• In 1820 a Thomas Hughes established the Waterloo Road Works. These works were carried on by him and then his successors Stephen Hughes & Co until about 1856.

• From c.1855 to 1881 Thomas Hughes (grand son of the original potter) continued in the works. He enlarged, improved and modernised the works.

• In 1881 Hughes moved to the Top Bridge Works in Longport and in 1888 he purchased the Longport Pottery (which he renamed to the Unicorn Works) works he purchased from Davenports. 

• The Longport Works was a large pottery with many buildings. Hughes demolished some of the the buildings, letting others to other potters and by 1893 had started to move his manufactory here from the Top Bridge Works.

• In 1895 the business was renamed to Thomas Hughes (& Son)

NOTE: Godden - Guide to Ironstone, Stone & Granite wares - identifies this Thomas Hughes with the Thomas Hughes of the partnership Hughes, Bennett (& Bates). 

NOTE: Thomas Hughes acquired a number of patterns registered by Hall & Read after the latter became bankrupt in early 1887.

"Waterloo Road Works, established in 1820 (on the site of a very old pottery  on Bournes Bank.. by Mr. Thomas Hughes (grandfather, of the present owner), and carried on by him and his successors, Stephen Hughes & Co., till about 1856, since which time they have been continued solely by the present Mr. Thomas Hughes, by whom the whole place has been enlarged, improved, and modernised. The manufactory is now considered to be one of the best arranged in the town."

Around 1881 Thomas Hughes purchased the Top Bridge Works from Davenports and he moved his business here from the Waterloo Works, Burslem.

In 1888 Thomas Hughes purchased the Longport Pottery - also from Davenports. This was a large pottery with many buildings. 

Hughes renamed the works to the Unicorn Works demolished some of the the buildings, and let some of the buildings to other potters. 

By 1893 Hughes had started to move his business from the adjoining Top Bridge Works 

- more on ironstone -

mark incorporating the 
Royal Arms

This pattern was first produced by T & R Boote who likely sold the pattern engravings to Hughes around 1888 when Boote stopped manufacture of decorated ware.   

Manufacture of the Shapoo pattern was continued by T. Hughes & Son

 
chamber pot in the Aries pattern

this brown transferware pattern is in the aesthetic style 

This chamber pot which was exported to Australia is certainly in the date range 1881 to 1894 and possibly 1891 to 1894

It was 1881 that Thomas Hughes moved his business to a manufactory in the town of Longport and it was in 1895 that he took his son into business and the name was changed to Thomas Hughes & Son.

It was in 1891 that it became compulsory for imports of pottery into the USA to have the country of origin and so the potters added ENGLAND to all their export marks, even if it wasn’t designated for the USA. However sometimes ENGLAND was included in the mark prior to 1891

serving platter in the Bayard pattern

The registration number 37912 shows that the pattern was originally registered on the 13th November 1885 to Hall & Read at the Royal Victoria Pottery, Hanley. 

logo printed on back of platter

Bayard was a standard pattern - this logo will belong to the company the ware was supplied to - perhaps a railway or steam ship business

Note that the initial at the west point of the compass is 'O' - for 'Ouest' - the French word for west 

Rd No 37912 
Bayard
Thomas Hughes
Longport

Cannes
H & R

The registration diamond shows that the pattern 'CANNES' was first registered on the 22 Feb 1883  to Hall and Read of the Dresden Works, George Street, Hanley Staffordshire.

Cannes
Thomas Hughes
LONGPORT 

Thomas Hughes acquired a number of patterns registered by Hall & Read after the latter became bankrupt in early 1887.

Simpler design mark and likely earlier in the period

SITKA is the pattern name 

mark incorporating the Royal Arms