J & T Furnival

Thomas Furnival [& Son(s)]






 

Location and period of operation:

J & T Furnival 

 

Thomas Furnival

T Furnival & Son(s)

Cobridge

1851 

1864

 

1871

1864

1871

 

1890

 

Earthenware manufacturer at Elder Road, Cobridge, Stoke-on-Trent, England

  • Following involvement in previous partnerships - from 1851 Jacob and Thomas Furnival (brothers) became partners as J & T Furnival. 
    As well as Earthenware manufacture they were in business as Grinders of Potters' Materials at Etruria Vale, in the borough of Hanley.

  • In 1859 Jacob Furnival, Thomas Furnival and Francis Joseph Emery applied for a patent for 'Improvements in apparatus for supporting articles of china and earthenware in kilns and ovens'.

  • In May 1864 the partnership between Jacob and Thomas Furnival was dissolved and the business was continued by Thomas Furnival. 

  • Around 1871 Thomas Furnival the younger joined the business which became Thomas Furnival and Son.   

  • In 1876 another son, Samuel Bourne Furnival joined the business - which became Thomas Furnival and Sons. 

  • Around 1883 the company found itself in financial difficulty with liabilities of £60,000 (around £5 million in 2020 terms). In 1884 there was a notice of 'Liquidation by Agreement' which allowed the company to trade out of its difficulties. 

  • Thomas Furnival senior retired in 1890 and the business was continued by his sons Thomas, Samuel and Arthur (who had joined the company). The style of the business became Furnivals

For a detailed history of the various people, partnerships and patterns see the excellent web site: Furnivals Pottery

 

Subsequently: Furnivals


 

T. Furnival & Sons 

"Established in 1851, T. Furnival & Sons occupied two old Cobridge manufactories, one formerly belonging to Adams and the other to Blackwell, and ranked high as manufacturers of white granite and vitrified ironstone and decorated toilet ware for the United States, Canadian, and Continental markets. For the home trade, they produced 'patent ironstone' dinner and other services in various styles of decoration. Among their specialities were dinner services, etc., of Italian design, in plain, white ware, the ornamentation on which was indented from an embossed mould, the lines being as fine and delicate as if cut in by the graver so as to have the appearance of chasing; and the lines being filled with glaze, the surface was still even. Another noticeable feature was the clever combination of transfer-printing, hand-painting, enamelling, and gilding, which characterise some of the services. 

Figure 7 (reproduced below) shows a group of Furnival's general goods from the 1862 Exhibition. Among the most successful of their toilet services were the 'Swan' and 'Nautilus', which were of great beauty. These were produced in white, heightened with gold, and enamelled in colours. The early mark of the firm was simply FURNIVAL impressed in the ware. From 1890, many printed name or initial marks were used. 

In connection with these works, Mr. F. J. Emery of the Bleak Hill Works introduced in about 1865 a method of crayon drawing and painting on the unglazed surface of earthenware and china, which came much in repute, and drawings were made in it by some of the artists as well as by lady and other amateurs. The unglazed articles and prepared crayons and colours were supplied by Mr. Emery, who afterwards became a partner with Edward Clarke at Longport, and proprietor of the Bleak Hill Works. Thomas Furnival & Sons continued under the style Furnivals (1913) Ltd until the 1960's."

Source: Jewitt's Ceramic Art of Great Britain 1800-1900

 

Figure 7. Furnival's general goods,
1862 Exhibition

Source: Jewitt's Ceramic Art of Great Britain 1800-1900

 

 


The London Gazette
6 May 1862

 
Notice of a patent for 'Improvements in apparatus for supporting
articles of china and earthenware in kilns and ovens'

the patentees were Jacob Furnival, Thomas Furnival and Francis Joseph Emery

 


The London Gazette
1 November 1870
 


Notice of the dissolution of the partnership between
Jacob Furnival and Thomas Furnival in May 1864

 


The London Gazette
14 September 1884
 


Notice of 'Liquidation by Arrangement' of Thomas Furnival and Sons



Jacob and Thomas Furnival (1851-64)

note that there was an earlier partnership (c.1842-43) between 
Jacob & Thomas Furnival at Miles Bank, Hanley 

 


Flow blue plate by Jacob & Thomas Furnival in the Indian Jar pattern 

J & TF

Indian Jar is the pattern name

 


 

Thomas Furnival (& Co) (1864-71)

note that there was an earlier partnership (c.1844-6) of 
Thomas Furnival & Co Miles Bank, Hanley 

 

  


White ironstone lidded storage container 

Ironstone China
Furnival & Co

 

 


 

 

Thomas Furnival & Son (1871-76)

Around 1871 Thomas Furnival the younger joined the 
business which became Thomas Furnival and Son . 

  


Thomas Furnival & Son 

this belt mark appears with and without 
a registration diamond 

Messina is the pattern name


Thomas Furnival & Son

The Trade Mark of a crossed anchor and
rapier was registered in 1878 but was in 
use at an earlier date 

This mark uses the Royal Arms

all marks with '& Son' date 1871-76


 


plate in the Cairo pattern 

this pattern is in the Aesthetic Style


T. F. & S.

FURNIVAL
(impressed) 

Cairo is the pattern name 

photos courtesy:  Amy Williams

 

 


 


A shard of the  1871-76 style mark
excavated in 2019 from the Shickluna Shipyard, Ontario, Canada - a 19th century site

photo: Dr. Kimberly E Monk


 

Thomas Furnival & Sons (1876-90)

In 1876 another son, Samuel Bourne Furnival joined the 
business - which became Thomas Furnival and Sons. 

 


White ironstone jug

 


White ironstone lidded turren


 


transfer-ware tureen in the ALTON pattern

a full range of dinner and tea ware was produced in this popular pattern, 
generally in a pink-brown transfer. Sometimes hand painted with red or blue.


T Furnival & Sons

also including an impressed mark 'FURNIVALS'

 


 

Thomas Furnival & Sons used many different style
back stamps during the period 1876 to 1890 

 

 
Monogram style marks with the letters TF intertwined
and the town name Cobridge and county name Staffordshire or Staffs

courtesy: Godden - Encyclopaedia of Pottery marks

all marks with '& Sons' date 1876-90

 



Thomas Furnival & Sons
1879

The Lorne is the pattern name


 


T Furnival & Sons

Paisley is the pattern name

 


Ths Furnival & Sons
Cobridge Staff

The Charm is the pattern name

 

The anchor and rapier crossed mark was registered in 1878 but was in use before that date

It can be also found on marks of '& Son'
1871-76 



Thomas Furnival & Sons
England 

Trade Mark No. 14,722
In 1878 a new trademark was registered, featuring an anchor and rapier crossed, with royal arms and scrolls containing "Thomas Furnival and Sons" and "England"  



T Furnival & Sons

MADRAS is the pattern name

the registration diamond shows that the date of registration of the pattern was 24 Oct 1878



T Furnival & Sons

KENT is the pattern name

The registration number dates to 1888

Thomas Furnival & Sons
England 



T Furnival & Sons


CHANTILLY is the pattern name

 


 


1879 map showing the location of the Furnival pottery works

 

 


1899 map of Cobridge

by this time the area has been developed and more houses built
and a nearby street is called Furnival Street

 

 


Questions, comments, contributions? email: Steve Birks