Simpsons started manufacturing pottery in Stoke on Trent in 1904, the firm was established at Tunstall by S.J. Simpson in 1904 as the Soho Pottery, Ltd.
The company grew in size and importance, its repute and prestige being largely created by the quality of its 'Solian' and 'Ambassador' wares, so that the proprietors were obliged to take over this factory at Cobridge in 1918. Indeed Simpsons have direct family links with the past, for there have been potters in the family since the first half of the sixteenth century. Richard Sympson was making pottery in Burslem in 1549. In the next century William Simpson was the proprietor of the Stocks Pottery, afterwards worked by Carlos Wedgwood, and in the reign of James II Ralph Simpson was a prolific follower of Toft. The Museum at South Kensington has a number of dishes by him.
Notable achievements are their 'Queen's Green' and 'Elizabethan Blue', the latter claimed to be an unique colour, between a matt and a cobalt-blue. In patterns their French style is well exemplified by the 'Chanticleer' and 'Strasbourg' types and among others may be specified the finely embossed 'Virginia' and the attractive 'Hampton Court' lithographic patterns.
As far as I can find the potters closed around 2006/2007 and although now with extensive demolition to the site, the place is still strewn with the memories of another great British piece of history and craftsmanship that has sadly disappeared.




the kiln




literally thousands of pieces of pottery

times gone past




thanks for looking