Wileman & Co






 

Location and period of operation:

Wileman & Co

Longton

1872

1925

 

  China manufacturers at The Foley Potteries, Foley, Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent, England

  • The Wileman family had been involved in ceramic manufacture from 1853 when Henry Wileman joined John King Knight in partnership as Knight & Wileman. 

  • The business was continued by the sons James & Charles, producing china and earthenware in two adjacent factories. 

  • In 1872 James Wileman took Joseph Ball Shelley into partnership at the china works and the name was changed to Wileman & Co. (Shelley had first joined the business in 1862 as a travelling salesman under James' father Henry Wileman).

  • In 1881 Percy Shelly, Joseph's son, joined the business. 

  • In December 1884 Wileman retired from the china works (Wileman continued at the earthenware works until 1892) and Joseph Shelley continued on his own account at the china works but retaining the name Wileman & Co. 

  • 1896 - Joseph Selley died and the business was contined by Percy Shelley.

  • In 1896 Frederick Alfred Rhead moved from Brownfield’s pottery and joined Wileman & Co as Arts Director. At Wileman he introduced several earthenware art-ware ranges. 

  • Percy's sons Kenneth, Victor and Norman all joined the business in 1918. 

  • In 1925 the name was changed to 'Shelleys'. 

 

Formerly: James F Wileman

Subsequently: Shelleys

 

The London Gazette 
20 January 1885


Notice that the partnership 'Wileman & Co' between
James Frederick Wileman and Joseph Ball Shelley 
at the china works, was dissolved - 
J B Shelley continued on his own account, 
retaining the name 'Wileman & Co'


 


Wileman & Co
(the Foley China Co),  Longton, Stoke-on-Trent
Shelley China

The Pottery Gazette - January 1913

 



Wileman tube lined art pottery plate

Faience is the general term for tin-glazed pottery. However in English 19th-century usage "faience" was often used to describe "any earthenware with relief modelling decorated with coloured glazes", including much glazed architectural terracotta and Victorian majolica, adding a further complexity to the list of meanings of the word.
W C & Co

standard mark - intertwined W and Co
with crown above 

c.1896 - 1911

 

photos courtesy: James Cross  

 

 


gilt decorated cup & saucer 

 

 


crested cup & saucer 
Late Foley
Shelley
England

manufactured for 
Cheesman & Co  

 

    

 


Souvenir ware

Commemorating the Coronation of King George V & Queen Mary
June 1911
Late Foley
Shelley
England

 

 

 

 

 

Initials and marks used on ware for identification:

NOTE: The name FOLEY was also used on ware of the pottery E. Brain

W C & Co

THE FOLEY CHINA

FOLEY CHINA

LATE FOLEY
SHELLEY

 

 


W C & Co

standard mark - intertwined W and Co
with crown above 

c.1872 - 1911

 


The Foley China
W C & Co

 
W C & Co

the registration numbers give the following registration dates: 

60650 - 4 Nov 1886 (shape)
84175 - 17 Oct 1887 (pattern)
England
W C & Co

the registration numbers give the following registration dates: 

115510 - 10 Dec 1888  (shape)
117220 - 9 Jan 1889 (pattern)

    

c.1872 - 1911

 

 


Late Foley
Shelley
England 

c.1918 - 1923
Shelley
England 

the registration number 723404 gives the registration date as 1926 

c.1923+
Fine Bone China
Shelley
England 

c.1923+

 


1879 map showing the Foley Potteries

- click map for more -

 

Questions, comments, contributions? email: Steve Birks