Josiah I was born on 23^rd March 1733 to poor parents in a village, in what is now Stoke-on-Trent, in Staffordshire, England. When he was six, his father died and was buried in a pauper's grave. Despite his father's poverty at death, it is possible he had fallen on hard times only a short time beforehand so that young Josiah might not have had such a deprived childhood as has been believed.(1)

Records show that Josiah I, from the age of 16 in 1749, worked for one of the best potters in the area, Thomas Whieldon. He remained with Whieldon until he was 21. After his departure, Spode seems to have worked for and in partnership with other potters in the area. Independent research has shown that there has been another pottery on the present Spode site since 1751, Spode established a business in Stoke-on-Trent in 1767 and his outright ownership of the present works dates from 1776. Spode is the oldest pottery company still operating on the same site.

In 1778, Josiah I sent his son Josiah II to London to open a showroom and shop. An establishment in London meant that the Spode manufactory would know exactly the type of product required by their well-to-do customers, leading the company to great success.

The name Spode has remained at the forefront of English pottery manufacture ever since.

The Spode Family and early Company History
Summary of Spode Copeland History
Royal Warrant Information

1) Bibliography:
Spode - The Shire Book by Robert Copeland 1998
Spode and Copeland Marks and Other Relevant Intelligence by Robert Copeland 1997
For full details of these and other relevant books click on Bibliography .
With thanks to Peter Roden and Robert Copeland for their research.