director of Grayshott Pottery show examples of Mary Watts' 'Arts & Crafts' inspired pieces from Grayshott Pottery Photograph by Janet McWilliam There was much excitement this week when Watts Gallery received its first consignment of Mary Watts' 'Arts & Crafts' inspired pieces from Grayshott Pottery. 'What makes this event unique, is that Grayshott Pottery itself has close associations with Compton Pottery which was started by Mary Watts, wife of the great Victorian painter GF Watts', explained Chris Greenaway, Sales Director of Grayshott Pottery, 'And as local people know only too well, Compton Pottery was based in the outbuildings that make up the Watts Gallery site. So although the pottery business finally shut its doors in the 1950s, the buildings, the signs and the associations with local businesses still remain. We are very proud to have connections and are delighted to lend support in this way.' Compton Pottery had thrived in its heyday and the workshops were well known for making large red clay garden items and the finer beautifully decorated bowls, plates and jugs in 'coloured ware' inspired by Celtic and Art Nouveau design. After starting the business in 1900, following the success of Mrs Watts' evening classes run from her home, the business began in earnest by taking on staff and by exhibiting designs at prestigious botanical locations such as the Chelsea Flower Show and the Royal Botanical Gardens(1). This resulted in commissions from many famous people such as Sir Edwin Lutyens and Gertrude Jekyll. Further designs were sold through Lliberty & Co in London. It is the finer 'colour-ware' that Grayshott Pottery is now celebrating by commissioning artists to create hand painted 'one off' collectable designs in the Compton style and these items are now available both at Watts Gallery in Compton and also at Grayshott Pottery, who hold an ever changing collection. One of Grayshott Pottery's connections with the Watts family was through Puttenham born, Roy Saywell who worked with Mary Watts. Roy was 14 when he started his apprenticeship and worked for the Potters' Art Guild / Compton Pottery for thirty one years. After a brief spell managing the Kingswood Pottery in Brook, he then worked for Grayshott Pottery until he retired in his 80s, continuing to hand-throw many items including 'puzzle jugs' which were popular amusement articles. Rebecca MacPherson from Watts Gallery is enthusiastic about this new initiative that will be recreating the artistic links with Grayshott Pottery and celebrating the unique style of Compton Pottery. She said 'It is wonderful to make new contacts of course, but this local link is very important to us and I think Mary Watts would have definitely approved.' Watts Gallery will be offering visitors to try their hand at various arts and crafts, including pottery making, during workshops at the Gallery site in Compton, near Guildford GU3 1DQ on July 22nd from 11am to 6pm. For further details call 01483 810235. (1) References for this article were obtained from 'Compton Pottery' by Hilary Calvert, published by Watts Gallery (wattsgallery@yahoo.co.uk) IBSN -9548230-3-6. Sold in aid of Watts Gallery. Also Archibald Knox & Mary Sexton Watts 'Modern Celtic Art' Garden Pottery by Veronica Franklin Gould published Artmedia Press 2001 ISBN 0 9515811 4 7. For further information please contact Janet McWilliam 07887 653444

There was much excitement this week when Watts Gallery received its first consignment of Mary Watts' 'Arts & Crafts' inspired pieces from Grayshott Pottery.

'What makes this event unique, is that Grayshott Pottery itself has close associations with Compton Pottery which was started by Mary Watts, wife of the great Victorian painter GF Watts', explained Chris Greenaway, Sales Director of Grayshott Pottery, 'And as local people know only too well, Compton Pottery was based in the outbuildings that make up the Watts Gallery site. So although the pottery business finally shut its doors in the 1950s, the buildings, the signs and the associations with local businesses still remain. We are very proud to have connections and are delighted to lend support in this way.'

Compton Pottery had thrived in its heyday and the workshops were well known for making large red clay garden items and the finer beautifully decorated bowls, plates and jugs in 'coloured ware' inspired by Celtic and Art Nouveau design. After starting the business in 1900, following the success of Mrs Watts' evening classes run from her home, the business began in earnest by taking on staff and by exhibiting designs at prestigious botanical locations such as the Chelsea Flower Show and the Royal Botanical Gardens(1). This resulted in commissions from many famous people such as Sir Edwin Lutyens and Gertrude Jekyll. Further designs were sold through Lliberty & Co in London.

It is the finer 'colour-ware' that Grayshott Pottery is now celebrating by commissioning artists to create hand painted 'one off' collectable designs in the Compton style and these items are now available both at Watts Gallery in Compton and also at Grayshott Pottery, who hold an ever changing collection.

One of Grayshott Pottery's connections with the Watts family was through Puttenham born, Roy Saywell who worked with Mary Watts. Roy was 14 when he started his apprenticeship and worked for the Potters' Art Guild / Compton Pottery for thirty one years. After a brief spell managing the Kingswood Pottery in Brook, he then worked for Grayshott Pottery until he retired in his 80s, continuing to hand-throw many items including 'puzzle jugs' which were popular amusement articles.

Rebecca MacPherson from Watts Gallery is enthusiastic about this new initiative that will be recreating the artistic links with Grayshott Pottery and celebrating the unique style of Compton Pottery. She said 'It is wonderful to make new contacts of course, but this local link is very important to us and I think Mary Watts would have definitely approved.'

Watts Gallery will be offering visitors to try their hand at various arts and crafts, including pottery making, during workshops at the Gallery site in Compton, near Guildford GU3 1DQ on July 22nd from 11am to 6pm. For further details call 01483 810235.

(1) References for this article were obtained from
'Compton Pottery' by Hilary Calvert, published by Watts Gallery (wattsgallery@yahoo.co.uk) IBSN -9548230-3-6. Sold in aid of Watts Gallery.

Also Archibald Knox & Mary Sexton Watts 'Modern Celtic Art' Garden Pottery by Veronica Franklin Gould published Artmedia Press 2001 ISBN 0 9515811 4 7.