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Spode
China - A Short History
Josiah
Spode, founder of the famous factory, was born on 23rd March 1733
in a village that is now part of Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire,
nicknamed the Potteries. By the time Josiah Spode was seven years
old, because the family were so poor, his father died had to be
buried in a pauper's grave.
At age sixteen he was apprenticed to Thomas Whielden, one of the
best potters in Stoke. He stayed there until he was twenty-one then
worked for William Banks, another well respected potter. He established
his own pottery aound 1770 later acquiring sole ownership of the
present factory in 1776.
Josiah had a number of childen including one also called Josiah.
In 1778, the younger Josiah was sent to London to open a showroom
to promote their wares and so increase sales.
Blue and White Willow Pattern
In this period, Chinese porcelain, particularly blue and white willow
pattern, had become popular and fashionable. However, by 1784 imports
from China were reduced and it became harder for people to buy.
The older Josiah used a transfer printing technique to reproduce
the Chinese blue and white pottery which contribued enormously to
the success of the factory. At first they produced just the original
Chinese designs but later added to these with their own patterns
like Blue Italian, Tower Blue and Willow, still produced by Spode
today.
Fine Bone China
Porcelain imports from China were also reduced so the both father
and son worked to create bone china and perfected it around 1799.
It is strong, translucent and very white in colour and is made by
adding bone ash to the formula for porcelain. In the early years
of production it was marked Stoke China.
Josiah Spode's Death
In 1797 Josiah Spode the elder died. His obituary in The Times newspaper
said: "He possessed many amiable and endearing virtues, which
rendered him an ornament to society and a service to mankind; in
domestic attachments he was tender , generous and affectionate;
in friendship , faithful and sincere; nor was he less distinguished
for charity and liberality to the poor. In short he lived universally
respected and died not less generally lamented."
Copeland Joins the Business
In 1784 the younger Josiah in London employed William Copeland in
London as a salesman. He became a partner in 1805 and managed the
business from 1812. In 1822 the company changed its name to Spode
and Copeland. William Taylor Copeland, son of William Copeland,
became a partner in 1824 and sole owner of the entire business in
1833.
Josiah Spode the younger died in 1827 and his own son died just
two years later.
After the deaths of the original Josiah Spode's son and grandson,
the Spode family had no further connection with the factory and
it remained in the Copeland family until 1966. During much of the
20th century the company dropped the Spode name but it was reinstated
in 1970 on the commemoration of its founding.
Copyright © 2007 Carol Fisher
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