Coalport China Co

Cauldon Place Works, Shelton

Cauldon Potteries Ltd

1926

1933/5

• This entry focuses on the history of Coalport after its relocation to Stoke-on-Trent. For earlier Coalport history see this article.

• Following financial difficulties at Coalport China the business was rescued when, in 1924 it was purchased by Cauldon Potteries (who, in turn, were owned by J. A. Robinson & Sons). 

• In 1926 Coalport manufacture was moved from Shropshire to the Cauldon Place works in Shelton, Stoke-on-Trent. 

• Robinson’s businesses, especially those exporting to North America suffered from the effects of the Great Depression and in 1932 Cauldon Potteries Ltd was placed in receivership. The Cauldon Potteries Ltd assets were sold and Cauldon Potteries Ltd and its Coalport subsidiary were acquired by Harrison & Son (Hanley) Ltd - who were an established supplier of pigments and glazes for the pottery industry.  

• In 1935 the Harrison family consolidated their pottery interests at their George Jones & Sons Ltd (Crescent China) works in Stoke and the three firms (George Jones, Cauldon and Coalport) operated as a group although maintaining their separate identities.

• In 1951 the group was reorganised: George Jones output ceased and the focus was on the Coalport business under the name 'Coalport China Ltd'.  

• Manufacturing at the large Crescent Pottery works in Stoke became increasingly uneconomic and in 1955 Harrison purchased the Fenton based works of Samuel Radford Ltd (who had ceased trading) with the intention of moving the Coalport manufacturing to the smaller site. This move did not happen and in 1958 the Coalport business ceased operation. 

• In October of 1958 the fine china operations of the George Jones group, primarily Coalport but including parts of the Cauldon Potteries Ltd and George Jones businesses were sold to E. Brain & Co. Ltd who recommenced manufacture of Coalport ware. 

• From 1963 E. Brain & Co traded solely under the Coalport name and use of the Brain name and marks ceased. 

• In 1967 Josiah Wedgwood & Sons acquired the share capital of E. Brain & Co., including the Coalport subsidiary. Wedgwood continued the Coalport name as one of its core brands.

• In 1985 Wedgwood moved the production of Coalport ware from the E. Brian Foley Works to the nearby Crown Staffordshire Minerva Works, which was also owned by Wedgwood. Upon this move the Crown Staffordshire name disappeared. 

• In 2000 the manufacture of Coalport ware was moved to a purpose built facility at the main Wedgwood factory in Barlaston. Wedgwood maintained the Coalport brand until at least 2010. 

an 'agent's plate produced by Elijah Brain (the owners of Coalport from 1958 to 67, showing the Coalport patterns produced at the time 

the plate has an impressed 6/65 which is the month/year of manufacturer - June 1965