The story behind Burleigh, the British luxury pottery manufacturer

Since 1851 Burleigh has been designing and craft manufacturing British ceramic in the heart of Stoke-on-Trent. Producing the most authentic, individual and timeless tableware, teaware and gifting items, Burleigh always has been handmade for a reason. With its rich and intricate history,  the company has been proudly making earthenware that celebrates English pottery design loved across the country and abroad.

Here we present a great insight into the brand story with Jemma Baskeyfield, Brand Manager & Company Historian at Burleigh.

Can you tell us the backstory of Burleigh? When and why was it started?

Burleigh — or to give our company its full title, Burgess & Leigh Ltd — was started in 1851. We are a luxury pottery manufacturer and retailer based in England. We began as a fairly small concern, making earthenware pottery mostly for export to the USA. Our production was based in a factory in the centre of Burslem, one of the towns that now makes up the city of Stoke-on-Trent.

Over the next couple of decades, the business grew, and success allowed expansion. Eventually, in 1889, we moved into a purpose-built factory: Middleport Pottery, on the banks of the Trent and Mersey Canal — just a short walk from our original location. This is the same factory we operate from today, where we still make every single piece of pottery.

So many pottery manufacturers from this era went bust — the mid to late 1800s was a crazy time, with hundreds of companies opening and closing on an annual basis. I think our careful policy of never putting all our eggs in one basket has stood the test of time. We understood early on the importance of having a wide and diverse sales portfolio.

We don’t just sell to one country — we sell to a huge variety of countries, from Japan to Greece, Brazil to the USA. We don’t just sell to shops and retailers — we sell directly to the public, through our website and retail shop. We also supply hotels, restaurants, and private members’ clubs. We keep things as diverse as possible, and that helps the company survive — come what may.

These days, we’re lucky enough to have gained a cult following in some of these countries. Our pottery can be found in some of the best hotels and restaurants in the world. We have incredibly loyal customers who help this journey of ours keep moving forward.

What is unique about your brand?

We chose to prioritise quality over quantity a long time ago. People may think the way we make pottery is old-fashioned, but our policy is to change something only if it truly improves the finished product. It just so happens that the way we made pottery in the 1800s was already pretty close to the best way.

We use a technique called underglaze tissue transfer printing. This is now unique to Burleigh, as everyone else has moved to modern methods of decoration. We stand by this technique for its durability and intensity of colour. It’s techniques and skills like this that set us apart and make what we do — and how we do it — completely unique.

How important is sustainability to your brand and the pottery you make?

Sustainability is, perhaps surprisingly, at the centre of any manufacturer that bases its methods on those honed over 100 years ago. Our shapes and patterns are often more than a century old. We’ve always been in the business of making future heirlooms.

We see customers who have Burleigh collections inherited from their grandmothers still going strong. We hope the pottery we make today will still be around 170 years from now. That’s what we call a sustainable product.

Take us through the process of making Burleigh pottery.

It’s a long process — taking around one month to make any single piece. We produce around 5,000 pieces per week. Items progress through the factory, passing from one skilled person to another, each playing a part in the whole process.

To begin, you need two things: clay and a mould. We have a Slip House where ingredients are mixed to create the perfect blend of English clays. We also have a Mould Makers’ Room where, each day, new plaster moulds are created from master copies. These go on to form the shapes we use.

The factory is organised into different areas or ‘shops’ — rooms that fashion cups, plates, teapots, jugs, and so on. Each piece of Burleigh requires three firings in a kiln.

The first firing fixes the shape and gives a brilliant white finish.

Then decoration is applied — the hardest part of the whole process. Our decorators, or ‘transferrers’, take years to master the craft.

Then it’s off for a second firing to fix the pattern.

After that, a liquid glaze is applied.

Finally, it undergoes a third firing, producing a glossy, glass-like surface with a rich pattern trapped beneath.

That’s certainly the quick explanation — as you can imagine, a month-long process is no simple feat!

What are some of the plans for the near future? 

We’re always looking ahead — although we’re never keen to follow trends blindly. Our approach is a bit more considered.

Our big Spring/Summer release this year is Blossom Calico — a fresh take on an existing pattern. It’s proving really popular for outdoor dining and afternoon teas, and it’s not going anywhere any time soon. We know our customers love to build up a collection over time, so we don’t tend to bring out a whole new pattern for just one season.

For example, one of our most popular patterns — Blue & White Asiatic Pheasants — has been made since 1851. Plenty of time to build quite a large collection!

To view all collections and for further information please visit burleigh.co.uk.

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