S. Fielding and Co
Earthenware manufacturer, of Devon Pottery, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. Telephone: Stoke-on-Trent 4171. Cables: "Fieldings, Stoke-on-Trent"
c.1870 Simon Fielding established the business.
Financial difficulties
1878/9 Fielding’s son Abraham joined the business, becoming the driving force behind its expansion and phenomenal later success.
1878 Simon Fielding (d.1906) put his life savings into the Railway Works in Sutherland Street, Stoke-on-Trent. He was an authority on dogs and poultry, who came to Trentham to work for the Duke of Sutherland.
He lent money to three potters to set up in business, but it ran into financial difficulties.
Within a few years, the bailiffs came in and it was Simon's son Abraham, who stepped in to save the company and expand its operations.
Abraham Fielding served an apprenticeship as a colour maker at Blythe Colour Works, Cresswell, later becoming a partner in this firm. Their productions included majolica argenta.
1905 Incorporated as a limited company.
1912 The Railway Works was renamed The Devon Pottery and Fielding developed the famous 'Crown Devon' name.
1914 Earthenware manufacturers. Specialities: "Crown Devon" and "Devon" ware goods, both useful and ornamental, decorated earthenware in dinner, tea, toilet and dessert ware. Employees 400. [1]
1929 Listed Exhibitor. Manufacturers of Earthenware in decorated useful and Ornamental Articles including Breakfast, Tea, Dinner, Dessert, Coffee and Early Morning Sets. (Stand No. F.9) [2]
1932 Abraham Fielding died; his son Arthur Ross Fielding took control of the pottery.
1947 Arthur Fielding died; control of the company passed to his son Reginald Ross Fielding.
1963 Donald Kitchener Bailey purchased a share in the Fielding business and joined Reginald Fielding as a joint managing director.
1964 Company acquired Shorter and Son Ltd when the A. J. Wilkinson companies were dispersed.
1967 Reginald Fielding retired; his interest in the business was purchased by Donald Bailey.
1971 Bailey died
1976 Bailey's widow sold the business to a Liverpool-based accounting firm, however mounting losses caused the closure of the business in 1982.
1982 The Pottery closed.
1983 The Fielding name, the Crown Devon Pottery, and other assets were purchased by Caverswall China Co. Ltd in May 1983.
1986 Sold to the industrial ceramics manufacturer Bullers plc who auctioned the historic moulds from both the Fielding and Shorter businesses in 1987. The historic Crown Devon Pottery was demolished in the same year.