For an overview of maritime plaques, click on the Maritime heading above. Click on images to enlarge.
May Peace & Plenty
The transfer appears on circular and rectangular plaques from both the Dixon (Garrison) and Scott potteries, and on a larger rectangular plaque attributed to John Carr's pottery. The first Garrison plaques could be as early as c1834, and Scott versions as late as 1880. Two rarer variations of the transfer were produced by the Albion pottery, Newcastle. The Albion transfers also appear on plaques associated with John Carr's Pottery. As yet I've never seen the verse on a plaque by Moore & Co. The verse is as follows:
May Peace & Plenty
On our Nation Smile.
and Trade with Commerce
Bless the British Isle.
May Peace & Plenty
On our Nation Smile.
and Trade with Commerce
Bless the British Isle.
Verse plaques
The verse, without the ship, appears on plaques with the 'Dixon Co' impress, transcribed as follows:
May peace and plenty,
On our nation smile.
And trade with commerce,
Bless the British Isle.
May peace and plenty,
On our nation smile.
And trade with commerce,
Bless the British Isle.
Differences between the Dixon and 'Scott' transfers
The Dixon transfer (above left) has a shorter pennant flag flying from the centre mast. The transfer attributed to Scott (above right) has a long pennant that extends way beyond the first mast, and points downwards.
Again, the Dixon detail is shown on the left, and the Scott on the right. Note the positioning of the small ship on the horizon. Also, note the difference in the rigging hanging above it.
The verses are very similar, except note the 'S' in the word 'Smile'. (Again, Dixon left, Scott right.)
20th century reproduction
Above are two photos of a rolling pin. Although unmarked, the lustre decoration is typical of Gray's Pottery in the 1930s. Despite being relatively modern, these items are very collectible (see the Reproductions page for more Gray's items). Note that on this transfer there is only half of the verse.
Dixon, Phillips & Co, Garrison Pottery, Sunderland
Rectangular versions exist with the Dixon, Phillips & Co anchor impressed mark (c1834–c1850) and the Dixon Co impressed mark, as shown above (c1851–1865). The mark relates to the plaque to its left. The circular plaque also has a 'Dixon Co' impressed mark. The rectangular plaque measures 210mm x 185mm.
Attributed to Scott of Southwick, Sunderland
The plaques above are attributed to Scott, c1845. The first three are finely potted and the copper lustre is painted neatly up to a line, so that the white of the edges can be seen from the front (see detail). Click here to read more. Top right is a version with blue corners, and below left one with green corners. The plaques are 230mm x 200mm. The final plaque is smaller: 195mm x 167mm.
There are many variations of enamelling on the more common brown-bordered plaques (attributed to Scott), using combinations of iron red, yellow, green and blue. These plaques were made c1850s–1870s. The rectangular plaques are 230mm x 205mm.
Attributed to John Carr, Low Lights Pottery, North Shields
It is hard to see from this image, but the transfer appears similar to the Dixon version, ecxept for the 'S' in 'Smile'. However, that could have been re-engraved. We know that John Carr purchased Dixon transfer plates when the Garrison pottery closed in 1865.
Small plaques from an unidentified pottery
The top left plaque, from the Norfolk Museums collection, is 213mm x 188mm, and shows the ship facing in the opposite direction. The plaque on the right has a rare blue-printed transfer. These smaller plaques often have subjects associated with John Carr's pottery, but these transfers are different to that on the Carr plaque in the section above.
Albion Pottery, Newcastle
Top two rows: plaques from the Albion Pottery, Newcastle. Bottom: plaque attributed to John Carr. The transfer detail and impressed mark relate to the plaque to their left.




































