G R Booth (& Co)






 

Location and period of operation:

George Robins Booth

Hanley

1829

1844

 

Earthenware manufacturer and colour miller at the Waterloo Works, Canal Side, Hanley, Stoke on Trent. In an 1841 trade Directory (Piggot)  he is listed as a China manufacturer. 

  • George Robins Booth was an earthenware manufacturer and miller of refined pigments for use in the pottery industry. He is also described as an 'Engineer and Furnace Builder, Dealer & Chapman'

  • He married Jane Ridgway who was the daughter of George Ridgway - of the Ridgway family of potters 

  • May 1828 - a partnership that he had with William Ward Booth (probably brothers) as 'Cobalt & Zaffre-Refiners was dissolved. 

  • 1829 earthenware manufacture started at the Waterloo Works alongside the Caldon Canal. 

  • May 1833 - James Hackney of Cobridge, Earthenware manufacturer assigned his estate in equal parts to "John Hales of Cobridge and George Robins Booth, of Hanley.... Colour-Maker..." 

  • June 1843 - British patent granted to G. R. Booth for 'a certain improved mode of applying heat from various combustibles to manufacturing and other useful purposes' 

  • In 1842 & 43 'potworks & colour works' were advertised for let. Also for auction - utensils and 'curious china' due to 'declining business' The Staffordshire Advertiser

  • c.1844 the pottery manufacturing business of G. R. Booth ceased.

  • Aug 1852 - G. R. Booth was granded a U.S. patent for 'certain improvements in the Mode of Applying Heat to the Burning of Pottery, Bricks, Tiles, Pipes and other Articles of Earthenware....'

  • At some time later G. R. Booth moved to Surrey.

  • May 1857 - notice of declaration of bankruptcy of 'George Robins Booth of 9 Portland Place, Wandsworth Road, Surrey. Engineer and Furnace Builder, Dealer & Chapman'

  • Mar 1861 - Interestingly at this date William Ward Booth was advertising the Waterloo Works to let. 

 

 

The London Gazette
28 July 1829 


notice of the dissolution of the partnership between
George Robins Booth and William Ward Booth
Cobalt and Zaffre- Refiners 

Zaffre (also spelt Zaffer) is a deep blue pigment obtained by roasting cobalt ore, and is made of either an impure form of cobalt oxide or impure cobalt arseniate. 

 

William White 
Gazetteer of Staffordshire
1834 


Colour Manufacturer
Booth George Robins, (and dry
salter) Waterloo Place and
Albion terrace 

drysalters "were dealers in a range of chemical products, 
including glue, varnish, dye and colourings

 


The Edinburgh New Philosophical
Journal Volume 35


notice of a patent granted to
George Robins Booth
applied for 15th June 1843

 

The London Gazette
22 May 1857 


notice of declaration of bankruptcy of George Robins Booth
of 9 Portland Place, Wandsworth Road, Surrey

Engineer and Furnace Builder, Dealer & Chapman

 

 


Earthenware vase by G. R. Booth & Co

photos courtesy of: Gareth Jones
 


Published by G. R. Booth & Co
Hanley, Staffordshire
May 29 1839

The 'published' date is the date of the first publication of the pattern - the ware may have been made at a date after that.

  • Marks G.R. Booth date from 1829 to 1839

  • Marks G.R. Booth & Co date from 1939 to 1844

Also recorded that "These potters produced red ware — a kind of terra-cotta, decorated with medallions, wreaths, etc., in relief, sometimes in black and at others the whole of the body and ornament were in red. - The mark was the name, address, and date, in a border — "Published by G. R. Booth and Co., Hanley, Staffordshire"

 

United States Patent Office
George Robins Booth, of Hanley, England

Improvements in kilns for pottery

Letters Patent No. 9230 dated August 31, 1852 

To all whom it may concern: 
"Be it known that I, GEORGE ROBINS BOOTH, engineer of HANLEY, in the Staffordshire potteries, England, a subject of the Queen of Great Britian, have invented certain improvementsin the Mode of Applying Heat to the Burning of Pottery, Bricks, Tiles, Pipes and other Articles of Earthenware..."

 

 


OS Map 1880
Waterloo Pottery alongside the Caldon Branch of the Trent & Mersey Canal



The Borough of Stoke-upon-Trent
by
John Ward 
1842

The Ivy House Paper Mills to the right of the map above were those of  Messrs. Fourdrinier, next are the Dresden Colour Mills of Mr. W. M. Meigh and then the Waterloo Works and colour mill of Mr G. R. Booth.

 

Questions, comments, contributions: email: Steve Birks