South Wales and the Midlands
Due to the movement of workers in this industry between South Wales and the Midlands, all Japanned tinned goods were described as coming from Pontypool. Many midlands factories described themselves as makers of 'Fine Pontypool Work'. This was probably due to the origin, quality and design of the early Pontypool products. Henry Allgood of the Pontypool works moved to the midlands in 1779 to work for John Taylor and Co., and earlier, a man named Jones who was a foreman from the Pontypool works, had moved to Wolverhampton and entered into partnership with a businessman also named Taylor. They were the first to occupy the famous Old Hall works in the production of japanned goods. However, little is known of the tin wares they produced.
The success of the Midlands Japanning industry was largely due to the enterprise of four men; John Taylor, John Baskerville, Stephen Bedford and Henry Clay. Taylor concentrated on smaller items such as enamel buttons and tin snuff boxes. Baskerville manufactured metal wares and in 1742, he patented a method of manufacturing metal mouldings by passing metal plates through rolls having the profile of the intended moulding. Stephen Bedford was first recorded as a Japanner in 1755, and by 1767 had become Birmingham's leading supporter. He perfected a varnish for use on papier-mache goods and also experimented with finishes on wood. Henry Clay operated a large and successful business, and pioneered the use of a strong and durable form of papier-mache which greatly increased the variety of uses it could be put to.