Richards, Anthony
 

Anthony Richards, 2001

Anthony Richards, born in Richmond, Surrey in 1924, moved to Cornwall in 1949. He had studied art at Kingston Art School and had developed an interest in pottery. He worked at Lamorna Pottery with Bill Pickard for a while, where he learned to throw and started Penzance Pottery in 1951. He met Christiane, an accomplished decorator, who had recently come to England from her native France in 1954 and married her in 1957.

In 1955 he opened Arch Pottery in Hicks Court, off The Digey in St Ives and in 1960 Christiane set up Cellar Pottery in nearby Island Square.

After eleven years at The Digey Anthony closed Arch Pottery and he and Christiane moved to Cripplesease on the Penzance Road and set up Penderleath Pottery. At Penderleath Pottery Anthony and Christiane were often hosts to the other potters from the St Ives and Penzance areas and the parties at the Engine Inn, across the road from the pottery, are still spoken of.

In 1980 Anthony and Christiane moved to Cockwells, just down from White Cross on the Hayle to Penzance road, and established Countrylane Pottery at No 1, Front Row Cottages. Today they have settled to a routine similar to the one they enjoyed forty years ago in St Ives. Anthony doesn't do so much throwing now, but Christiane decorates terracotta pots glazed and fired by Anthony.

Penderleath Pottery
 

Penderleath Pottery was set up at Cripplesease on the St Ives to Penzance road by Anthony Richards in 1967. The premises consisted of an old house for Anthony and his wife, Christiane, to live in and a barn for the pottery.

Richard and Christiane worked the pottery for twelve years, after which they sold it to Bill Longley from Greyshott Pottery. Bill carried on for a couple of years before moving to Australia, and then the pottery fell into the hands of a couple from London who were not potters.

The premises were inactive as a pottery for two years, and then Dave Moran, who also was not a potter, took over and with the help of Anthony Richards managed to re-establish the pottery. The name was changed to Cripplesease Pottery and in 1986 was sold to Jamie Herschel who continued to run it under that name.