The Stoke-on-Trent Archives 3rd Annual Ceramic Lecture in February 2011 entitled
The Josiah Spodes: Pottery Pioneers
Pam Woolliscroft giving the inaugural Stoke-on-Trent City Archive Annual Ceramic Lecture, 2009 |
The father, Josiah Spode I, started from nothing to create a successful pottery business. The son, Josiah Spode II, took the business to new success and accolade. From humble beginnings this father and son team achieved worldwide success in just a few decades of the late 1700s/early 1800s.
This is a fresh look at their important roles at the beginning of the Staffordshire Pottery Industry to become, arguably, the most successful 19th century pottery business in Stoke-on-Trent. I bring together their inspiring story using well-known publications together with more recent independent research as well as my own observations.