Tuscan China

The Plant family’s involvement as potters working at Lane End (Longton) Staffordshire goes back to Benjamin Plant who was born in 1754 and who was a master potter in the late 1700s. His descendants continued the tradition until the formation of a firm in Longton by Richard Hammersley Plant trading as RH Plant Ltd. He was soon joined by his brother Samuel Lucas Plant and the firm traded as RH and SL Plant Ltd. Originally, the newly established firm was at the Carlisle Works which are now derelict, but a move was then made to the present site at the Tuscan Works. The business was formed into a limited company in 1915, still running under the aegis of the Plant family, with SL Plant and his son FS Plant directing the Sales Department, while two brothers HJ and AE Plant were in charge of production. Successive younger generations have ensured the firm’s success.  The Plant family are believed to have descended from the Plantagenets and they have a family website to trace their origins.

Much of the firm’s prestige depended upon the excellence of its art department. Joshua Mellor was an outstanding designer and ultimately became a partner in the New Chelsea Porcelain Co. which was at one time owned by the Tuscan directors. He was followed as Art Director by JB Clarke who was with the firm for over thirty years, as well as William Slater, brother of John Slater of Doulton’s, who was with them in the late nineteenth century. Intensive research led to two original contributions. The first was development of a very fine but strong china suitable for hotel ware named 'Metallised Hotel China' introduced by JB Clarke. The second was the discovery of a beautiful china with a slightly pink shade given the name of Peach Bloom. The firm was taken over by the Wedgwood group in 1972.

We are extremely grateful to Keith and Mavis Plant for information about the Plant family.

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