Bringing Whittington’s History to Life

Whittington-History

 PART 5

Pearson & Co. Ltd.

Craft, Clay and Kilns at Whittington Moor

Introduction

For more than a century, Pearson & Co. Ltd. stood among the best-known industrial businesses of Whittington Moor.

The pottery combined traditional craftsmanship with modern industrial methods, producing domestic wares and decorative ceramics that found markets throughout Britain and overseas.

A Derbyshire Industries article described the works as one of the most progressive potteries in the country and highlighted the remarkable blend of hand skills, engineering and artistic talent that underpinned its success.

A Pottery with a Long History

By the early twentieth century the pottery had been operating for approximately:

130 Years

Remarkably, it had remained in the Pearson family throughout that period.

The managing director was:

Theodore Pearson

son of the late Alderman Johnson Pearson.

Generations of local families had worked at the pottery, creating a strong connection between the business and the surrounding community.

The Raw Material

The foundation of every pottery is clay.

Originally clay had been dug close to the works itself.

By the time of the article, supplies were being obtained from:

The clay arrived in hard lumps and underwent extensive preparation before it could be used.

Preparing the Clay

The clay was:

  1. Crushed.
  2. Mixed with water.
  3. Refined through machinery.
  4. Reduced to a smooth workable consistency.

Only after this preparation could the potters begin shaping the material into finished products.

The Potter’s Skill

Despite increasing mechanisation, the  traditional skills of the potter remained essential.

Visitors could watch experienced craftsmen shaping clay on the potter’s wheel.

These workers judged:

largely by eye. Such skills often took years to master.

Apprentices and Training

Pearson’s invested heavily in training.

Young workers learned their trade through apprenticeship and practical experience.

Some also attended:

Chesterfield School of Art and Crafts

where they studied design and modelling alongside their factory work.

This combination of artistic and technical training helped maintain high standards.

Revolutionary Tunnel Kilns

Among the most impressive features of the pottery were the tunnel kilns.

Pearson’s was among the first firms in Britain to adopt this revolutionary technology.

Each kiln measured approximately:

and was heated by gas produced on site.

Temperatures of 1,250°C

As pottery moved through the tunnel, it passed through different heat zones.

Temperatures exceeded:

1,250 Degrees Celsius

allowing clay and glaze to fuse into a durable finished product.

The article compared the glowing colours within the kiln to a spectacular sunset.

The Art of Glazing

Glazing was one of the most skilled operations in the factory.

Pearson’s manufactured its own glazing compounds and carefully controlled every stage of the process.

A major challenge was avoiding:

Crazing

the network of tiny cracks that can sometimes develop in ceramic glazes.

Success required extensive experience and careful temperature control.

Testing Quality

Every item underwent inspection before leaving the works.

Workers lightly tapped finished pieces.

A clear ringing note indicated quality.

A dull sound revealed hidden faults.

The factory reportedly echoed throughout the day with these ringing tones as products were tested.

Decorative and Artistic Pottery

Pearson’s produced far more than simple household wares.

Their products included:

The company actively embraced changing fashions and established a specialist department for artistic pottery.

Worldwide Markets

Products manufactured at Whittington Moor were exported around the world.

The range included:

The pottery helped establish Derbyshire’s reputation for quality ceramic manufacture.

Legacy

Pearson’s pottery represents one of the most significant industrial enterprises in the history of Whittington Moor.

Combining traditional craftsmanship with technological innovation, the company demonstrated how local skills could compete successfully in national and international markets.

SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FAMILY

PEARSON’S POTTERY

The pottery at Whittington Moor was bought by William Johnson upon the dissolution of the previous partnership in 1807; a second pottery, in Newbold, was acquired in 1810. William bequeathed the firm to his wife, Catherine Johnson (nee Pearson).

By 1851, Catherine’s brother, James Jarvis Pearson, was the owner of a firm now employing 45 males and 20 females.

When James died in 1864, he left his estate, including two potteries and land in Brampton and Newbold, in trust for his children. When James’ youngest son, Arthur, reached the age of 21 years, the estate would go to the children, with James’s brother Theophulis retaining a share.

Therefore, the Trustees, James’s brother Theophulis and friend John Reed, kept the businesses running for the intervening period. Under their stewardship, Theophulis expanded the business in 1875 when buying land and property on Pottery Lane from the Duke of Devonshire.

The Trust was realised in 1881, with Theophulis retaining control of the Whittington site; and the Brampton site being run by James junior. However, it would be the latter who would expand the business over the coming decade, with acquisition of the Oldfield Pottery and the London Pottery, both in Brampton, in 1884 and 1888 respectively.

In the early 1890s, the second son, Johnson Pearson, took over the pottery. In 1922, with Johnson’s passing, the youngest brother, Theophilus took over the business, turning it into a limited company, Pearson & Co. (Chesterfield) Ltd.

Other subsidiary companies formed or taken over by Pearson & Co include Chesterfield Fireclays Co Ltd; Derbyshire Refractories Ltd; Abbeydale New Bone China Co Ltd of Duffield; and Ault Potteries Ltd of Church Gresley.

In 1939, the Oldfield Pottery, still trading as James Pearson Ltd., merged with Pearson & Co, and consolidated at the Whittington Moor Potteries.

During the Second World War one portion of the factory was commandeered to produce shells. However, the company’s most popular product at this time was Royal Navy’s rum bottles, with the one-gallon size being most in demand.

 

Theophilus Pearson had no descendants to leave the pottery to, so upon his death in 1959, the company went to his in-laws, the Short family.

 

In August 1964, Trevor Roberts, originally from Chesterfield but residing in London, bought the firm for over £500,000. The new owner would obtain orders for more specialised lines as well as the traditional stone-ware pots. The new ranges included pub grub pottery and specially designed soup bowls for a national restaurant chain: They also won an order from the milk marketing board for 102,000 cheese containers for Stilton, made at Hartington. Other major orders were from national chain stores & Harrods of London for which they supplied a range of cooking utensils.

However, the early 1980s brought financial problems and by September 1983 the company went into receivership. Over the next nine months, the workforce fell from 240 to 57 staff.

By 1991, Pearson & Co Ltd was bought by the Staffordshire Moira Pottery. However, within three years the new firm went into voluntary liquidation, with their assets bought by Swindon-based potters Cloverleaf. The machinery was moved to Cloverleaf Group’s potteries, T. G. Green at Church Gresley. Production finally ceased in 1994.