MEASHAM WARE

Measham Teapots and Measham Ware were  made at Church Gresley in Derbyshire in the last quarter of the 19th century. It was called Measham Ware because it was ordered at Mrs Bonas’s ‘POT SHOP’ in the High Street, near the canal. Working boatmen bringing narrowboats past Measham on the Ashby Canal in the East Midlands would order a specially-made teapot and collect it on their next run up the canal. They were often given as wedding presents and handed down through generations.

People who worked and lived on the barges could order special teapots with the names of friends or relations on them. These were put on by pressing ‘printers’ type into the damp clay. Measham Ware is dark brown and covered with a strong glaze.

Flowers and birds are sprigged (dipped in liquid clay) and painted in blue, green and pink. The largest teapots were about 41cm high and held about 2 litres of tea.

On top of the teapot lid there is sometimes a smaller teapot. Kettles, jugs, tobacco jars and even chamber pots, were also made in the same ware. The factory stopped making Measham Ware in about 1910.