Manufacturers of earthenware and ironstone at Cobridge, Stoke-on-Trent, England

Wood & Brownfield was a short-lived but influential pottery partnership that became the foundation for the highly successful William Brownfield & Son pottery. The company is noted for producing high-quality ceramics, which were highly regarded during the mid-to-late 19th century.

• The partners were John Wood of Cobridge and William Brownfield of Market Street, Hanley. (1846 William directory, Henrywood), they operated at the Cobridge Works

• They were previously in partnership as Robinson, Wood & Brownfield. Robinson died in 1837 and the other two partners continued with John Robinson's widow as surviving partner. The partnership was officially established as Wood & Brownfield in March 1841.

• John Wood retired in 1850 and William Brownfield continued on his own account. 

Samuel Scriven interviewed employees from Stoke-on-Trent pottery works for the Royal Commission on Children’s Employment in 1841. Some of the evidence taken at Messrs Wood and Brownfield’s works — is reproduced below.

"These premises are extensive, rooms better than common" 

 February 11th. (1841)  

Messrs. WOOD and BROWNFIELD's Earthenware Factory, Cobridge.  

No. 208.- Sarah Morris

aged 28

No. 208.- Ann Bradbury

aged 35

We are the superintendents of the apprentice girl’s painting department, and have 24 females of all ages in the same room ; out of that number there are 10 children under 13 years of age. Most of them can read, but few write. 

They come at seven in the morning, and leave at six; they - are allowed half an hour for breakfast one hour for dinner. Some that live away off stay to get their dinners in the work-rooms ; they cook them on the stove-pots; ; always take their hour, and sometimes play before they begin work. 

Some live pretty well,—others but middling. Their general conduct is tolerably good. We keep our eyes upon them, and check anything like misconduct. They get their regular holidays at wake times. We have no other rewards except that of putting them forward in their trade. Have no punishments by making them paint extra pieces, because they do piece-work, and all try to do as much as they can. 

They get here half the price of journeywomen for the first five years. We think that taking an equal number of girls from the painting-room and from other occupations in the same sphere of life, in point of moral conduct the painters would prove superior.  

Messrs. WOOD and BROWNFIELD's Earthenware Factory, Cobridge.  

No. 209.- Robert Humphries

aged 8

I turn jigger for William Massey. Have been to work about six months. 

Can read a little, not much—cannot write. Went to Catholic day school ; go now to Sunday school ; go to the Methodist Chapel every Sunday. 

My father has been dead four years. My mother lives at home ; her does nothing. I have a brother six years old ; he goes to school. I get 10 1/2d. a week ; only work three days a week. 

I get for breakfast milk-meat and dry bread ; gravy and tatees for dinner, - sometimes onions. I come at hafe-past six ; go home at hafe-past six ; get my supper, and go to bed very tired.  

Many of Wood & Brownfield's ironstone china patterns are a classic examples of the Chinoiserie style, which was highly popular in 19th-century European ceramics and draws inspiration from East Asian art and motifs. 

The patterns often feature intricate Oriental-style landscape, commonly depicting elements like a prominent pagoda or temple-like building, a picturesque bridge, and serene water.

Quintessential Chinoiserie motifs are included, such as stylised trees with elegant, sprawling branches, possibly willow trees or other blossoming flora, and often includes delicate figures in traditional attire and birds in flight or perched amongst the foliage.

pattern 309 - printed design with hand colouring

source acknowledgement: online marketplace Etsy.co.uk 

This design appears in the book 'An illustrated guide to Brownfield wares 1837-1900', Peake T. H. (1995) p95, plate 203.

Other colour variations occurred, in particular with the use of heavy cobalt blue - pattern 303. 

Warranted
Real Ironstone China
W & B 

printed mark featuring the British Royal Arms

Improved
Iron Stone China

sometimes this alternative mark, without the makers initials, appears on ware in the identical 309 pattern  

partial dinner set in pattern 303 - same design as 309 with different colouring

source acknowledgement: limassol.castle_auctions.com  

Improved
Iron Stone China

these marks are used on various items in the 
dinner set - all with the same pattern 

plate in pattern 251 

source acknowledgement: online marketplace - ebay.co.uk 

The complex arms in the backstamp are those of Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (the mother of Queen Victoria), in her maiden capacity. Together with the lion and unicorn of the Royal Arms of the United Kingdom reflecting her marriage to Prince Edward, Duke of Kent. 

It is almost certain that this plate & pattern was made by Wood & Brownfield - see entry in The Ridgway Pattern Book which addresses this [retrieved 27 Sept 2025]

photos courtesy: Laurie Ward 

Some patterns, and the style of marks, were introduced by Robinson, Wood & Brownfield and then continued by Wood & Brownfield and subsequently by William Brownfield (& Sons/s).  

They were known for producing elaborate Chinoiserie style patterns - printed with hand-colouring (coloured over-print), enamel over glazes, and gilding in decorative borders.

Also they produced transferware patterns, generally for more everyday use. 

The successor company William Brownfield was known for the production of relief moulded jugs. However Wood & Brownfield are known to have produced at least two designs of relied moulded jugs which carry the impressed mark "Published by Wood & Brownfield, Cobridge, Staffordshire Potteries, January 1st 1841" - the other date is "30th September 1841" (Henrywood - retrieved 28 Sept 2025)