Hicks, Meigh & Johnson






 

Location and period of operation:

Hicks, Meigh & Johnson

Shelton

1822

1835

 

China and earthenware manufacturers at the Broad Street Works, Shelton, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, England.

  • The partners were Job Meigh II, his brother-in-law Richard Hicks (who were in partnership as Hicks & Meigh from around 1807) and Thomas Johnson (their travelling representative) who became a partner around 1820 and the business was henceforth known as Hicks, Meigh and Johnson.

  • "Mr. Meigh... obtained, in 1823, the gold medal of the Society of Arts, for the introduction of a glaze for earthenware wholly free from the deleterious qualities of the common lead glaze"

  • In 1833 they were recorded as having 600 employees.

  • In April 1834 their manufactory was advertised for sale as the partners were retiring from the business. In November they gave a dinner for their workers. 

  • In 1835 the partnership was dissolved and the factory and its contents were put up for auction. It was purchased by Ridgway, Morley & Wear. 

 

Previously: Hicks & Meigh

Subsequently: Ridgway, Morley & Wear 

 

- click for a good source on Hicks & Meigh patterns - 

 

 


tureen in the Chinese Landscapes pattern

 

 


Hicks, Meigh & Johnson tazza - combining earthenware base and glass bowl

the base has the pre-1837 Royal Arms

photo courtesy: Aurelia Kastaldi 

 

 

 
'Real Stone China' plate 

pattern: "rocks & birds" c.1830

 

 

 
Hicks, Meigh & Johnson green and pink transferware printed plate
pattern: "Birds & Flowers"

 


Birds & Flowers
H M J
No 1
Birds & Flowers is the name of the series of patterns

 

 

Marks & initials used on ware for identification:

NOTE: The last ironstone pattern number issued by Hicks, Meigh & Johnson was 128, 
so all subsequent numbers were issued by succeeding partnerships.

 

 

H M J

H M I

H M & J

 

Stone China

Real Stone China

Real Ironstone China

 

 

Marks with the crown and Stone China or Real Stone China are often found with no manufacturers name or initials

the following guidance supplied by Angela Grant who runs the Ridgway Pattern Book site


Stone China 

pattern 125 was produced by
Hicks, Meigh & Johnson

The last ironstone pattern number issued by Hicks, Meigh & Johnson was 128, 
so all subsequent numbers were issued by succeeding partnerships.


Real Stone China

Pattern 160. The print (and mark) was introduced by HMJ but the actual pattern was issued by the subsequent Ridgway, Morley, Wear, & Co. 
Real Stone China

this crown and ribbon mark is not HMJ - it was first issued in the late 1830s by Ridgway, Morley, Wear & Co. 

 

     

 


Stone China 

this mark was used by the earlier Hicks & Meigh 
the mark is likely to be used on ware pre-1830

 

   
Stone China 

Hicks, Meigh & Johnson's use of the Royal Arms as these examples show - often the printing was very unclear. 

These arms are pre-1837 as they have the centre shield of the house of Hanover. This was removed when Queen Victoria ascended to the throne. 

 


Royal Arms used by Hicks & Meigh 

The Royal Arms were also used by the earlier Hicks & Meigh - they can be distinguished as the Hicks & Meigh mark was more detailed than that used by Hicks, Meigh & Johnson.

 

 

NOTE: the impressed mark "Real Ironstone China" was not used by 
Hicks,  Meigh & Johnson - it was introduced by the later company of Francis Morley:


Stone China 


Real Ironstone China

The three line impressed "REAL IRONSTONE CHINA" mark was first introduced by Francis Morley and continued to be used up to the early years of 
G. L. Ashworth & Bros. 

The printed Royal Arms mark and impressed 'REAL IRONSTONE CHINA' mark
appeared on the same plate. 

     



H M J
Chinese Landscapes is the name of the series of patterns

 

 


H M J
Birds & Flowers is the name of the series of patterns

 


H M J
PRIORY is the pattern name

 

 

- click for more information on the Broad Street Works -

 

 


Ash Hall - Job Meigh II's retirement home 

After the sale of the business in 1835 Meigh 
purchased the Ash Estate where he built Ash Hall

- click for more on Ash Hall - 

 

Questions, comments, contributions? email: Steve Birks