T Rathbone & Co

Tunstall

1898

1924

Earthenware manufacturer at the Newfield Pottery, Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent, England.

"Mr. Thos. Rathbone, manufacturer, of Tunstall, has been elected president of the North Staffs branch of the United Kingdom Commercial Travellers’ Association for the ensuing year." Pottery Gazette, January 1910
"Two members of the trade have gone abroad in search of health Mr. T. Rathbone, of Tunstall, has sailed for Egypt, and contemplates a trip up the Nile. Mr. Brain, jun. , of E. Brain & Co., has gone to South America, and is hoping, incidentally, to extend his firm’s business connection in that important market for the wares of North Staffordshire. We sincerely trust that both travellers will return home fully restored to health and strength." Pottery Gazette, March 1910

Rathbone, T., general earthenware manufacturer,
Newfield Pottery,
High Street, Sandyford (Tunstall)

from..... 1907 Staffordshire Sentinel
'Business Reference Guide to The Potteries, Newcastle & District'

MAY is the pattern name
The 'T' stands for Tunstall which is the town where the works were based

these two marks appear on different pieces of the
MAY pattern in the set shown above

MAY is the pattern name
The 'T' stands for Tunstall which is the town where the works were based

these two marks appear on different pieces of the
MAY pattern in the set shown above

Until 1872 the Newfield Pottery remained in the hands of tenants, including Joseph Heath and Company from 1824 until at least 1841 and Podmore, Walker, and Company between at least 1848 and 1853.

In 1872 Smith Child sold it to William Adams of Greenfield, the tenant since at least 1860. It was worked by W. H. Grindley and Company from at least 1880 until 1891 and was taken over by T. Rathbone and Company in 1892.

From 1918 it was in the hands of Alfred Meakin (Tunstall) Ltd.,

many of the pottery buildings can still be identified
the site of the former Newfield Pottery as used as industrial units

T Rathbone flo blue reproductions do appear on the market - they are c.1960-1980s
manufactured in China and generally easy to spot due to the crude backstamp mark,
the thickness of the ware, unglazed bottom and poor decoration.

this reproduction of a T Rathbone teapot is heavy and has a distinctive thick feel
the gold colour is very crudely applied

reproductions often have unglazed areas on the bottoms
- the foot rings are rough and too white and on this
example there is gold colour splashed on the bottom

the mark on the reproduction is very crude - especially the swan neck & head