The Story of Warburton Pike

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3 responses to “The Story of Warburton Pike”

1. 

   16 May 2018

   John Rowley

   You say you have not found Ann Warbuton’s Parents

   Here is an excerpt from my book to be published in 2020

   In September 1803 William Pike married Ann Warburton daughter of Jacob Warburton (potter) of Cobridge, Staffordshire. The marriage took place at Norton in the Moors, Staffordshire. William Pike’s friend, William Voss, a landowner in Church Knowle, was to marry Ann’s younger sister Catherine Warburton in 1810.
   Jacob Warburton (1740-1826) was the son of John and Ann Warburton. When Enoch Booth invented the fluid glaze, Jacob’s parents – John and Ann Warburton – were among the first to take it up, and their cream-coloured ware, enameled with all their exceptional artistic skill, is often confounded with Wedgwood’s best productions as they did most of the enameling for Wedgwood in his early days. Jacob Warburton became a potter of great repute, above all on the Continent where his business was very extensive. He spent many years travelling abroad and was a strange man among the rough potters of that day — a Roman Catholic, a great linguist, he spoke Dutch, German, and French fluently, a famous skater; and for some reason he was always known as Captain Warburton. He was an intimate friend of Wedgwood, and in 1771 acted as his arbitrator in his case against Palmer. But to Jacob Warburton the Potteries are chiefly indebted for the revival of Littler’s attempt to introduce the manufacture of hard paste porcelain into Staffordshire. Jacob Warburton (1740 – 1826) was one of the founders of the New Hall Works, Staffordshire. Jacob leased Bucknowle Farm so that he could visit his daughters.

   Some years prior to his death, he had relinquished the cares and fatigue of business; and having at a late period of life, married for his second wife, Mrs Bucknall of Ford Green – a person much younger than himself, for whom he had long cherished the most affectionate regard, he retired to her house at Ford Green, near Norton, where, he indulged his fondness for literary felicity, with the true leisure with dignity.
   His memory was peculiarly tenacious, and was strengthened by most extensive reading, and a correct oral and legible knowledge of French, Dutch, German, and Italian; the latter being his favourite amusement up to the day of his death; to which time his mind resembled a pure and brilliant blaze of intellect. Jacob Warburton, Esq. was equally respectable for social virtues, great mental ability, and extensive literary acquirements.

   On the day prior to his death, (September 19th, 1826,) he was full of confidence, and commenced a walk to Cobridge, but returned home without achieving it. The next day, while seated on a sofa, he said to a gentleman who was reading to him, —’Do not be alarmed; I feel I am dying,’— and expired without a struggle or a groan, at the age of 86 years. He had chalked a poem on the table –
   While summer’s warmth invites the old to quit,
   Their chimney corners and their easy chairs,
   Be it my daily task beneath this shade
   To meditate on nature’s wondrous works;
   To raise my soul in fervent adoration
   Of nature’s God, and blessings such to crave
   As He may deem meetest to bestow.
   Here too the errors of my former life
   I oft with tears repentance shall deplore,
   Convinced too late alas that vice alone
   Can render human misery complete.
   Though age extreme and sickness now preclude
   These soothing hopes by long continued deeds
   Of active virtue and strict self-denial,
   For faults and frailties passed, to compensate,
   Yet t’is my firm resolve to exercise
   What powers remain to doing good
   With zealous ardour, and with fortitude
   To bear the ills that crowd on life’s decline.
   And never shall I cease a grateful love
   To cherish in my breast towards one most dear
   Who during twelve long years has day and night
   Devoted to the toilsome care of me.

   His religious tenets were those of the Church of Rome, but wholly free from bigotry and intolerance, in consequence of his extensive travels and connection with mankind.
   He was the last of the Potters of the Old School. Although he was 10 years younger than Josiah Wedgwood, yet from the time of that celebrated Potter’s commencing business at Burslem, there existed between the two, the most intimate friendship and confidential intercourse.

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2. 

   24 August 2023

   Mike Dunham

   I am trying to ascertain whether or not Washburton Pike the Canadian adventurer/author is the same as Washburton Pike the translator of Dante and other Italian poets. The internet searches thus far suggest that “Through the Subarctic Forest” and a translation of “Inferno” still in print were written by the same author, but biographical sources do not confirm this, or even reference it as a possibility. Pike’s “Inferno” and translations of Dante, Petrarch and others were first published in 1879 and 1881, which would put mean they were published when Pike was 20 years old or younger, which seems improbable. Could the translations be the work of another member of what appears to have been a literary-minded family?

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   1. 

      25 August 2023

      Ray Warburton

      Hi Mike,The dates of the Warburton Pike translations do seem a little early in the life of William Mayer Pike, the explorer, although I did see one Dante translation attributed to him. There were 2 other Warburton Pikes. One was Laurence Warburton Pike, who was older, but I would assume he would be more likely known by his first name. The other was simply Warburton Pike and he lived from about 1817 until 1882. He lived in the London area and censuses describe him as a “special adviser in actual practise”, which seems to be a legal occupation. I have no evidence to connect him to the translations, but it would seem a possible pastime for someone in the legal profession.

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