"Josiah Spode I was an extremely accomplished and innovative potter. He worked during the most exciting decades of Staffordshire pottery history and made not only the standard products of his day, but was also involved with the introduction of two products that profoundly changed the history of English ceramics: underglaze blue printing on earthenware and the perfection of bone china." Halfpenny Pat, Spode Exhibition Online [accessed 7 Sep 2025] 

Josiah Spode of Lane Delph died, a pauper in 1739. He and his wife Ellen had four children, three daughters and one son. The son was also named Josiah and was born in 1733. 

It is their son, later commonly known as Josiah Spode I, who started the pottery business that would continue the Spode name for over 250 years. 

- see WikiTree record for Josiah Spode I -

Josiah Spode I (b.1733 d.1797)

• In 1749, at the age of 16, Josiah Spode was apprenticed to Thomas Whieldon of Fenton. Josiah probably had some previous experience of working in a pottery works.  

• In 1762, aged 29, Spode joined the works of John Turner and William Banks, who were operating a pottery in Stoke on the same site as the Spode works of today. 

• The business of Turner & Banks was already in financial difficulties and in 1762/3 Turner left the business and set up on his own in Lane End. Josiah Spode became manager. 

  • Banks tried to keep the Stoke based business but by 1766 he was forced to sell the property to Jeremiah Smith, a local businessman. 
    

1767-1779 manufacturing in rented potworks:

• Spode left Banks and in 1767 rented his own factory, entered into a seven year partnership with William Tomlinson who was a local solicitor. Tomlinson & Spode set up manufacturing in the Bridge Bank Works in Stoke. 

• In 1772 Spode entered into a seven year partnership with Thomas Mountford. They rented works in Shelton. 

• After entering into partnership with Mountford Spode also continued his partnership with Tomlinson for the remaining two years. 

1770-1797 manufacturing on own account:

• Spode took his (Turner's) place as manager, continuing in that capacity for eight years; until, in 1770, he took over the works on mortgage, becoming sole proprietor and complete owner in 1776 when he  purchased the works from Jeremiah Smith. 
  NOTE: both 1770 and 1776 are given as a start date for the Spode business. 

• Because he was still in partnership with Thomas Mountford Spode was unable to personally operate these newly purchased works until their agreement. 
  His sons Josiah II and Samuel (aged 21 and 19 respectively) oversaw the works. 

• In 1778 Josiah II moved to London to establish a dealership in earthenware, porcelain and glass leaving Samuel to control the running of the pottery in Stoke. 

• In November 1779 the agreement with Mountford expired and Josiah I was now free to operate the new business. 

• In August 1797 Josiah I unexpectedly died aged 64. At this time Josiah II was running his successful retail business in London and Samuel was running his own pottery works in Lane End (which his father had endowed him with after his marriage in 1783)

1797-1827 the pottery business under control of Josiah Spode II: 

• Following the death of his father in 1797, Josiah II returned to Stoke - leaving his very successful retail business in London in the hands of his son William Spode (aged 21) and William Copeland, who was already heavily involved in the running of the London warehouse.  

  • Josiah II "had gained practical experience in the factory and, having been some time with Copeland in the London warehouse, was also well able to direct the commercial side. While he continued to produce bone china as his father had done, he at the same time turned his attention to the discovery of an even harder and more durable paste. 'Felspar Porcelain' was the result. It has been described as a 'technically perfect body'"

  • .. "his most notable achievement came in 1805 with the invention of a type of earthenware in which felspar was also an ingredient – the now almost universal 'Stone China', which has been aptly termed 'the aristocrat of earthenware'. It became immediately popular and has remained so to the present day." 

  • Josiah II was not only an innovator in the technical field. He was in the forefront in installing power in the working of the factory. In 1802 a Watt steam engine of ten horse power was introduced and eight years later a thirty-six horse power steam engine was installed for the grinding of fint, stone and colours, by which the output was greatly benefited.

    Quotes from: 'British Potters and Pottery Today' Bunt C. G. E. (1956), F. Lewis, Leigh on Sea, pp.28-9. 
    

• In 1806 the first Royal Warrant was awarded to Josiah Spode II following a visit by the Prince of Wales and The Duke of Clarence to the Spode works in Stoke. 
  He was appointed Potter and English Porcelain Manufacturer to H. R. H. the Prince of Wales.

• In 1820 Spode became 'Potter to H. M. King George IV' (formerly the Prince of Wales).

• Josiah Spode II died in July 1827 aged 72. 

• In 1827 after the death of Josiah Spode II his son, Josiah III, took nominal ownership of the factory. In 1802 Josiah III had lost an arm at an accident at the factory. Following this accident he retired. After his father's death he moved to The Mount in Penkhull. 

• Josiah Spode III died in 1829. 

• Josiah Spode III's son Josiah IV was born in 1823 and so was only six when his father died so the Spode family no longer had male heirs of sufficient age to take on the responsibility of running the business. 

The involvement of William Copeland:

• Around 1800 William Copeland, from the London business, had become a partner in the pottery manufacturing business in Stoke. By 1805 Copeland was an equal partner with William Spode in the London retail business. 

• In 1811 William Spode, son of Josiah II, retired from the London retail business. Leaving William Copeland running the business and owning 75% of the shares. 

• William Copeland died in 1826. He had one son - William Taylor Copeland (b.1797). 

• In 1833 William Taylor Copeland, already a partner, bought the Stoke based pottery manufacturing business from the Trustees of Josiah Spode III; thus becoming sole owner. 

• Copeland took a partner, Thomas Garrett and the firm became 'Copeland and Garrett'. 
  
  

SPODE

impressed & printed 

Copeland gives a date of 1815-33 

"..it was used on all the bodies up to the end of the Spode period. It may be distinguished... by the serifs on the S. It is frequently found with numbers below it: these are thought to be clay-workers' marks"

1805

Hayden says that "Spode produced stone china in 1805" p.150 and this is reflected in his chart of marks. (Spode & his Successors, 1925 p.192)

Godden states that "Spode from c. 1805 manufactured this, or a very similar body, under the name "Stone China" or "New Stone" and for many years he produced fine dinner, desert, and tea services in this strong clean earthenware." (Encyclopaedia of British Pottery and Porcelain, 1966, 1980 p.xxiii)

Godden differentiates between Stone-China marks printed  in black, which he dates to c.1805-15 and those in blue which he dates to c.1815-30. (Encyclopaedia of British Pottery and Porcelain Marks, 1964, 1991 p.589)

1812/14

Copeland dates the Spode Stone-China mark as "about 1812-1833". (Spode & Copeland Marks, 1993 p.57)

In contrast to his earlier publications, Godden reflects this later date and reference Copeland's book. (Guide to Ironstone, Stone & Granite Ware. 1999 p.326) 

Spode Exhibition Online supports a 1813 date (https://www.spodeceramics.com/pottery/ceramics/stone-china. Retrieved 2 Oct 2025) 

in black c. 1805-15 
(after Godden)

NOTE: This date is almost 
certainly wrong 

in blue c. 1815-30 
(after Godden) 

this Stone-China mark in red appears on "pagodas in situ at the Royal Pavilion, Brighton" 

(Spode History BlogSpot) 

'half mark'

Copeland gives a date of about 1815-33 for this style of mark 

Copeland gives a date of about 1812-33 for this style of mark. He states that "This is believed to be the earliest mark used on Spode's Stone China (c1812)" He does not differentiate between the colours.  

Copeland gives a date of 1822-33 

"Adopted when a new formula for Stone China was introduced about 1821-2" 

Spode was appointed 'Potter to the Prince of Wales' (later King George IV) in 1806, and used a special backstamp incorporating the Prince's three feathers and motto 'Ich Dien" and the Spode name.

This mark ceased to be used in 1820 when King George ascended to the throne and Spode became 'Potter to H. M. King George IV'.

It is uncertain if use of this mark was restricted to ware produced specifically for the Prince.  

Sources: 

Hayden A (1925) 'Spode & his successors, a history of the pottery, Stoke-on-Trent 1765-1865', Castle & Company Ltd.

Copeland, Robert (1993) 'Spode & Copeland Marks and other relevant Intelligence' Studio Vista, London.

Spode History Online [online]. Available at https://spodeceramics.com, (accessed 7 Sep 2025)