Thomas Booth & Co

Thomas Booth

Thomas Booth & Sons






 

Location and period of operation:

Thomas Booth (& Co)

Litchfield Street

Britannia metal goods

1845

c.1865

Thomas Booth 

Britannia Works, High Street

Britannia metal goods

1865

c.1866

Thomas Booth 

Britannia Works, High Street & Waterloo Works, Nelson Place

Britannia metal goods & earthenware

1867

1871

Thomas Booth & Sons 

New Hall Works

Britannia metal goods & earthenware

1872

1877

NOTE: dates are approximate and might be overlapping.  

 

Britannia metal goods and earthenware manufacturer at various locations in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, England. 
   NOTE: Britannia metal is a tin alloy which was used in the pottery industry for lids on jugs and and teapots. 

  • Thomas Booth, his wife Lydia and 5 children were were all born in Sheffield, Yorkshire.  

  • Around 1845 the family moved to Litchfield Street, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent and Thomas started business as "Britannia metal worker" By the time of the 1851 census he was "employing 6 males and 6 females", including his two eldest daughters who were working as "metal polishers".

  • An 1852 advert records a business as "Thomas Booth & Co" "Britannia Works, Litchfield Street, Hanley". 

  • By the time of the 1861 census he was "employing 4 boys and 4 girls". Their 3 daughters had left home, the two sons Walter (now 22) and Henry (now 17) were employed as "assistant" and "warehouse boy"

  • Around 1867 Thomas Booth was operating as an earthenware manufacturer at the Waterloo Works, Nelson Place while continuing as a Britannia Metal Goods manufacturer at a new location: the Britannia Works, High Street, Hanley which served as the main address - from 1867 to July 1871 there were at least 6 earthenware design registrations made by Thomas Booth, Britannia Works, High Street, Hanley.   

  • In the 1871 census Thomas was listed as an "earthenware manufacturer". 

  • It appears that around 1872 the business relocated to the New Hall Works and Thomas took his two sons, Walter & Henry into partnership - from May 1872 to March 1875 there were at least 5 earthenware design registrations made by Thomas Booth & Sons, Newhall Works, Hanley.  

  • In September 1874 Thomas Booth retired from the partnership with his sons. The notice records that they operated as "Earthenware Manufacturers and Metal Mounters" in Hanley and "at Brownfields, near Longton... as Colliery Proprietors". Walter and Henry continued, retaining the name Thomas Booth & Sons. 

  • In April 1877 the business was liquidated and the first notice issued for a meeting of creditors to be held on the 16th of April 1877, "instituted by Walter Booth and Henry Booth, both of 76, High Street, Hanley.. carrying on business as Manufacturers of Earthenware, at the New Hall Works, Hanley.. and as Colliery Proprietors, at the Brownfields Colliery, Longton.." 

 

NOTE: There is no known relation between this Thomas Booth and Thomas Booth of Burslem & Tunstall

 


 

New Hall Works:

It appears that around 1872 the business of Thomas Booth relocated to the New Hall Works and Thomas took his two sons, Walter & Henry into partnership

 

".... in 1872 Messrs. Harding gave up the business, when Mr. John Aynsley, china manufacturer, of Longton, purchased the back portion of the works and let it to its present occupiers, Messrs. Thomas Booth & Sons. 

The entire front of the New Hall Works was purchased by Mr. Henry- Hall, metal mounter of jugs, teapots, &c., so that the manufactory became divided into two distinct properties. 

The portion occupied by Messrs. Booth having been burnt down has been rebuilt. The productions of Messrs. Booth & Sons are the usual classes of ordinary earthenware in printed, painted, enamelled and gilt services ; stone ware of good quality, in which a large variety of jugs and teapots are made ; and jasper ware, in various ornamental articles. Among their shapes of toilet ware are the "Eldon," "Globe," "Alexandra," and "Cottage;" and among their specialities in other goods are a self-closing hot-water jug, and a molasses jug, which are considered very successful."

1878 - Jewitt, Llewellynn 'The ceramic art of Great Britain from pre-historic times down to the present day' 

 

NOTE: It was common practice for manufacturers and landlords to rent potworks to a succession of pottery manufacturers. It was also a regular practice for the larger works to be let to a number of manufacturers at the same time.

 


 

Advertisements: 

These adverts from various directories show the development of the partnerships and location of the works. 

adverts courtesy of: Henrywood, Staffordshire Potters 1781-1900  

 


Thomas Booth & Co
MOUNTERS
and Exporters of
Hot Water and Molasses Jugs
Britannia Works
Litchfield Street, Hanley 

advert from 1852 Slater Directory

 


Established 1845
Thomas Booth
Manufacturer of
Britannia Metal Goods
Mounter and Exporter of
Hot Water Jugs, Molasses Jugs, Teapots, &c.,
Britannia Works
High Street, Hanley
The Greatest Assortments in the Kingdom

advert from 1865 Keates Directory
 



same advert, two years later, with the addition of...

Earthenware Manufacturer,
Waterloo Works, Nelson Place

advert from 1867 Keates Directory

 


Established 1845
Thomas Booth & Sons
New Hall Pottery, Hanley
Manufacturers if Earthenware
generally
Jasper, Stone, Majolica
Porous Bottles
Acid-proof Mortars and Pestles
Britannia Metal Mounted Hot Water Jugs, Teapots, &c
Two Minutes Walk from Hanley Railway Station

advert from 1875 Keates Directory

adverts courtesy of: Henrywood, Staffordshire Potters 1781-1900 

 


 

Registered Designs:

Between 1867 to July 1871 there were at least 6 earthenware design registrations made by Thomas Booth, Britannia Works, High Street, Hanley.   

From 1872 the company name and location changed and between May 1872 to March 1875 there were at least 5 earthenware design registrations made by Thomas Booth & Sons, Newhall Works, Hanley.  

Details of the registrations can be found at the National Archive

Many of the ware made includes a registration diamond mark

 


212194 - Thomas Booth - 10 October 1867 - Jug

229627 - Thomas Booth - 26 May 1869 - Jug

the design for both of these jugs was registered by Thomas Booth of the Britannia Works, High Street, Hanley 

 


 

Examples of ware:  

more designs can be be found here 

 


moulded earthenware teapot with a Britannia metal lid

Registered design number: 242234
7th June 1870
Proprietor: Thomas Booth.
Address: Britannia Works, High Street, Hanley, Staffordshire.


T. B.
Hanley
Dresden

the registration diamond gives a date of 7th June 1870 for the registration of the design. 'Hanley' is the name of the town where the factory was located.
'Dresden' is the pattern name
'18' is likely to be a shape/size number

 

 

photos courtesy: Ann Tattam

 


 


moulded earthenware teapot in the Sweeprace design
with a Britannia metal lid

 


T. B.
Hanley
Sweeprace 

the registration diamond gives a date of 26th May 1869 
for the registration of the design

 

photos courtesy: Sharon Petriello

 

 


 


The London Gazette
22nd September 1874

Notice of the dissolution of the partnership between
Thomas, Walter and Henry Booth when Thomas Booth 
left the business

The London Gazette
6th April 1877

notice of liquidation of the business and the first notice issued for a meeting of creditors 

 

 


1851 census:

Litchfield Street, Hanley

Name

 Age 

  Birthplace Occupation
Thomas Booth 51 Head York Sheffield Britannia metal worker (employing 6 males and 6 females) 
Lydia Booth 47 Wife York Sheffield  
Maria Booth 24 Dau York Sheffield metal polisher
Sarah Ann Booth 18 Dau York Sheffield metal polisher
Emma Booth 15 Dau York Sheffield  
Walter Booth 12 Son York Sheffield  
Henry Booth 7 Son York Sheffield  

 

1861 census:

5 Litchfield Street, Hanley

Name

 Age 

  Birthplace Occupation
Thomas Booth 61 Head Sheffield Yorkshire Britannia metal worker (employing 4 boys and 6 girls) 
Lydia Booth 57 Wife Sheffield Yorkshire  
Walter Booth 22 Son Sheffield Yorkshire assistant 
Henara ? 23 Dau-in-Law Hanley Staffs  
Henry Booth 17 Son Sheffield Yorkshire warehouse boy
Harry ? 8 mo Grandson Hanley Staffs  
Frederick ? 
(not Booth)
? Grandson Hanley Staffs  

 

1871 census:

Staffordshire -Hanley 

Thomas Booth (71) and wife Lydia (67), along with several grandchildren. (Wanda -Ada -Emma Teophilia-and Thomas Henry Broskowski (Broczkozki). He is listed as an earthenware manufacturer. They had a daughter Sarah Ann Booth b-abt 1833 who married a Constantine Broczkoski in Birmingham on 3rd January 1856. 

 


Questions, comments, contributions? email: Steve Birks