Earthenware manufacturer at the Globe Pottery, Cobridge, Stoke-on-Trent, England.

# continued as part of the Ridgway company until about 1971. 

• In 1940 the North Staffordshire Pottery Co. Ltd was founded at the Globe pottery works by Thomas Lawley and James Hasall. 

• North Staffordshire Pottery remained open during the Second World War under the Wartime Concentration Scheme - they were permitted to produce undecorated domestic ware. They also produced canteen ware for the British armed forces. 

• In 1948 the business became part of the Lawley Group Ltd when Edgar and Thomas Lawley combined their various pottery companies.

• In 1952 the business became part of Ridgways (Bedford Works) Ltd. 

• As part of a restructure of the various Lawley companies in 1955 North Staffordshire Pottery Co Ltd became a subsidiary of Ridgway Potteries. 

• As part of Allied English Potteries Ltd (from 1964), the North Staffordshire Pottery Co. Ltd factory became the production unit for Ridgway Hotel ware including Ridgway 'Steelite' vitreous hotel ware and the North Staffordshire Pottery Co. Ltd hotel ware marketed under the 'VITROCK' trade name. 

• The North Staffordshire Pottery Co. Ltd was the last pottery company to occupy the Globe Pottery Works. The site was eventually sold off and became a car showroom. 

GVIR
1943

The mark shown indicates that the ware was produced for and supplied to the British Government; it was ultimately property of the Crown/Government, hence the GR-VI Cypher.

This mark is there to distinguish the piece from being normal ‘utilitarian’ ware for public sale during the period surrounding the Second World War. 

North Staffordshire Pottery Co (and others) were given government contracts throughout the late 1930s and into the 1940s (WWII) and produced canteen ware - most likely for the armed services.

The year of manufacturer is generally included.

North Staffordshire 
Pottery Co. Ltd
ENGLAND 

mark used c. 1940 -1952

'WILLOW" is the pattern name

North Staffordshire 
Pottery Co. Ltd
ENGLAND 
RIDGWAY

mark used c. 1952+

same mark as the earlier period but with the addition of 'Ridgway'

N. S. POTTERY Co. Ltd.
Strong as the Rock
COBRIDGE
ENGLAND

mark used c. 1945-52
the use of the town name 'COBRIDGE' indicates that the piece was made at the Globe Works

NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE POTTERY
Strong as the Rock
VITROCK

some pottery companies added the month/year of manufacture on the ware, North Staffordshire Pottery often used the week/year such as 5/58 and 32/59 on the examples shown

this style of mark was used c. 1952+
without the use of 'Co. Ltd'
or the place names 'COBRIDGE' or 'HANLEY'

it was used after the pottery became part of the same group as Ridgway Pottery the use of the North Staffordshire Pottery trade name continued

This style of mark was introduced c. 1955 when North Staffordshire Pottery became a subsidiary of Ridgway Potteries. 

Ridgway (Bedford Works) had used this style from around 1950. 

The "Est 1792" does not refer to the North Staffordshire Pottery (which started in 1940), nor to the Bedford works (which was build in the late 1870s) but to the original potworks established by Job and George Ridgway. 

It was not unusual for companies to try to put an early as possible date to give an appearance of age and stability.