Kirklands (Staffordshire) Ltd






 

Location and period of operation:

Kirklands (Staffs) Ltd

Etruria

Feb 1947

c. 1966

(See sources)

Earthenware manufacturer at the Albion Pottery, Etruria, Stoke-on-Trent

  • The original directors were: H.S. Kirkland, and J.L. and J.S. Weatherby. 

  • Later in 1947 Kirklands (Staffs) Ltd was bought by Ernest Barnett. He was the majority shareholder and Managing Director, with the two Weatherby brothers retaining a financial interest and also as co-directors. Within 2 years, Ernest Barnett bought out the Weatherbys and became sole owner.

  • Over the coming years, Barnett was joined on the Board by his second child, Kenneth, as Sales Director and also the eldest child, Dr Enid Joan Acheson as Director without portfolio. For business reasons later on, his Secretary, Mrs Foster also joined the Board as a non-executive Director.

  • Sometime about 1966 Ernest Barnett retired on health grounds and for family reasons the business was sold to Potclays Ltd. - supplying raw materials to the pottery industry.

Ernest Barnett was born in 1902 and lived in Milton, Stoke-on-Trent. He left school at 11yrs of age and worked for some time as a barbers’ lather boy until he was old enough join Bullers (in Milton) as an apprentice in the manufacture of insulators for the electricity grid. 

In due course he left Bullers to join Dudson Brothers in Hanley in the sales dept and eventually became their Senior Commercial Traveller - leaving in 1947 to go into his own business at the Albion Works as Kirklands (Staffs) Ltd. After selling Kirklands in the mid-60s, he retired to Scotland and died there in 1982.

information courtesy: Colonel (ret'd) Gordon Barnett MBE (son of Ernest Barnett)

 

Formerly: Kirklands (Etruria) Ltd

 

 


blue & white transfer ware plate made by Kirklands (Staffs) Ltd 

 

 

Under the control of Ernest Barnett the business changed focus from its pre-war products of fancy goods and such (Toby jugs and the like) to hotel and canteen ware. 

One major contract won was for the supply of earthenware for the ‘new look’ N.A.A.F.I canteens in pastel shades.

Another was for Joseph Leeke of Birmingham to supply the earthenware insert teapots, coffee pots etc for the (at the time) very popular chromed and felt lined clip-on covers for such goods.

 

 

 

Marks used on ware for identification:

 

 

 


Kirklands (Staffs) Ltd
Made in England
Reproduced from old engravings discovered
after the bombing of
Kirklands Albion Pottery
1940
 

 

- click for more on the Albion Pottery -

  

Questions/comments/contributions? email: Steve Birks