In the 1920s Edward Thomas Radford, who came from a family of established potters, was working for H J Wood Ltd in Burslem, Staffordshire. Harry Wood marketed Radford's work with the backstamp 'E Radford, England, Hand painted', and later set up an independent pottery in premises nearby known as Radford Handcraft Pottery.

The company carried on until 1948 when Radford retired, but H J Wood continued making pots to his designs, and marked them with the 'E Radford' backstamp.