Grace's Guide To British Industrial History

Registered UK Charity (No. 1154342)

Grace's Guide is the leading source of historical information on industry and manufacturing in Britain. This web publication contains 167,710 pages of information and 247,104 images on early companies, their products and the people who designed and built them.

Grace's Guide is the leading source of historical information on industry and manufacturing in Britain. This web publication contains 147,919 pages of information and 233,587 images on early companies, their products and the people who designed and built them.

Josiah Spode

From Graces Guide
Revision as of 14:47, 12 June 2009 by PIT (talk | contribs)

Josiah Spode (23 March 1733 – 1797) was an English potter born in a village that is now part of Stoke-on-Trent. He earned renown in the pottery business for perfecting the blue underglaze printing process in 1784 and developing the formula for fine bone china, also known as porcelain.

Spode was a former apprentice of potter Thomas Whieldon, but left when Whieldon took in Josiah Wedgwood as a business partner.

Spode opened a factory in Stoke-on-Trent in 1767. In 1776, he became owner of the current Spode factory, still in operation today. His business in creamware (a fine cream-coloured earthenware) and in pearlware (a fine white-glazed earthenware) was very successful.

Josiah Spode had a son, Josiah Spode II, who carried on the business.

The Spode factory remains in operation in Stoke-on-Trent.