History: The factory began life in 1864 when Thomas Goodwin Green was on his honeymoon in Scarborough. He met a Mr Henry Wileman who owned a small pottery in the area, that had been built in 1790. Wileman was intending on selling the pottery at the time, and Green, who had made a lot of money running a building firm in Australia, purchased it in 1864. For the next 25 years he built the firm up until it had to buy more land to expand using revolutionary new methods. Eventually the business became too large for Green to run on his own, so he brought in Henry William King to assist him, and from then and till 1964 the business was in the hands of the Green family and the King family.
The outbreak of war slowed down the growth of the works, and it was not until 1924 that Cornish Kitchenware, which is what the works is most famous for, was produced.
Named Cornishware because a factory employee said it reminded them "of the clear blues and white tipped waves of Cornwall", the iconic blue and white striped effect was caused by the lathe-turning process.
In 1955 a 30% purchase tax was placed on all pottery products which was to be the beginning of a gradual decline until 1965 when the company went into receivership. The receiver managed to sell the remains of the company, and so it was sold onto various different people, including Mason Cash who purchased the company in 2001 and went into liquidation in 2004.
The derelict factory to date remains like an abandoned ghost ship. Robbed of its former work force yet still packed with unfinished pottery, transfers and moulds.
Visit: Took a while looking round the site to find access but once inside, really enjoyed exploring the place. Floor dodgy in a few places. Noticed names of previous urbexers engraved into one of many moulds. Concentrated on still life photography during this visit.
Thanks for looking
The outbreak of war slowed down the growth of the works, and it was not until 1924 that Cornish Kitchenware, which is what the works is most famous for, was produced.
Named Cornishware because a factory employee said it reminded them "of the clear blues and white tipped waves of Cornwall", the iconic blue and white striped effect was caused by the lathe-turning process.
In 1955 a 30% purchase tax was placed on all pottery products which was to be the beginning of a gradual decline until 1965 when the company went into receivership. The receiver managed to sell the remains of the company, and so it was sold onto various different people, including Mason Cash who purchased the company in 2001 and went into liquidation in 2004.
The derelict factory to date remains like an abandoned ghost ship. Robbed of its former work force yet still packed with unfinished pottery, transfers and moulds.
Visit: Took a while looking round the site to find access but once inside, really enjoyed exploring the place. Floor dodgy in a few places. Noticed names of previous urbexers engraved into one of many moulds. Concentrated on still life photography during this visit.
Thanks for looking
