COMMONDALE POTTERY. 
19 
My brother has in his Collection a mug with the figure of a 
fighting cock upon it, and the words 
POLLINGTON FOR EVER. made here. 
Lord Pollington, the eldest son of the Earl of Mexborough, was 
M.P. for Pontefract in the years 1807, 1812, 1818, and 1820. In 
the election of August 15th, 1872, the then Lord Pollington was 
defeated by Mr. H. C. Childers, by 80 votes. This was the first 
Parliamentary election under the Ballot Act. 
COMMONDALE POTTERY. 
Situated near Stokesley, these works were first started in the 
year 1861, under the name of the “Cleveland Fire Brick and 
Pottery Co. Ltd.” The proprietor and first managing director 
was Mr. John Slater Pratt, printer, of Stokesley, who owned the 
land on which the works were erected, and who got the Company 
formed. Some York gentlemen were interested, among whom was 
Mr. Henry Hotham Newton, of the firm of Newton, Robinson and 
Brown, solicitors, now Brown and Elmhirst. 
This Company ceased operations in 1867, and the works re¬ 
mained idle until 1872, when they were acquired by the late Mr. 
John Crossley, founder and first chairman of this Company. The 
manufacture of fine art and domestic pottery, properly speaking, 
was commenced by him in 1880, and continued by him until he 
turned over the works to a new Company, named “The Common- 
dale Brick, Pipe and Pottery Co. Ltd.” They continued the 
manufacture for some time, when the works were again closed 
down. They were next taken up by Mr. Thomas Ness, of 
Darlington, in the year 1893, trading as the “ Commondale Brick 
and Pipe Co.” After Mr. Ness’s death, the works again passed 
into the hands of Messrs. Crossley, by whom they are still being 
carried on. 
The manufacture of fine art and domestic pottery was dis¬ 
continued about 1884, since which time nothing of this kind has 
been made, and the kilns for burning the same have been dis¬ 
mantled. The goods now made comprise stoneware pipes and 
sanitary ware of the highest class, architectural terra-cotta in 
red and buff, and vitrified adamantine paving bricks for paving 
purposes. The only things of ornamental character, apart from 
the architectural terra-cotta, are now garden vases and pedestals, 
made in both colours. 
