Manufacturer of earthenware and majolica at the Railway Pottery, Stoke, Stoke-on-Trent, England

Background to the setting up of Fielding:

• Simon Fielding (1827-1905) was a sleeping partner in the previous company of F Hackney & Co., having provided the capital for the other partners to set up the business in the Spring of 1878. 

• This venture was not a financial success and towards the end of 1879 Simon's son Abraham found the bailiffs in possession of the works. Abraham paid off the debts joined with his father at the Railway Pottery operating as S. Fielding & Co.

• In June 1892 Simon Fielding retired from the business and Abraham continued on his own account the company name remained as S. Fielding & Co.

NOTE: See the entry on F. Hackney & Co for detailed information on the colour works at Cresswell and Railway Pottery at Stoke that Simon and Abraham Fielding were involved in. 

The expansion of the business under Abraham Fielding:

• Simon was the founder of the business and provided the initial capital and his son Abraham rescued it from the bailiffs and was the driving force behind its growth and success.  

• Abraham installed modern equipment and by 1891 the works was said to have seven of the largest kilns in the area. A trade journal of 1893 noted the rapid growth in the 15 years since the business was formed. 
  There were over 400 employees, 90 were employed in the decorating department. 

• In 1905 the business was incorporated as a limited company. 

• The name 'Crown Devon' had been used for a number of years and around 1911/12 the Railway Works was renamed The Devon Pottery and Fielding developed the famous 'Crown Devon' name.

• In April 1913 King George V and Queen Mary visited Stoke-on-Trent and visited a number of potteries including the Devon Pottery.

• The capacity of the factory continued to increase under Abraham Fielding's direction - In 1917 A gas-fired Dressler tunnel enamelling kiln was installed which was said to have a capacity equal to 34 intermittent kilns as a result the weekly capacity was increased almost threefold.

• In 1932 Abraham Fielding died and he was succeeded by his son (Alec) Ross Fielding. (Biography on Abraham Fielding)

• In 1930 Era Art pottery was formed as a decorating house, they produced cellulose decorated ware. Era Art pottery closed in 1947.  

• In 1941, as part of the Second Word War restrictions, S. Fielding were designated as a Nucleus Firm and were allowed to continue production at their own works. 

• In 1947 Ross Fielding died and he was succeeded by his son Reginald. 

• A large fire broke out in May 1951, destroying a large portion of the decorating and warehousing areas. Around 320 employees were temporarily laid off and the factory was out of commission for around five months. Rebuilding and refurbishment with modern equipment was eventually completed in early 1957.

• In 1963-4 Fieldings (Crown Devon) took over the business of Shorter & Son Ltd and manufacturing was moved to the Fielding's Whieldon Road site. Shorter operated as a division of Crown Devon Ltd until 1974. Ware was generally marked with both Crown Devon and Shorter.

• Also in 1963 Douglas K. Bailey (of Howard Pottery) bought an interest in the Fielding business and he became joint managing director with Reginald Fielding.  A new subsidiary was established - Baifield Productions Ltd. 

• In 1967 Reginald Fielding retired and this brought to an end around 90 years of the Fielding family connection with the business. On Reginald's retirement Douglas Bailey acquired the whole company and he became Chairman of S. Fielding & Co Ltd and the subsidiary companies. 

• March 1971 Douglas Bailey died and his wife took over the business. In 1976 Mrs. Bailey sold the Fielding Group to the Archibald Bathgate Group who had been formed in 1974 as a resistant material and manufacturing business. The management of Fielding remained in place. 

• In December 1982, following some high financial losses, the Fielding business was went into liquidation and was closed. 

After Fielding closed:

• In May 1983 Caverswall China purchased the assets of S. Fielding & Co following their liquidation. Caverswall moved their mould making and printing to the Fielding Devon Pottery. Caverswall China soon found themselves with financial problems and were bought out by Thomas Goode & Co, a long established London-based retailer of luxury china, glass and silverware. (Caverswall English China Ltd are active as at 2024).

• In 1986 Bullers PLC acquired the assets of Fielding - the moulds from the Fielding & Shorter businesses were auctioned off in 1987.  The Devon Pottery works were demolished in the same year.  

1827-1905

1855-1932

1880-1947

1907-

S Fielding & Co
(Late Hackney, Kirkham & Co)
Railway Pottery, Stoke-on-Trent

Manufacturers of
Majolica, Rockingham, Green Glaze, Vigonian China

Terra Cotta, Jet, Toilet Ware, Fancy Goods, &c. &c.

A Large and Superior Assortment of

S Fielding & Co
(Late F. Hackney & Co)
Railway Pottery, Stoke-on-Trent

Manufacturers of
Majolica, Porous Ware, Jet, Green Glaze, Best Rockingham
Fancy Goods, and Earthenware

Majolica &c., in a large and varied assortment of shapes and patterns, done in the old styles, or in the new imitations of Beryl, Amethyst, and Segrifito Stones, consisting of useful and ornamental goods, such as Ash Trays, Beer Sets, Bread Trays, Flower Baskets, Butters, Candlesticks, Cruets, Dessert Sets, Garden Seats and Pots, Jugs, Lamps, Match Holders, Tea Ware, Umbrella Stands, Vases, Sardines, Cheese Stands, Tobaccos, &c., &c.

Porous Ware and Jet in Filters, Bottles, Butters, Tea Ware, Jugs, Spittoons, &c., &c., either plain, printed, or gilt.

Earthenware in Toilet Sets and Jugs, printed, banded, or hand painted and gilt in white or ivory at extraordinary low prices which must command a large sale.

In addition to the above, S. F. & Co are making Door Furniture, Beer Pull Handles, and Spirit Barrels, in quite a new and original style of decoration, which cannot possibility wear off.

S. F. & Co specially call the attention of Export Merchants to their Goods, and who, before purchasing elsewhere, would do well to pay their works a visit, when samples could be seen with their continually increasing varieties of new shapes and decorations.  

Filding & Co Limited
Devon Pottery Welcomes the King & Queen

"After passing through the central parts of Hanley and the Hanley Park, where the school children were massed and greeted their Majesties with the National Anthem, the Royal party proceeded to the Devon Pottery of S. Fielding & Co., Ltd., and were there received by Mr. Abraham Fielding, who, with the assistance of Mr. Ross Fielding and Mr. J. Sayer, escorted the distinguished visitors over the works. 

The printing shop proved very interesting, and Her Majesty did not hesitate to get all the information she could from the girl transferers in relation to special details of their art. In the aerographing shop the Queen was very much interests also, especially in the ventilation arrangements, and plied Mr. Sayer with numerous questions. Some twelve or fourteen girls were at work here on different patterns. 

The King in the meantime went down to the kilns and was just as interested in the conditions of the work of the firemen, asking a number of questions, and inspecting trials which were drawn to show him the condition of the ware in process of firing. 

A very interesting collection of articles was set out on a special table for the benefit of the Royal party, this containing samples of everything used in the manufacture of the Devon ware, right from the raw clay up to the finished article. 

Their Majesties were particularly interested in the 'Devon Silverine' ware, and the King was quite amused at the 'wooden' effect produced by the black colouration of the handles, and was anxious to see just how it was done. He remarked that they had noticed the 'Silverine' ware at the King's Hall. The same ware, but gold lined inside, also came in for special notice. 

Everything possible had been done by Messrs. Fielding in order that their Majesties should see as much as possible of the evolution wrought in the materials appreciated. Ten minutes is not long to stay in such a factory as that of Yielding & Co., but in that ten minutes a very great deal was crowded"

The Pottery Gazette 1st May 1913 

this style of mark with a lion above a crown was in use 
c. 1891-1913

This matt black background with brightly coloured flowers and birds
was popular in the 1920/30s 

the registration number 708762 shows that the pattern was registered in 1924

this style of mark 1930s onwards 

left - 140 'Juanita'        right - 142 'Teresa' 

produced and marketed by Crown Devon - decorated by the Era Art Pottery

"Kathleen Parsons was also primarily responsible for a series of smaller size models, marketed under the name of Sutherland Figures. Initially made in the conventional manner, i.e. handpainted and glazed, a less expensive alternative was subsequently made available. 

The cost of these were reduced by having a single firing and then spraying with cellulose directly onto the biscuit ware, the decoration being undertaken by Fielding's subsidiary company, the Era Art Pottery. 

This cheaper technique resulted a less durable product which is demonstrated by the poor condition of many of the surviving examples" 

"Many of the models were also produced after World War II although the cellulose Sutherland figures were discontinued circa 1940" -

Crown Devon - The History of S. Fielding & Co; Susan Hill

Crown Devon
Sutherland Figure

hand painted  deco style jug 

this jug design & pattern was also sold under the 
Era Homecraft mark - Era Art Pottery were a division/subsidiary of Fielding.

Mickey figure is the same design as that produced by the
associated company Era Art Pottery

"Towards the end of the Thirties, permission was sought and granted by Walt Disney to produce small figurines of Mickey and Minnie Mouse. However only a small quantity was ever produced" 

Crown Devon - The History of S. Fielding & Co; Susan Hill

A souvenir mug which was produced in the late 1970s to commemorate 
S. Fielding's centenary

 the mug illustrates was produced in the late 19th century - it features a stand and jardinière - a similar one was illustrated in a trade journal of 1893