Blue Upchurch boat vase
Blue Upchurch boat vase (mark)
Blue Upchurch bowl
Blue Upchurch bowl (mark)
Blue Upchurch eggcup set
Blue Upchurch eggcup set (mark)
Blue Upchurch vase
Blue Upchurch vase (base)
Blue Upchurch vase II
Blue Upchurch vase II (mark)
Blue/green Upchurch vase
Blue/green Upchurch vase (mark)
Claverdon bowls
Claverdon bowls (mark)
Claverdon commemorative mug
Claverdon commemorative mug (mark)
Claverdon jug
Claverdon jug (base)
Claverdon posy ring
Claverdon posy ring (mark)
Claverdon vase
Claverdon vase (mark)
Flared Claverdon vase
Flared Claverdon vase (base)
Flared Upchurch vase
Flared Upchurch vase (mark)
Green Upchurch jug
Green Upchurch jug (mark)
Handled Upchurch pot
Handled Upchurch pot (mark)
Large Upchurch vase
Large Upchurch vase (mark)
Lugged Upchurch vase
Lugged Upchurch vase (mark)
Lugged Upchurch vase II
Lugged Upchurch vase II (mark)
Mauve Upchurch vase
Mauve Upchurch vase (mark)
Pale blue hanging vase
Pink Upchurch vase
Pink Upchurch vase (mark)
Small Upchurch bowl
Small Upchurch bowl (mark)
Small Upchurch vase
Small Upchurch vase (mark)
Squat Upchurch vase
Squat Upchurch vase (mark)
Streaky blue Upchurch vase
Streaky blue Upchurch vase (mark)
Upchurch AB vase
Upchurch AB vase (marks)
Upchurch candle holder
Upchurch candle holder (mark)
Upchurch cylinder vase
Upchurch cylinder vase (mark)
Upchurch eggcup set
Upchurch eggcup set (mark)
Upchurch flower holder
Upchurch flower holder (mark)
Upchurch grapefruit dish
Upchurch handled vase
Upchurch handled vase (mark)
Upchurch jam pot
Upchurch jam pot (mark)
Upchurch jug
Upchurch jug (mark)
Upchurch milk jug
Upchurch milk jug (mark)
Upchurch mug
Upchurch mug (mark)
Upchurch posy bowl
Upchurch pot
Upchurch pot (mark)
Upchurch tazza
Upchurch tazza (base)
Upchurch vase
Upchurch vase (mark)

Upchurch Pottery

Although Upchurch Pottery had several owners during its life, the most important name associated with it is that of Edward Baker. The pottery was founded in 1909 in Upchurch, between Rainham and Sittingbourne in Kent, by the Wakely brothers. They were local businessmen with various irons in the fire, who wanted to add the manufacture of bricks, tiles and drainpipes to their other interests.

One of the the brothers was a friend of Reginald Wells and this might have been the reason why, in 1913, they hired Edward Baker, who had worked with Wells in Chelsea, to start producing art pottery.

Baker quickly established the pottery, and within two years was exhibiting at major trade fairs. He experimented with glazes on shapes he designed himself, and Upchurch pottery soon became widely known and appreciated. Queen Mary was a patron.

Edward Spencer, who is mainly known for his design work with Martin Brothers, collaborated with Baker in formulating recipes for glazes.

In 1936 the pottery was bought by Oscar and Grace Davies, who retained the services of Baker as manager. Two years later they re-sold the pottery to Alice Buxton Winnecott, and still Edward Baker stayed in charge. Miss Winnecott introduced the Claverdon range of tableware and decorative items. The Davieses opened the Roeginga Pottery at Rainham. Edward's son, Edward Baker Junior managed it for them, and eventually became the owner.

Edward Baker bought Upchurch Pottery from Mrs Winnecott in 1953, and his eldest son, William helped him run it until his death in 1955. William carried on there until 1963, when the pottery was closed, and Edward Junior kept Roeginga Pottery operating until he retired in 1975.


 

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