American Toby Jug Museum 

Uncle Tom Cobbleigh character jug modeled by Max Henk and produced by Royal Doulton of Burslem, England, between 1952 and 1960. Uncle Tom Cobbleigh is the last-named of the seven fellows who borrow a gray mare from Tom Pearce to ride to Widecombe Fair in the popular ballad dating from about 1800. The names form the refrain of the song: “Bill Brewer, Jan Stewer, Peter Gurney, Peter Davy, Dan’l Whidden, Harry Hawk, Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all.” Not surprisingly, the mare collapses and dies before reaching the Fair and is said to this day to haunt the moors at night. At Widecombe, in Devonshire, England, lies a gravestone, which bears the inscription “Thomas Cobley, aged 96, 6 March 1794.” Whether or not this is the real Uncle Tom is uncertain but, thanks to the song, he has become a household name. The handle of the jug is one of the shoes from the poor old mare.