Manufacturer Notes: James Stiff & SonsLondon Directories1841 Higgins Hen. Thos. Ferry st. Lambeth (POTTERS-WHOLESALE) 1841 Waters John Rich. High st. Lambeth (POTTERS-WHOLESALE) 1843 Stiff James, brown stone potter & filter manufacturer, Ferry street, Lambeth 1844 Stiff James, brown & stone potter & filter manufacturer, Ferry street, Lambeth 1844 Stiff James, Ferry street, Lambeth (POTTERS-WHOLESALE) 1845 Stiff James, brown stone potter, chemical apparatus & water filter maker, 39 High st. Lambeth 1850 Stiff James, brown stone potter, chemical apparatus & water filter & drain pipe manufacturer, 39 High street, Lambeth 1860 Stiff James, brown stone potter, chemical apparatus, water filter, drain pipe & terra cotta manfr. 39 High st. Lambeth S 1861 Stiff James, brown stone potter, chemical apparatus, water filter, drain pipe & terra cotta manfr. 39 High st. Lambeth S 1862 Stiff James, brown stone potter, chemical apparatus, water filter, drain pipe & terra cotta manfr. 39 High st. Lambeth S 1863 Stiff Jas. & Sons, brown stone potters, chemical apparatus, water filter, drain pipe & terra cotta manufrs. 39 High st. Lambeth S 1865 Stiff James & Sons, white & brown stone potters, chemical apparatus, water filter, drain pipe & terra cotta manufactures, 39 High street, Lambeth S 1870 Stiff James & Sons, white & brown stone potters, chemical apparatus, water filter, drain pipe & terra cotta manufactures, High street, Lambeth S E 1875 Stiff James & Sons, white & brown stone potters, manufacturers of chemical apparatus, water filters, drain pipes, kitchen sinks, chimney tops, architectural terra cotta, vases, porous ware &c. , High street, Lambeth S E 1880 Stiff James & Sons, white & brown stone potters, manufacturers of chemical apparatus, water filters, drain pipes, kitchen sinks, chimney tops, architectural terra cotta, vases, decorated stoneware, porous ware, plumbago & clay crucibles &c. gold medal, South Africa, 1877; prize medal, Philadelphia, 1876. "for sound & hard body, good glaze & excellent workmanship," two prize medals, Paris, 1878, High street, Lambeth S E See advert 1885 Stiff James & Sons, white & brown stone potters, manufacturers of chemical apparatus, water filters, drain pipes, sink and sewer air traps (which gained special awards for merit), kitchen sinks, chimney tops, architectural terra cotta, buff & red colour, highly recommended for hardness, sharpness, straightness & colour, vases, decorated stoneware, porous ware, telegraph insulators & battery jars. (pictures of insulators) Prize Medal, Paris Electrical Exhibition, 1881. Plumbago & clay crucibles &c. gold medal, South Africa, 1877; prize medal, Philadelphia, 1876. 'for sound & hard body, good glaze & excellent workmanship," two prize medals, Paris, 1878, three awards of merit, South Kensington Int. Sanitary Exn. 1881, four prize medals, Calcutta Exhibition, 1884, London Pottery, Lambeth S E 1890 Stiff James & Sons, London Pottery, Lambeth S E; white & brown stone potters, manufacturers of chemical apparatus, water filters, drain pipes, sink and sewer air traps (which gained special awards for merit), kitchen sinks, chimney tops, specialty, architectural terra cotta, buff & red colour, statuary vases, decorated stoneware, porous ware, telegraph insulators & battery jars, plumbago & clay crucibles, 30 to 50 meltings from each crucible. Awards, Paris & Vienna Electrical Exhibitions, 1881 & 1883. Gold medal, South Africa, 1877; medal, Philadelphia, 1876, two prize medals, Paris, 1878, three awards of merit, South Kensington Int. Sanitary Exn. 1881, two gold medals, Calcutta Exn. 1884, for terra cotta & sanitary ware; telegraphic address, "Stiff, London" ; telephone No. 4627 1895 Stiff J. & Sons, London Pottery, Lambeth S E; white & brown stone potters, manufacturers of chemical apparatus, water filters, drain pipes, sink and sewer air traps (which gained special awards for merit), kitchen sinks, chimney tops, specialties, architectural terra cotta, statuary vases, porous cells, vitrified insulators of every type & battery jars, plumbago & clay crucibles, 30 to 50 meltings from each crucible. Awards, Paris & Vienna Electrical Exhibitions, London, Paris, Cape Town, Philadelphia, Calcutta &c-T A "Stiff"; T N 4627 1900 Stiff J. & Sons, London Pottery, Lambeth S E; white & brown stone potters, manufacturers of chemical apparatus, water filters, jars & bottles, drain pipes, sink and sewer air traps (which gained special awards for merit), kitchen sinks, chimney tops, specialties, architectural terra cotta, statuary vases, porous cells, vitrified insulators of every type & battery jars. Awards, Paris & Vienna Electrical Exhibitions, London, Paris, Cape Town, Philadelphia, Calcutta &c-T A "Stiff"; T N 4627 1905 Stiff J. & Sons, London Pottery, Lambeth S E; white & brown stoneware potters, manufacturers of drain pipes, jars & bottles, architectural terra cotta, chemical apparatus, battery jars & porous cells, chimney pots, water filters, kitchen & laboratory sinks, sinks & sewer air traps, garden vases, garden edgings, air bricks & all kinds of sanitary, electrical, chemical & general stoneware. statuary vases, porous cells, vitrified insulators of every type & battery jars. Awards, London, Paris, Vienna, Calcutta, Cape Town, Philadelphia-T A "Stiff London"; T N 627 Hop 1910 Stiff J. & Sons, London Pottery, Lambeth S E; manufacturers of all kinds of sanitary stoneware (drain pipes &c.), electrical stoneware (insulators &c.), chemical & general stoneware, architectural terra cotta (chimney pots &c.). Awards, London, Paris, Vienna, Calcutta, Cape Town, Philadelphia-T A "Stiff London"; T N 627 Hop; code, A, B, C 5th edition 1913 Stiff J. & Sons, manufacturing & wholesale potters, London pottery, Lambeth S E 1914 No entry 1915 No entry _______________________________________________________________________________________ JAMES STIFF, MANUFACTURER of GLAZED STONE WARE DRAIN PIPES, BEMDS, JUNCTIONS, TRAPS, &c., 39 HIGH STREET, LAMBETH, LONDON. Established 1751. Water Closet Pans, with Syphon Traps, 7s. 6d. each. STRAIGHT TUBES, with Socket Joints, in 2 feet lengths. ......... The Builder (London, England) February 26, 1848 _______________________________________________________________________________________ I have been unable to ascertain with certainty at what date stoneware was first made in Lambeth, it is certain, however, that three generations ago the little trade there was then was principally in what is called Delftware, indeed the last indication in the shape of a Delft signboard if I may so call it, has quite recently been removed from Mr. Stiff's pottery in High-street, in building new premise. Journal of the Society of Arts (London, England) April 13, 1860 (www.jstor.org) _______________________________________________________________________________________ THE SMOKE NUISANCE--Mr. James Stiff, a potter in High-street, Lambeth, was convicted in a penalty of 40s. and costs for neglecting to keep the fire-place in one of his kilns in such order as to consume its own smoke. Naval Chronicle (London, England) November 27, 1860 _______________________________________________________________________________________ From James Stiff and Sons, Lambeth-- 2 Crates Butter Jars. Bruce Herald (Tokomairiro, New Zealand) January 12, 1870 _______________________________________________________________________________________ TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY NEWS SIR,-Your columns of yesterday contained an account of a meeting of the Relief Committee of the Lambeth Inundation Fund, at which Mr. Barker is reported to have said, respecting the locked gates of the public draw dock under the Albert Embankment, "the key had been given by the police to Messrs. Stiff, but by reason of repeated charges of force this fact had been forgotten." As much mischief caused by the inundation has been publically attributed to the fact of these gates having been negligently left open, we shall feel obligated if you will allow us to state that we have neither received a key of the gates, nor used this dock since they were erected. We are, Sir, yours faithfully, JAMES STIFF and SONS. London Pottery, Lambeth, Jan, 10. London Daily News (London, England) January 11, 1877 _______________________________________________________________________________________ The following firms in London have received gold medals at the South African International Exhibition:--...James Stiff and Sons, .... London Echo (London, England) July 21, 1877 _______________________________________________________________________________________ The Exhibition of Sanitary Appliances, in connection with the Sanitary Institute of Great Britain, has opened in Strafford during the greater part of last month. ..... Messrs. James Stiff and Sons, of Lambeth, also, in addition to their show of sanitary appliances, exhibited some beautiful specimens of architectural pottery. The Pottery And Glass Trades' Journal (London, England) November, 1878 _______________________________________________________________________________________ The "London Pottery" was originally established for delftware about 1751. For many years it was conducted by Mr. Walters, and is at present carried on by Messrs. James Stiff & Sons, for the manufacture of stoneware drain-pipes. The Pottery Gazette (London, England) January 1, 1880 _______________________________________________________________________________________ A BAZAAR FOR BERMONDSEY. ...... and art pottery of Messrs. James Stiff and Sons. The Nonconformist And Independent (London, England) January 4, 1883 _______________________________________________________________________________________ James Stiff and Sons have a splendid statue of Garibaldi on view. London Evening News (London, England) April 2, 1883 _______________________________________________________________________________________ In artistic work, Messrs. James Stiff also show the varied capabilities of terra cotta as an architectural and decorative material, and their statues and statuettes, panels and figures of animals, cornices and angles, panelings, finials and terminals, vases, &c., will well repay careful inspection. Messrs. Stiff by no means confine their intention to the beautiful, but are equally famous for the production of hard enameled sanitary ware. Iron (London, England) April 6, 1883 _______________________________________________________________________________________ Messrs. James Stiff & Sons, London Pottery, Lambeth, bring before us an old acquaintance in the large lion, upwards of six feet long, so finely executed in terra-cotta. This is accompanied by a novelty in the very remarkable figure of an Indian planter, intended for public building in one of our dependencies. The figure six feet high, is all in one piece, and with the lion already mentioned, is a wonderful specimen of their skill in firing such objects. The Pottery Gazette (London, England) May 1, 1883 _______________________________________________________________________________________ Messrs. James Stiff & Sons, stoneware and terra-cotta manufacturers, Lambeth, are introducing their patent "Egress" bottle for beer, &c. The "Egress" bottle, of which we give a sketch, provides a simple and effectual remedy for the slow and unsteady stream so generally produced in emptying an ordinary narrow-mouthed bottle. The elipitical air passage through the nose into the interior of the bottle, as shown in the illustration is so constructed as to be perfectly closed by the elastic washer when the stopper is screwed in. When the stopper is removed the air passes through the passage, leaving the entire area of the mouth of the bottle available for the passage of the liquid. The only precaution to be observed in emptying the bottle is to keep the handle uppermost, a proceeding ao natural and so obvious as to be observed without any special instructions to that effect. The arrangement is as advantageous in filling as in emptying the bottle. The clashing of the separate streams of air and liquid is impossible, as the invention provides each its separate channel of ingress and egress. The Pottery Gazette (London, England) April 1, 1891 _______________________________________________________________________________________ WANDSWORTH.-WHARF and OFFICES to be LET: area about 13,000ft., with 100ft, water frontage.--Mr. James Stiff, London Pottery, Lambeth, S. E. London Times (London, England) December 28, 1892 _______________________________________________________________________________________ We are asked to state that the dissolution of partnership between J. Stiff, W, Stiff, and E. Stiff, trading under the name James Stiff & Sons, London Pottery, Lambeth, S. E., reported in the newspapers, is simply the formal notice of the retirement of Mr. James Stiff, which occurred in the year 1876, in accordance with the provisions of the partnership deed. The business has been, and will be, carried on, under the same style, by the two remaining partners, who had the entire management for the last twenty years. The Pottery Gazette (London, England) January 2, 1893 _______________________________________________________________________________________ Potters Summoned for Smoking.--Messrs. James Stiff & Sons, of the Potteries, High-street, were summoned by the Lambeth Vestry recently at Lambeth Police-court, under the provisions of the Public Health Act, for allowing certain chimneys on their premises to send forth black smoke in such quantities as to be a nuisance. Mr. Smith, clerk to the Lambeth Vestry, appears in support of the summons. Mr. Wiggs, one of the inspectors in the service of the vestry, stated that he had on several occasions seen black smoke coming from the chimneys of the defendants' potteries. On December 8 he served a notice upon the defendants to abate the nuisance, but on December 9, 13, and 30, he again saw black smoke coming from their premises.--In answer to the summons Mr. Stiff reminded his worship that his firm had not been summoned at this court for several years, and that, notwithstanding that their annual consumption of coal was between 5,000 and 6,000 tons, all their furnaces were fitted with smoke-consuming apparatus; and were under the charge of skilled stokers. They had framed a code of regulations for the guidance of the men, and were continually warning their workmen, and sometimes dismissing them for not carrying them out.--Mr. Smith said he was told that the defendants had not adopted all of the known methods of preventing black smoke.--Mr. Biron made an order for the abatement of the nuisance, and directed the defendants to pay the costs, 10s. The Pottery Gazette (London, England) February 1, 1893 _______________________________________________________________________________________ JAMES STIFF, Deceased.-Pursuant to the Statute 22d and 23d Vict., cap. 35, Notice is hereby Given, that all CREDITORS having any claims upon or against the Estate of JAMES STIFF, late Suffolk House, 197 Clapham-road, and 39, High-street, Lambeth, both in the county of London, earthenware manufacturer, deceased (who died on the 18th day of May, 1897), are requested to send particulars thereof to me, the undersigned, on behalf of the executors, on or before the 4th day of October, 1897, after which date the executors will proceed to distribute the assets, having regard only to the claims of which they shall then have had notice.-Dated this 2d day of September, 1897. RYE and EYRE, 16, Golden-square, London, W. Solicitors for the Executrix London Standard (London, England) September 3, 1897 _______________________________________________________________________________________ The names of Griffith and Morgan appear as Lambeth potters in the eighteenth century; and the present "Stiff's" pottery was founded in 1751. Ward, James: Historic Ornament Treatise on Decorative Art And Architectural Ornament (London, Chapman & Hall, Limited, 1897) _______________________________________________________________________________________ MR. WILLIAM STIFF, senior partner in James Stiff & Sons, of London Pottery, Lambeth, died July 19th, Mr. Ebenezer Stiff, the surviving member of the original firm, with the assistance of the three junior members of the firm, Messrs. Sidney J., James A., and W. Frederick Stiff, will carry on the business under the same name. The Brick (Chicago, Illinois) August 1, 1899 _______________________________________________________________________________________ WAR OFFICE CONTRACTS. .... James Stiff and Son, Lambeth-pottery makers. .... Lloyds Weekly Newspaper (London, England) May 13, 1900 _______________________________________________________________________________________ Lambeth : Stiff and Sons In 1840 the London Pottery in High Street, Lambeth, came into the hands of James Stiff, and the firm became, in due time, James Stiff and Sons, which is its present title. The growth of the works has been great and gradual, necessitating new buildings in i860. In 1878 they manufactured four principal kinds of pottery : brown salt-glazed stoneware, white stoneware, buff terra-cotta, and porous ware. The white stoneware has to a large extent superseded the old brown, being superior in its appearance. In addition to the four classes into which the productions at the present time may be divided, I must mention the Lambeth jugs in stoneware, because they are excellent in shape, design, and make, though the same qualities characterize the whole of the productions which come from these works, to be distributed at home and to almost all parts of the world. The useful qualities of the hard stoneware, covered with an excellent salt-glaze so necessary for sanitation, of the porous cells, and plates for the electrician, who also needs stoneware for his battery jars, and of the terra-cotta which is thoroughly vitrified for the architect, are not surpassed by any other house. Sanitary and electrical pottery have an immense sale; the following list, from an advertisement in 1900, indicates the chief classes of goods which the firm now makes : stoneware bottles, jars, jugs, pans, barrels, ginger-beer bottles, cream-jugs, etc., chemical apparatus in vitrified stoneware, battery jars, insulators, porous cells and plates, etc., drain-pipes, sewer-air traps, and sanitary stoneware generally ; architectural terra-cotta, chimney-pots, garden-vases, etc., water-filters, etc. Attention might well be given to the effective water-filters by those who must filter their potable water. For about fifty years these have been largely used. They are supplied with filtering materials, which retain their efficiency for some eight years without any trouble, and their cost is quite moderate. Blacker, J. F.; Nineteenth-Century English Ceramic Art (London, Stanley Paul & Co., 1911) _______________________________________________________________________________________ NOTICE is hereby given, that the Partnership heretofore subsisting between us the undersigned, Ebenezer Stiff, Sydney James Stiff, James Arthur Stiff, and William Frederick Stiff, carrying on business as Stoneware and Terra-cotta Manufacturers, at the London Pottery, Lambeth, S. E., under the style of firm of "JAMES STIFF AND SONS," has been as from the 1st day of April 1903, dissolved by mutual consent so far as regards the said Ebenezer Stiff, who retires from the firm. All debts due to and owing by the said late firm will be received and paid by the said Sydney, James Arthur Stiff, and William Frederick Stiff, who will continue to carry on the said business under the name style or firm as heretofore.-Dated this 25th day of June, 1903. EBENEZER STIFF SYDNEY J. STIFF JAMES A. STIFF WILLIAM FREDERICK STIFF The London Gazette (London, England) July 10, 1903 _______________________________________________________________________________________ The partnership hitherto subsisting between S. J. Stiff, J. A. Stiff, and W. F. Stiff, carrying on business as stoneware and terracotta manufacturers, at London Pottery, Lambeth, under the style of James Stiff and Sons, has been dissolved. The Building News and Engineering Journal (London, England) 1913 _______________________________________________________________________________________ By order of the Trustees. Re James Stiff, Deceased. ALBERT EMBARKMENT.-On the River Thames, within half a mile of Westminster Bridge, and opposite the Tate Gallery.--Messrs. FULLER, HORSEY, SONS, and CASSELL will offer for SALE by AUCTION, at the Mart, Token-house-yard, London, E. C., on Friday, March 14, at 2 o'clock precisely, the FREEHOLD WATERSIDE SITE, containing a ground area of about 60,000 square feet, and possessing the following exceptional advantages:-- (1) THE EXTENSIVE FRONTAGE of 270ft. to the Albert Embankment, and two other frontages to Broad-street and High-street of 124ft. and 290ft. respectively. (2) A PRIVATE WET DOCK, with direct access to the Thames, the dock gates being permanently maintained at the expense of London County Council. (3) MOORING RIGHTS for BARGES in front of the Albert Embankment; and (4) A GATEWAY ENTERANCE to the adjoining public loading and discharging bed for barrages. In addition to the above facilities for water carriage, the site is centrally situated for distribution, and is within the free delivery and collection area of the principal railways. The land is at present covered by the buildings of Messrs. Stiff's Pottery, the materials of which are included in the purchase. May be viewed by the order to be obtained of the Auctioneers, and particulars with plans and conditions of sale had at the offices of the Public Trustee, Clement's Inn, Strand, W. C.; of Messrs. W. and E. Stiff, Estate Office, High Street, Lambert, S. E.; Messrs. Burchell, Wilde, and Co., solicitors, 36, Victoria-street, S. W.; and Messrs. Fuller, Horsey, Sons, and Cassell, 11, Billiter-square, London, E. C. London Standard (London, England) February 8, 1913 _______________________________________________________________________________________ 39 James Stiff’s London pottery. Stiff was born in 1808 in Suffolk. He worked as a mould maker for Doulton and Watts, having done an apprenticeship with Coade, and set his own pottery works in 1843. From 1842, he had premises in Ferry Street making water filters. Within a year Stiff he had leased the first part of the High Street premises. In 1863 Stiff brought his sons, William and Ebenezer, into partnership with him as James Stiff and Sons. He died in 1897 and his sons set up a new partnership which lasted until 1912. In 1913 firm was sold out to Doulton. Stiff & Sons produced bright colorful pottery. Ferry Street... James Stiff’s pottery. Stiff had worked as a mould maker for Doulton and Watts and set his own pottery works. In 1842, he began working at his own premises in Ferry Street, which had previously been the premises of T. Higgins. He was then making water filters. Although he also worked at 39 High Street he kept the Ferry Street premises until 1844. http://edithsstreets.blogspot.com/2016/03/riverside-west-of-tower-south-bank.html _______________________________________________________________________________________ Go To North American Soda & Beers Home |