The Leigh Pottery

A pottery was established on the borders of Prittlewell and Leigh in the early years of the 19th century. This was originally known as the Phoenix Pottery, changing its name to the Victoria Pottery in 1826. In 1860 the Pottery was taken over by the firm of Gallichan and Co., and in the 1866 Essex Directory the works are listed as the Victoria Pottery of Gallichan and Co.

While much of the clay used in the pottery was extracted from the local brickfields, finer clay was also imported from the south west, via Teignmouth and Poole. It was transported in the vessels 'Ada' and 'Sapphire' to Leigh. One of the owners of the Pottery was recorded as David Montague, also part owner of the Leigh Brickfields, who lived at Leigh House. 

In 1890 there were about 50 workers at the Pottery, which at that time was managed by Messrs Brayne and Mansfield.

The principal products of the Leigh Pottery were drain pipes and traps for Leigh's water and sewage system. They also produced large quantities of bricks, tiles and chimney pots. Among other products of the Leigh Pottery were stoneware ginger beer and ink bottles (the latter mainly for export), together with jam and pickle jars, flower pots and two- and three-gallon stoneware bottles for the brewing trade. 

While a few examples of these products have survived, it is the decorative wares of the Pottery that form the bulk of the Leigh Pottery collections in Southend Museum. These were something of a side-line of the Pottery, but which are now regarded as the 'typical' products of the firm.

Most of the ornamental wares are unmarked but the majority of the vases, jugs and other ornamental wares are finished in a characteristic bark or pelleted design which makes them unmistakable as the products of the Leigh Pottery.

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