Palissy Pottery Ltd

Location and period of operation:

 (See sources)  

earthenware manufacturer at the Palissy Works, Chancery Lane, Longton, Stoke-on-Trent

Previously:   A.E. Jones (Longton) Ltd (1929-46)
 

Palissy Pottery on the corner of Chancery Lane and Commerce Street, Longton

photo:  Stephen Morse - Oct 1983
 

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"Palissy Pottery was founded in 1946 in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent and made earthenwares. Prior to this the trade name was used by A. E Jones (Longton) Ltd who began in about 1905 and traded from Palissy Pottery from 1930.
Spode and Royal Worcester merged to form a new company in July 1976 known as Royal Worcester Spode. In 1958 The Royal Worcester Porcelain Company had bought Palissy.
Palissy was closed in 1989 and the pottery was demolished in August of that year.

Aynsley China Ltd of Sutherland Road, Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, unconnected with Spode and Worcester, bought the trade name of Palissy in August 1989.

Spode has very little archive concerning Palissy which comprises only about half a dozen catalogues.

One of the patterns popular produced by Palissy was Game Birds and a very similar pattern is produced by Spode called Woodland"

From the Spode internet site: www.spode.co.uk

Initials and marks used on ware for identification:

PALISSY
ENGLAND

PALISSY POTTERY
ENGLAND

"MONTE CARLO" is the pattern name former marks of A.E Jones - which were continued by the Palissy Pottery. this style of mark appears in a 1947 and 1960 trade directory	former marks of A.E Jones - which were continued by the Palissy Pottery. this style of mark appears in a 1960 trade directory	c.1948+
c.1948+ the 1510-1590 and figure refer to the French potter Bernard Palissy - the works were originally named after him.	c.1950+ the figure refer to the French potter Bernard Palissy - the works were originally named after him. this style of mark appears in a 1960 trade directory	c.1957+ this style of mark appears in a 1960 trade directory
c.1959+ this style of mark appears in a 1960 trade directory	c.1958+ this style of mark [with no line above the name Palissy] appears after c.1958 "BERGEN" is the pattern name	The Royal Worcester Porcelain Company had bought Palissy in 1958
	Spode and Royal Worcester merged to form a new company in July 1976 known as Royal Worcester Spode.

NOTE: Some of the Palissy marks bear the words "EST 1853" and this is also stated in a 1960 trade directory. However it is a matter of fact that Palissy Pottery Ltd was formed in 1946.
It was not uncommon for companies to try to find some link (no matter how tenuous) to an early date to give them an air of age and stability. In this case the date possibly refers to the foundation of the actual pottery works - however Jewitt states that "These works in Chancery Lane were erected in 1862 by Richard H. Grove..." 

The 1861 census records that Richard H Grove was "a China manufacturer employing 15 men, 16 women, 4 boys and 3 girls"
so we do know that Grove was in business before 1862. 

questions/comments/contributions: Steve Birks

updated: March 2008