Calico printing pattern book sample number 134

The fabric on this page of an Edmund Potter & Co book of calico printed samples shows a design of grasses and wild flowers in pinks blues and greens.

Edmund Potter was born in Ardwick, Manchester. With his wife, Jessica Crompton, he had seven children. His son Rupert was the father of Beatrix Potter (1866-1943), the artist and author of many children's books, including 'Peter Rabbit'. It is said that Beatrix used fabric samples from her grandfather's print works to make clothes for the animals which she painted and which became the characters in her books.

In 1825, in partnership with his cousin Charles Potter, Edmund Potter (1802-1883) opened the Dinting Vale, Glossop, print works in a previously unused mill building known as 'Boggart Mill'. Primarily because of the then heavy burden of excise duty on printed calico, the business failed in 1831. The partnership was dissolved. Despite this setback, Edmund Potter continued as a calico printer. His independent business flourished, especially after the opening of the Sheffield to Manchester railway in 1845. which improved transport to Dinting Vale, previously a major drawback of the site. Edmund Potter & Co became major producers of printed calicoes, using cylinder rather than hand block methods, and the works expanded. The last development under Edmund was the establishment of new bleaching works in 1869. This enabled over forty printing machines to be supplied with material each week. At this time Dinting Vale was said to be the largest calico printing works in the world and its designs were widely admired, as were its use of new dyes.