Crown Staffordshire Information Sheet
KEY DATES
1847-1859 Thomas Green Minerva China Works, Park Street, Fenton
1859-1876 M. Green & Co. as above
1876-1902 T.A. & S. Green as above
1903-1948 Crown Staffordshire Porcelain Co. Ltd. as above
1948-1973 Crown Staffordshire China Xo. Ltd. as above
1973 Taken over by Wedgwood Group
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Thomas Green's father (Thomas Green senior), began the family connection with pottery making in c.1790 at Burslem. he bought the Churchyard Works in 1795 and there manufactured earthenwares. The family moved to Somerset in 1812 but Thomas junior returned to Staffordshire in 1822 and is reported to have worked for Matthew Mayer (Shelton), Mintons, Copeland and Wedgwood.
In 1833 he rented the Minerva Works, Fenton where, with four of his sons, he commenced production of bone china. Two sons were travelling salesmen, one was an artist and one became production manager. The company remained on that site for the remainder of its history.
After Thomas Green junior died in 1859 his widow, Margaret, ran the company with her four sons for the next 17 years during which time it was known as M. Green & Co. It must have been a successful venture as, in 1863, she purchased the Minerva Works which, until that time, had been leased. Following Margaret Green's death in 1876, two of her sons, Thomas Allen and Spencer, bought out their brothers and the company became T A & S Green. Thomas Allen Green established London showrooms, known as Green Bros. and Edis.
In 1897 the name Crown Staffordshire first appeared in the title of the firm and in 1903 it became a limited company under the name Crown Staffordshire Porcelain Co. Ltd. By the turn of the century, the company were producing a wide range of bone china products including dinner ware, tea and coffee ware, miniatures, vases, cutlery handles, door furniture and floral china baskets. In the late 1920s Crown Staffordshire pioneered the large scale production of china floral ornaments and china costume jewellery for which they became famous.
The Art Director at Crown Staffordshire for over thirty years was J T (Jack) Jones. Born in 1898 Jack Jones joined Crown Staffordshire at the age of thirteen and worked for the company for forty-seven years. At the time of his death he was described as one of the leading designers of bone china table ware, but today he is probably known best for the range of bird groups that he designed for Crown Staffordshire. These ranged from large cockatoo figures to tiny wrens.
Other designers were also used by the company. In the 1930s T.M. Bayley produced a range of figures of children on elaborate floral bases, but most figure and floral groups do not bear the name of their designer.
Crown Staffordshire made all types of tablewares and gift wares, and was noted for its powder blue and other grounds, usually combined with fine hand-painting. It continued to reproduce 18th century styles well into the 20th century. Some of the finest artists, such as Leslie Johnson (Cries of London vases), signed their work.
In the 1930s the company introduced the "Pan" range of yellow-glazed tablewares, decorated with stylised flowers, but the public preferred to see the white body of bone china and the yellow glaze was dropped. Floral and bird subjects were popular subjects on tablewares, paralleling the modelled groups.
Both before and during World War 2 the company produced badged ware for the fighting services, including the British and Canadian navies. During the war they were designated as a nucleus firm (1941) which meant that they were allowed to continue trading in their own premises and, although Barlows of Longton were concentrated upon the Minerva Works for the duration of the war, no earthenware was made, only bone china.
In 1946 the Heron Cross factory was purchased to allow increased postwar production of decorated wares, primarily for export. The bottle ovens there were replaced by tunnel ovens. In 1945 the company was one of those permitted to recommence manufacture of 'fancies' for the home market. To celebrate the 80th anniversary of the founding of the firm, woven china baskets had been introduced. These constituted an important export ware and were marketed under the slogan A May basket for every bride.
A range of china miniatures were also produced. These frequently were tea sets for two, comprising teapot, cream jug, sugar bowl, two cups and saucers and a matching tray.
In 1948 the name of the company was changed to Crown Staffordshire China Co. Ltd. and two subsidiary companies were established, in Canada and America, to control distribution abroad. In the 1950s three quarters of total production was exported. Agents were employed in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Belgium.
In 1952 the Crown Staffordshire China Co. Ltd. was described by the Pottery Gazette and Glass Trades Review as the largest producer of china flowers in the Potteries as well as producing many figure and bird studies. Over 200 people were employed in the factory's decorating department.
In 1965 the Green family's connection with the company ceased and the company became part of the Wedgwood Group in 1973. Christmas plates were manufactured from 1972-1981 (1972-76 exclusively for export). From 1985 the name Crown Staffordshire was not used, the name Coalport Ltd. (also part of the Wedgwood Group) being used instead.
DESIGNERS
Catherine Barnsley
Designed Lakeland Birds series.
T.M. Bayley
Probably employed freelance to produce figure models of children c.1936-1950. These children are normally standing or seated on a garden base encrusted with modelled and applied flowers.
Bernard Blatch
Designed the surface decoration to David Queensberry's nursery ware shapes c.1960. Worked as a graphic designer with ABC Television Ltd.
John Bromley
Designed bird groups on a freelance basis including British Garden Birds series and Garden Fledglings series c.1980. Also a limited edition Wildfowl series with Peter Scott for the Wedgwood Group.
John T. (Jack) Jones MSIA (1898-1958)
Joined Crown Staffordshire aged 13. Attended local art schools. At the time of his death he was described as one of the leading designers of bone china tableware, but today he is probably best known for the range of bird groups that he designed for Crown Staffordshire.
Doris Lindner
Studied sculpture at St. Martin's School of Art, London; the British Academy, Rome; and Calderon's Animal School, London. Designed naturalistic bird groups for Crown Staffordshire post-1973 which were hand painted with a matt finish. She also modelled animals, especially horses and cattle, for Royal Worcester Ltd.
Barbara Linley-Adams
Head of the flower-making department in 1962. Also designed bird groups post-1973.
David Queensberry (1929-)
Studied Central School of Arts and Crafts
Apprentice H & R Johnson tiles, Stoke, 1953
Designs for Crown Staffordshire 1960s - range of black and white tableware in 1960s; also 'Queensberry Ware' nursery china June 1960
Professor of Ceramics and Glass Royal College of Art 1960
Avril Stewart
Designer employed by Crown Staffordshire in the late 1940s.
Reginald R. Tomlinson OBE arca (1885-1978)
Apprentice designer, Minton Hollins
Painter & designer for Bernard Moore (1906-09)
Royal College of Art
Art Director, Crown Staffordshire (1913-19)
Principal, Cheltenham College of Arts and Crafts (1922-25)
Acting Principal, Central School of Arts & Crafts (1935-36, 1939-47)
During Tomlinson's time at Crown Staffordshire nursery ware started to be produced. The included Alice in Wonderland, Brownies or Merry Elves. The latter were included in the Harrods' 1929 catalogue. Nursery ware patterns designed by Tomlinson are generally signed RRT and the last 2 digits of the yearin the print.
COLLECTION DETAILS
The Charles Green Collection
In 1996 Mr Charles S. Green donated to this museum his collection of bone china and earthenware. It comprised over 500 items made by his family's pottery companies over the last 200 years. Some were items which had been passed down through the family, others had been purchased by Charles Green over the years. They were given by Charles Green in memory of his brothers, Sam Green and Frank Green, the last two members of the Green family to be involved with the company, Crown Staffordshire China Ltd.
FURTHER READING
Trimble, Alberta C. Modern porcelain : Today's treasures, tomorrow's traditions (Chapter 6) Harper, 1962
The Crown Staffordshire story in Pottery Gazette and Glass Trades Review October 1952
The history of Crown Staffordshire China in British Bulletin of Commerce Survey November 1954
