Hill Potteries, Burslem

Hill Pottery, Burslem
Old Hill Pottery, The Hill Top Pottery or Hill Pottery

The Hill Top Pottery was at the top of a hill called "The Sytch"
which ran from Burslem at the top down to Brownhills at the bottom

Rebuilt for Samuel Alcock in 1839 and described at the
time as 'the most striking and ornamental object of its kind
within the precincts of the borough'
(from Ward 1843)

"The Hill Top Pottery or Hill Pottery

These works, formerly belonging to Ralph Wood, were for many years - from about 1828 to 1859 - carried on by Samuel Alcock & Co., by whom they were rebuilt and enlarged in 1839, their rearranged manufactory comprising the works of J. & R. Riley (working period 1802-28), John Robinson & Sons, and William Taylor, which were all taken down for the purpose.

The productions of Alcock & Co. were porcelain, Parian, and the finer descriptions of earthenware -one of their specialities being semi-porcelain of fine and durable quality. The marks include: ALCOCK & Co. or S. ALCOCK & Co. HILL POTTERY BURSLEM either printed along with the name of the pattern, or some device, or impressed in the ware.

The fine early porcelain is unmarked and is often mistaken for Rockingham. Many finely modelled Parian jugs, etc., were made by Alcock's. Alcock ware is now little known, but it is of fine quality.....

In 1860, the works and general estate were purchased by Sir James Duke and Nephews and continued by them until 1863, when they sold it to Thomas Ford, who in 1864 sold it to the Earthenware and Porcelain Company, by whom (under the management of Richard Daniel, once a noted china manufacturer at Stoke, Hanley and Burslem) it was carried on under the style of the Hill Pottery Company, Limited, late S. Alcock & Co.

The productions of Sir James Duke and Nephews were earthenware services, both white and cream-coloured, and china and Etruscan ware... The operations of the Hill Pottery Company were of short duration, for in 1867 it was put into liquidation and sold up, when the property again came into the hands of Thomas Ford.

In the same year, the works were divided - the china department being taken by Alcock & Diggory and the earthenware part by Burgess & Leigh (late S. Alcock & Co.), who manufactured the ordinary as well as the higher and more artistic classes of earthenware goods, both for the home and foreign markets. The firm produced all the usual services, and useful as well as many highly ornamental articles. The mark used by the firm was a beehive on a stand, with bees, a rose-bush on either side, and a ribbon bearing the name of the pattern ('Kensington', for instance) beneath, and under this the initials of the firm, B.L. & Co.

Messrs. Burgess, Leigh & Co. worked the Hill Pottery to 1899 and then this firm continued at the Middleport Pottery, Burslem.

The Hill Pottery China Works

On the division of the Hill Pottery Company manufactory in 1867, part was carried on by Alcock, Diggory & Co. In 1870, the firm became Bodley & Diggory; but in the following year, Mr. Diggory having retired, the manufactory was continued by Edward F. Bodley.

In 1874, the style was again changed to Bodley & Son, and in 1875 to that of Edwin J. D. Bodley. The productions formerly embraced china, earthenware and Parian, but from the 1870s were confined to china. A speciality of Mr. Bodley's productions was that of pans and vases for chandeliers and lamps. These were made in various forms, and more or less highly decorated. They formed an important branch of manufacture. Services of all the usual kinds, some elaborately decorated, were also made...

E. J. D. Bodley continued to 1892. Messrs. A. Heath & Co. were at the Hill Pottery from 1895 to 1897."

Jewitt's Ceramic Art of Great Britain 1800-1900

From	To	Occupier	Comments
		Ralph Wood
1802	1828	J & R Riley	The works were used by J & R Riley (working period 1802-28), John Robinson & Sons and William Taylor.
1828	1859	Samuel Alcock & Co	Alcock rebuilt & enlarged the works in 1839 - The Hill Pottery of 1839 was designed by Thomas Stanley, a Shelton architect, who also designed St.John's Church and school in Goldenhill and St. Thomas's church in Mow Cop.
1860	1863	Sir James Duke & Nephews	In 1860, the works and general estate were purchased by Sir James Duke and Nephews and continued by them until 1863, when they sold it to Thomas Ford. Sir James Duke & Nephews produced white & cream coloured earthenware services, china and Etruscan ware.
1862	1870	Morgan, Wood & Co	around 1862 - 1870 Morgan, Wood & Co, occupied part of the Hill Pottery
1863		Thomas Ford
1864	1867	Earthenware and Porcelain Company	the business was carried on under the style of the Hill Pottery Company Ltd., late S. Alcock & Co. In 1867 the Hill Pottery Co was put into liquidation and the property once again came into the hands of Thomas Ford.
1867		Thomas Ford	In 1867 the works were divided into china and earthenware.
1867		Alcock & Diggory	Alcock & Diggory took the china department (see the table below)
1867	1888	Burgess & Leigh	In 1867 Burgess and Leigh took the earthenware department and then in 1888 the moved to a newly built factory at Middleport - The Middleport Pottery.
1887	1916	Samuel Johnson	Samuel Johnson may have shared part of the works with Burgess and Leigh, or they may have been at other works untill 1900 and then moved to the Hill Works. In 1916 they moved to the Britannia Pottery.

From	To	Occupier	Comments
1867	1870	Alcock, Diggory & Co	On the division of the Hill Pottery Company manufactory in 1867, part was carried on by Alcock, Diggory & Co.
1870	1871	Bodley & Diggory	Details of Bodley of the Hill Pottery
1871	1874	Edward F Bodley	Mr Diggory having retired in 1871.
1874	1875	Bodley & Son	Edwin F Bodley served as Mayor of Hanley in 1872-3. He retired and his son Edwin James Drew Bodley carried on.
1875	1892	Edwin J D Bodley	From 1875 to October 31, 1888, he had William Telford as a partner, but this is not reflected in the trade style E.J.D. Bodley. In 1892 Edwin James Drew Bodley was declared bankrupt.
1895	1897	Messrs. A Heath & Co.