Footnotes

• See John Sandon, the Dictionary of Worcester Porcelain, p 66 for a spill vase painted by Billingsley in a very similar manner. In the late summer of 1808 the finest flower painter of his day arrived in Worcester looking for work. Unable to find financial backing to establish a china works at Nantgarw, Billingsley was virtually destitute when he sent word to Barr, Flight and Barr asking for a small advance to pay for his journey to Worcester. Therefore by remarkable good fortune, Martin Barr was able to employ an amazingly skilled painter for wages '…not any more at present than the common hands'. In time, William Billingsley improved his conditions and assisted Barr, Flight and Barr in developing a new china body. In the meantime, though, it is likely that Billingsley worked as a painter at the factory from October 1808 until at least 1810 or 1811, indeed he probably painted intermittently until he left Worcester suddenly and without notice in November 1813, returning to Wales once more.