A Short History of The Langley Mill Pottery
The pottery was established in 1865 by James Calvert, who was a chemist and
druggist in Belper, Derbyshire. Initial wares from the pottery were salt-glazed
ink pots, ginger-beer bottles, polish pots, pitchers, hot-water bottles, jugs,
mugs, etc.. By about 1880 James Calvert's son, William Henry, was in partnership with his father and the pottery
was known as J. Calvert & Son.
James Calvert
In 1883 the Lovatt brothers, Albert & John, entered into partnership with
William Calvert and the pottery traded as Calvert & Lovatt. During
this period very fine Victorian art ware was produced, as well as the usual
domestic wares.
On the departure of William Calvert in 1895, the pottery became known as Lovatt & Lovatt and continued to produce both art ware, domestic ware, and industrial stoneware until 1930, when the company went into voluntary liquidation.
James Oakes & Co. (Riddings) acquired the pottery in 1931, when
production changed to mainly gift ware and domestic ware, under the title of
Lovatts' Potteries Ltd. During World War II, practically the whole of the pottery production was
devoted to supplying His Majesty's Forces and Government Departments. After the
war, production slowly returned to both ornamental and domestic wares.
In 1959 the pottery came under the control of Joseph Bourne & Sons, Denby Pottery, and production changed to primarily oven-to-table, gift wares and domestic wares.
The name of the pottery was changed to Langley Pottery Ltd. in 1967 and the last firing at the pottery took place in December 1982.
Copyright 2001 All rights reserved. No reproduction or copying without written permission of the Langley Mill Pottery Collectors' Society.