The History of Armitage Pottery: People, Products and Place
The history of Armitage Pottery cannot be told through a single story. It has influenced the village, provided employment for generations of families, developed products known throughout the world and shaped the lives of countless individuals. Some of those stories fit naturally into the narrative of the company’s history. Others are smaller episodes, remarkable discoveries or individual lives that deserve to be told in their own right. Together they help build a richer understanding of one of Staffordshire’s most significant industrial enterprises.
Over more than two centuries the pottery experienced repeated changes in ownership, periods of uncertainty, rapid expansion and constant adaptation to changing markets. There were times when its future appeared far from secure, yet successive generations found new opportunities, developed new products and built upon the achievements of those who came before. By the twentieth century the company had become one of Britain’s leading sanitary ware manufacturers and, through Armitage Shanks, a name recognised throughout the world.
The articles brought together here explore that wider story. Some examine the evolution of the company itself, while others look beyond the factory gates to consider the people, places and events that shaped its development.
The story begins in the early nineteenth century with the establishment of pottery manufacture in Armitage. The article on the Founding of the Pottery explores those earliest years, tracing the origins of the industry in the village and the circumstances that gave rise to what would eventually become one of Britain’s leading sanitary ware manufacturers. From those beginnings, the history of the pottery became one of continual change, adaptation and growth.
The story is also one of the people whose decisions shaped the company’s fortunes. Beginning with Thomas Bond, and continuing through Robert Hedderwick Penman, the Rev. Edward Johns, Edward Lewis Williamson Johns, Edmund Corn and Ken and Alan Stott, these articles explore how successive generations each left a distinctive mark on the business.
Other articles examine the products, identity and reputation for which Armitage became known. Surviving colour samples reveal changing fashions and the development of the company’s products, while What’s in a Name? explores how the business presented itself to customers and how the name “Armitage” became recognised far beyond the village. The enduring story behind the origin of the word “loo” provides another example of the company’s place in popular culture.
Some of the most revealing stories arise from unexpected discoveries. The wreck of the Josephine Willis, carrying sanitary ware to New Zealand, provides a remarkable glimpse into the company’s export trade during the mid – nineteenth century. The 1914 Pay Dispute offers a different perspective, illustrating the relationship between management and workforce at a pivotal moment in British industrial history.
The pottery was never simply a collection of buildings where people worked. It shaped the growth of Armitage itself, influencing where people lived, attracting skilled workers from across Britain and overseas, supporting generations of local families and becoming part of the village’s social life. Understanding the history of the pottery therefore also means understanding the history of the community that grew around it.
The books on the history of Armitage Pottery tell the main story of the company’s development. This section of the website serves a different purpose. It brings together the wider research, the newly discovered evidence and the individual stories that help explain not only how the pottery developed, but also how it shaped the village of Armitage-with-Handsacre and the lives of the people who called it home.
Researching Armitage Pottery
The history of the pottery continues to evolve. New photographs, documents, newspapers and family recollections regularly add to our understanding of the company and its workforce. As new evidence emerges, existing articles are revised and new stories added to this collection.
Unlike a printed book, this section of the website is intended to grow. It provides a home for the wider research, newly discovered evidence and the individual stories that enrich our understanding of Armitage Pottery and its place in the history of the village.