By September 1815, Thomas Bond was imprisoned for debt in Stafford gaol, a harsh reality for many in 19th-century England. After a period of uncertainty, he resumed his malting and brickmaking business while venturing into pottery. Despite efforts to expand, mounting financial troubles led to his bankruptcy in 1819.
Tag: Armitage
The founding of Armitage potbank
In November 1817, Thomas Bond purchased land in Armitage, marking the start of his pottery venture. By 1819, multiple potteries operated in the area, with Bond’s business eventually facing bankruptcy. The legacy of Armitage potbank would later evolve into the global brand of Edward Johns Co. Ltd., later Armitage Ware and Armitage Shanks.
Thomas Bond Part 1 – maltster, brickmaker, potter and gaolbird
Thomas Bond, a maltster, brickmaker, and potter, is credited with founding Armitage’s first pottery. Before this, he ran brickworks and malting operations. Despite early ventures in pottery and partnerships, financial troubles led to bankruptcy. In 1815, his failed pottery venture resulted in imprisonment for debt.
The pre-fabs
In October 1946 the Housing Committee of Armitage-with-Handsacre Parish Council convened a public meeting to ‘discuss the unsatisfactory progress of the new houses’. Held in the Parish Hall, crowded with many young married couples including young babies, the meeting was at times quite tempestuous. The Council Chairman, H. Wright, told the meeting about the unsatisfactory… Continue reading The pre-fabs
The oldest item in the village
In the Anglo-Saxon, Norman and Medieval eras the main way of portraying Christian beliefs and stories was through imagery; most people couldn’t read and church services were held in Latin anyway. Ideas and beliefs were conveyed in wall paintings, stained glass, statues of wood and stone, carvings on the furniture, and on the walls and… Continue reading The oldest item in the village
Armitage School Logbook 1917
The transcript below is taken from Armitage Senior School for 1917 – the building at the top of Church Lane. It was written by G.H. Neville, Headmaster. It shows that the school year started in April and that the summer holidays were taken for the hay harvest and for the corn harvest – the School… Continue reading Armitage School Logbook 1917
Armitage Ware colour samples
In 1927 Edward Johns & Co., (later Armitage Ware and then Ideal Standard) produced the very first coloured sanitary ware in the world. Biscuit-fired ware was shipped to their sister company, Richards Tiles Ltd in Tunstall, who applied a mottled colour glaze and fired it again. Only four colours were created – Mottled Armitage Green,… Continue reading Armitage Ware colour samples
A coronation carnival
If you are looking for events with which to celebrate King Charles’ coronation this year then why not take a look at the 1937 version and stage pillow fighting, cutting down a leg of mutton or even ‘climbing the greasy pole’? Like most towns and villages at that time a lot of effort was put… Continue reading A coronation carnival
A shipwreck find
An email from John Bennett last week, giving me a link to a BBC news article on a new display at the Gladstone Pottery Museum, gave me an excuse to look again at one of my favourite characters from the history of Armitage potteries – Robert Hedderwick Penman. The picture above, courtesy of the Gladstone… Continue reading A shipwreck find
The pottery pay dispute in 1914
In 1914 the pottery industry followed the same procedure for pay discussions that had been developed in the 1890s and it had a very set annual pay round – every company in the industry followed exactly the same routine. Prices that were to be paid to the potters for the following 12 months were set… Continue reading The pottery pay dispute in 1914