Josiah Spode

Josiah Spode was once an employee of potter Thomas Whieldon, but he left when Whieldon took in Josiah Wedgwood as a business partner.

Spode created a factory in Shelton in 1761 and also made another in Stoke in 1764. He owned and ran a very successful business in creamware which was a fine cream-coloured earthenware, and also in pearlware which was a fine white-glazed earthenware. Two contributions which earned Spode renown in the pottery business were: perfecting the transfer printing process in 1784, and developing fine bone china, also known as porcelain in 1799.