Clementson Bros

Hanley

1865

1916

Earthenware and ironstone manufacturers at both the Phoenix Works and the Bell Works, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, England.

Joseph Clementson had operated on his own account since 1839, he retired from business in 1867 in favour of his four sons and his son-in-law, Edward Baxter (minister at Bethesda chapel Hanley, who had married Joseph Clementson's youngest daughter Lucy).
The four brothers were Francis, Joseph Walton, Matthew and John. By January 1874 John Clementson had retired from the business, which was continued by the other brothers. The London Gazette, 16 March 1875.
By 1893 Clementson Brothers had 275 employees.
In 1910 the business became a limited company.
In 1916 the company ceased manufacturing and in 1919 was listed as dissolved. The London Gazette, 18 July 1919.
By 1920 G. M. Creyke was working the Bell Works.
Clementson continued as Clementsons Potters and Millers Ltd at the Phoenix Mills

"The firm manufacture almost entirely for the North and South American and West Indian markets, doing at the present day a very large trade with those sources, their productions comprising white, granite, mid printed goods, such as dinner, tea, and toilet ware, etc, and they are milking a special feature at the present time of printed toilet ware, and also printed and plain semi-porcelain ware, and, having lately added a valuable plant of modern machinery to this end, they are in a position to compete favourably with any other house in the Potteries in these particular goods.

The Bell Works throughout are fitted with all the most modern and improved machinery und appliances; seven ovens - four of which are glost and three biscuit - are kept constantly going, together with the usual hardening-on and enamelling kilns, etc.; the average number of hands employed by the firm being 275.

Every attention is paid to sanitary matters throughout the works so as to ensure the health and comfort of the operatives, and the general relations existing between Messrs. Clementson Brothers and their numerous workpeople are of the most harmonious and satisfactory character.

In addition to the manufacture of earthenware, Messrs. Clementson Brothers are also millers, having a very large mill from which they supply other manufacturers with."

1893 trade directory

sauce boat in the Parisian Groups pattern

Royal Patent Ironstone China
Parisian Groups
C. B.
Staffordshire

Parisian Groups pattern - printed and hand coloured

the Parisian Groups pattern was first produced by
the predecessor Joseph Clementson

Royal Patent Ironstone China
Parisian Groups
C. B.

tureen in the Delft pattern
Clementson Bros produced a wide range of dinner ware in this pattern

along with the Clementson Bros mark
there is an impressed mark 'MINTON"

There was no known connection between Clementson and Minton, apart from the fact that they were both pottery companies in Stoke-on-Trent. Clementson was based at the Phoenix works (to match the trade mark) in Shelton, Hanley, and Minton was in Stoke.

The most likely explanation for the Minton mark is that this was a blank supplied ”in the white” to another manufacturer, in this case Clementson, and decorated with their pattern. This tureen would almost certainly have been part of a larger service and, if the maker didn’t usually produce these and so didn’t have a the right shape in their repertoire it would have been an easy solution to buy the appropriate shape and decorate it. Many companies did this from the 18th century onwards rather than going to the trouble and expense of making a shape for which they usually had little demand.

information kindly supplied by: Stoke-on-Trent City Archives

photos courtesy: Phil Jones

Dining ware produced for the Holyman & Sons White Star Line, Tasmania
jug and plate in the Devonport Naval Heritage Centre