Burmantofts Pottery
A Leeds-based British manufacturer of fireclay pipes, construction ceramics, architectural faience, tiles, bricks, and art pottery.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
Burmantofts Pottery was the common trading name associated with a major ceramic manufacturer based in the Burmantofts district of Leeds, England. The business began in 1859 after fireclay was discovered in a coal mine owned by William Wilcock and John Lassey. Its early activities centered on industrial products, especially ceramic pipes, fireclay goods, bricks, and other construction materials. The availability of suitable clay and coal at the same site gave the company an important manufacturing advantage during the expansion of Victorian Britain. The business changed its legal and trading identity several times. In 1863, after John Lassey’s interest was acquired by John Holroyd, it operated as Wilcock & Co. Following substantial growth, it became The Burmantofts Company in 1888. In 1889 it joined with other Yorkshire businesses to form Leeds Fireclay Co. Ltd., described in contemporary accounts as the largest company of its kind in the country. “Burmantofts Pottery” nevertheless remained the name most strongly associated with the firm’s decorative ceramic production and with its Leeds works. From the late 1870s, the manufacturer broadened its industrial range into architectural terracotta, glazed bricks, glazed terracotta, and decorative tiles. Its materials were used in prominent Victorian buildings, including Alfred Waterhouse’s Yorkshire College in Leeds and National Liberal Club in London. The company promoted ceramic surfaces as durable, washable alternatives to painted finishes, particularly in heavily polluted cities. Its architectural work combined practical construction materials with colored glazes, relief ornament, and modeled decorative elements. The firm also entered the market for art pottery around 1880, at the initiative of works manager James Holroyd. This move followed the successful example of manufacturers such as Mintons, Royal Doulton, and William De Morgan, which had developed demand for decorative ceramics among middle-class consumers. Burmantofts benefited from several varieties of high-purity clay found at its works. The clay’s plasticity supported detailed molding, while its low iron content helped produce clear and brilliant glazes after firing. Burmantofts art pottery included vases, pots, bottles, tableware, and other domestic or decorative objects. Early pieces could be highly individual, including barbotine work with raised slip decoration and painted surfaces. The company later developed more standardized production, allowing decorated forms to be sold at lower prices while retaining a relatively high level of finish. More than 2,000 shapes have been recorded. Designs drew on Art Nouveau, Persian, Chinese, and Japanese influences, and the French designer Pierre Mallet contributed designs. Pieces were commonly marked “Burmantofts Faience” or “BF,” together with a shape number. The art-pottery line reached buyers beyond Leeds. By 1885, products were reportedly available through retailers in London, including Harrods and Liberty, as well as in Paris and Montreal. The market became increasingly difficult, however, as British and continental competitors offered similar decorative goods at lower prices. Burmantofts art pottery ceased production in 1904. The company continued to develop architectural ceramics after the art-pottery line ended. The highly modeled and colorful architectural style gradually gave way to plainer facing materials. Products such as Marmo, an artificial-marble ceramic, and Lefco, which had a granite-like appearance, were used in commercial and public architecture and also adapted for garden ornaments. Surviving applications include Atlas House in Leeds, Michelin House in London, and interiors or facades associated with buildings such as the Great Hall of the University of Leeds, the County Arcade, Shire Hall in Durham, and London Road Fire Station in Manchester. The Leeds works remained a substantial industrial site. At closure in 1957 it reportedly contained ninety kilns on approximately sixteen acres of land. The business ultimately succumbed to changing markets and cheaper foreign competition, which reduced the profitability of its ceramic manufacturing. Although the company is defunct, its architectural ceramics and art pottery remain important examples of Victorian and early modern British industrial design and are collected, studied, and documented as part of Leeds’s ceramic heritage.
History
Burmantofts Pottery developed from a fireclay business in the Burmantofts area of Leeds. In 1859, the discovery of fireclay in a coal mine belonging to William Wilcock and John Lassey created the foundation for a manufacturing enterprise based on locally available mineral resources. The original business supplied practical ceramic and fireclay products, including pipes and construction materials, rather than decorative household goods. In 1863, John Lassey’s interest was purchased by John Holroyd, and the company adopted the name Wilcock & Co. The business expanded during the following decades, benefiting from the growth of British cities, railway infrastructure, public buildings, and industrial construction. By 1879 it was producing architectural terracotta, glazed bricks, decorative bricks, and tiles in orange and buff tones. Its products were used by architects seeking surfaces that were more durable and easier to clean than painted finishes. Alfred Waterhouse specified the company’s materials for Yorkshire College in Leeds and the National Liberal Club in London. The firm changed its name to The Burmantofts Company in 1888. In 1889 it merged with other Yorkshire enterprises to create Leeds Fireclay Co. Ltd., which became one of the country’s largest fireclay manufacturers. Burmantofts remained the recognizable identity associated with the Leeds works and with the company’s decorative ceramic products. Around 1880, works manager James Holroyd encouraged the development of art pottery. The company had unusual advantages for this market: several high-purity clays were available on site, and the clay was sufficiently plastic for detailed forms. Its low iron content also supported clear glazes with strong color and brilliance. The new range was part of a wider Victorian movement in which industrial manufacturers attempted to supplement utilitarian products with artistic goods for domestic interiors. Early Burmantofts art pottery included individually modeled or decorated pieces, especially barbotine wares with raised slip designs. The business subsequently introduced more repeatable shapes and decoration, making products available to a wider market at lower prices. The recorded range exceeded 2,000 forms and included vases, pots, bottles, table items, and decorative vessels. Influences included Art Nouveau, Persian, Chinese, and Japanese art. Pierre Mallet, a French designer also associated with Minton, contributed designs. Bases commonly carried the words “Burmantofts Faience” or the initials “BF,” together with a shape number. The art-pottery business had an international distribution network by 1885, with sales in London, Paris, and Montreal. Its commercial position deteriorated as numerous competitors in Britain and nearby European countries offered decorative ceramics at lower prices. Art-pottery production ended in 1904. Architectural ceramics remained more important to the company’s long-term identity. James Holroyd promoted glazed and decorated ceramic facings as attractive, washable, and durable materials for urban buildings. The works employed specialist designers and modelers, including sculptor Edward Caldwell Spruce and architect Maurice Bingham Adams. Early architectural products used colored glazes, relief patterns, and modeled ornament. As architectural fashion changed, the company increasingly concentrated on plain or subtly textured facing materials. Among its later products were Marmo, an artificial-marble material, and Lefco, a granite-effect ceramic product also used for garden ornaments. Applications associated with Burmantofts materials include Atlas House in Leeds, Michelin House in South Kensington, the County Arcade in Leeds, the Great Hall of the University of Leeds, Shire Hall in Durham, and several notable buildings in Manchester and London. These surviving installations demonstrate the durability of the company’s architectural output. The Leeds works continued operating until 1957. At closure it reportedly occupied sixteen acres and contained ninety kilns. The business’s decline reflected the pressure of cheaper foreign competition and the reduced profitability of its traditional ceramic products. Although the manufacturer no longer operates, its art pottery and architectural work remain significant for the history of British industrial ceramics, Victorian architecture, and the cultural heritage of Leeds.
- 1957
The Burmantofts works closes
[1]The manufacturing site closes after cheaper foreign competition reduces profitability.
- 1904
Art-pottery production ends
[1]The company stops making art pottery after lower-priced competing products make the line unprofitable.
- 1889
Leeds Fireclay Co. Ltd. is established
[1]The Burmantofts business merges with other Yorkshire companies to form Leeds Fireclay Co. Ltd.
- 1888
The Burmantofts Company name is adopted
[1]The expanding business changes its name from Wilcock & Co to The Burmantofts Company.
- 1885
Art pottery is sold internationally
[1]The decorative range is available in London, Paris, and Montreal.
- 1884
Materials are used at the National Liberal Club
[1]Burmantofts architectural ceramics are specified for Alfred Waterhouse’s National Liberal Club in London.
- 1883
Materials are used at Yorkshire College
[1]Alfred Waterhouse uses Burmantofts materials in the Yorkshire College in Leeds.
- 1880
Burmantofts develops art pottery
[1]The company begins producing decorative pottery, including vases and domestic ornamental wares, under the initiative of James Holroyd.
- 1879
Architectural ceramic production expands
[1]The company adds decorative bricks, architectural terracotta, glazed bricks, and glazed terracotta.
- 1863
Wilcock & Co is formed
[1]John Holroyd acquires John Lassey’s share and the business begins trading as Wilcock & Co.
Products and positioning
A technically capable Victorian industrial ceramics manufacturer that expanded from utilitarian fireclay and construction products into decorative art pottery and durable architectural surfaces.
Industrial ceramics · 1859
Fireclay pipes and construction materials
The company’s original business was based on fireclay products made from material found at its Leeds site. Pipes and related construction ceramics formed the utilitarian foundation of the enterprise and supported its later expansion into architectural products.
Architectural ceramics · 1879
Architectural terracotta and glazed bricks
From the late 1870s, Burmantofts produced decorative bricks, glazed bricks, glazed terracotta, and architectural terracotta. These materials combined structural or facing functions with colored surfaces, relief ornament, and resistance to urban grime.
Art pottery · 1880
Burmantofts Faience
Burmantofts Faience covered a broad decorative range of vases, pots, bottles, table items, and other domestic objects. Pieces used clear colored glazes, painted decoration, relief work, and styles influenced by Art Nouveau, Persian, Chinese, and Japanese sources. More than 2,000 forms are recorded.
Architectural facing material · 1904
Marmo
Marmo was an artificial-marble ceramic facing material developed for architectural use after the company shifted away from heavily modeled decorative surfaces. It was used in buildings including Atlas House in Leeds and Michelin House in London.
Architectural and garden ceramics · 1904
Lefco
Lefco was a ceramic material with a granite-like appearance. It formed part of the company’s later emphasis on comparatively plain architectural facings and was also used for garden ornaments.
Brand decisions
1904
Discontinue art pottery and focus on architectural ceramicsStrategyBackground
A crowded market for decorative pottery and cheaper products from Britain and continental Europe reduced the profitability of Burmantofts art wares.
Action taken
The company ended art-pottery production and concentrated more heavily on architectural facing materials, including plain tiles and products such as Marmo and Lefco.
Aftermath
Architectural ceramics remained in production until the works closed in 1957.
1889
Merge into Leeds Fireclay Co. Ltd.M&ABackground
The Burmantofts business had expanded significantly and operated within a consolidating Yorkshire fireclay industry.
Action taken
The Burmantofts Company combined with other Yorkshire companies to establish Leeds Fireclay Co. Ltd.
Aftermath
The combined enterprise became one of the largest fireclay manufacturers in the country, while Burmantofts continued as the recognizable name for its Leeds-based decorative work.
1880
Enter the decorative art-pottery marketStrategyBackground
The company had grown through utilitarian fireclay and construction products while competitors such as Mintons and Royal Doulton were building demand for decorative household ceramics.
Action taken
Under works manager James Holroyd’s initiative, Burmantofts began producing art pottery using locally available high-purity clays and technically capable glazing processes.
Aftermath
The range achieved distribution in Britain and overseas and became an important part of the Burmantofts identity, but production ended in 1904 because of lower-priced competition.
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