Who was Josiah Spode?
Ceramics Retailer and Master Potter.
Photograph courtesy of the Spode Museum
Trust.
www.spode.co.uk
Date and Place of Birth:
8th May 1755, Lane Delph, Staffordshire.
Family Background:
Son of Josiah Spode the First and Ellen Finley.
Born into family of five daughters and 2 sons
Education:
Free Grammar School, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire.
Chronology/Biography
of Josiah Spode:
1778: (11th March)
Spode joined the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers (as there
was no guild for potters at the time) and was thus free to set up
a pottery selling business at 29 Fore Street, London and to take
on apprentices. The wares he sold there were not exclusively from
his father’s factories in Staffordshire.
1785: Moved to larger
premises at 46 Fore Street, London.
1787: Finished paying
off the mortgage on his father’s factory, as business was good.
1788: Moved to 45
Fore Street, which was a property, twice the size of next door.
1790: Became a partner
in a coal mining business (Fenton Park Colliery) with other Staffordshire
potters.
1796: Moved to Portugal
Street, London (Near Lincoln’s Inn) in a converted theatre.
1797: Death of his
father Josiah Spode (the first ) and became sole owner of the factory.
Moved back to Staffordshire to live at Fenton Hall leaving the London
business in the hands of his 21 year-old son William and his friend
William Copeland who had worked with the family business for 32
years. William became so rich that he retired to become a member
of the landed gentry, which was considered at the time more noble
than being in trade.
1800: Began to manufacture
porcelain in quality in imitation of Sevres in France, which was
better than Worcester, Derby or Coughley. With skillful marketing
he made bone china a firmly established and desirable product.
1803: Started building
“The Mount” at Penkhull as a major house.
1806: Spode factory
visited by the Prince of Wales and Spode was given the accolade
of being Potter and Porcelain manufacturer to His Royal Highness.
1806: Introduction
of the “Greek” pattern.
1811: Introduction
of the “Blue Rome” Plate.
1816: Introduction
of the first “Blue Italian Plates”.
1821: Introduction
of the “Girl at the Well”.
Marriage:
9th July 1775 to Elizabeth Barker of Lane Delph,
Daughter of John Barker an apprentice of Thomas Whieldon a Master
Potter. (Died1782 of a fever).
Places of Interest:
STAFFORDSHIRE:
Spode Factory and Museum, Church Street, Stoke-on-Trent.
Date and Place of Death:
16th July 1827, Penkhull, Staffordshire.
Age at Death:
72.
Site of Grave:
Stoke Parish Church, Staffordshire.
Further Information:
Spode Museum Trust. www.spode.co.uk
