Historical information

Burleigh Pottery, also known as Burgess & Leigh, is the name of a pottery manufacturer in Middleport, Stoke-on-Trent. The business specialises in traditionally shaped and patterned domestic earthenware of high quality.

The business was established in 1851 at the Central Pottery in Burslem as Hulme and Booth. The pottery was taken over in 1862 by William Leigh and Frederick Rathbone Burgess, and traded from that date as Burgess & Leigh. The trademark "Burleigh", used from the 1930s, is a combination of the two names.

Burgess and Leigh moved to different works, first in 1868 to the Hill Pottery in Burslem and then in 1889 to the present factory at Middleport, which at the time was regarded as a model pottery. Its scale and linear organisation was in contrast to other potteries' constricted sites and haphazard layout of their working spaces.

In 1887, Davenport Pottery was acquired by Burleigh primarily for its moulds. These historic moulds are still used today in the production of Burleigh ware. Leigh and Burgess died in 1889 and 1895, respectively, and were succeeded by their sons, Edmund Leigh and Richard Burgess. On Richard's death in 1912, the business passed entirely into the ownership of the Leigh family. In 1919, it became a private limited company, Burgess & Leigh Ltd.

The years between the wars are often regarded as the company's "golden age", with many extremely talented designers and artists such as Harold Bennett, Charles Wilkes and Ernest Bailey. Perhaps the best known was Charlotte Rhead, who worked between 1926 and 1931, noted particularly for her work in tubelining. By 1939, the factory was employing over 500 people.

The business took great pains, from as early as 1897, to build up a thriving export network, concentrating primarily on the Empire, later becoming the Commonwealth and American markets, and focusing later on Europe.

After a run of financial difficulty, the company was sold in 1999 to the Dorling family, Rosemary and William Dorling, and traded as Burgess Dorling & Leigh. In 2010, it was acquired by Denby Holdings Ltd, the parent company of Denby Pottery.

Significance

Burleigh was a significant company producing pottery over many generations and exporting their products all over the world. Its designs are still in use today, demonstrating the longevity and significance of the Burleigh Ware trade mark.

Physical description

Gravy boat with curved handle, and a matching saucer. The set has an overall rectangular design, with blue and white willow pattern on both pieces. The edges of the boat and saucer have gold line trim. The undersides of both pieces have a blue maker's mark stamp. The Willow pattern Burleigh Ware pieces were made in England.

Inscriptions & markings

Burleigh Ware: "WILLOW" within a floral decoration, and "Made in England"