WH Goss-Falcon Works Mill, Stoke
Photographed in March 2022 with David (Scrappy NW) after having this location on my list for ages. A relaxed explore for a couple of hours and some wonderful decay in amongst the original features which still remain. The site has extensive decay and has fallen into complete disrepair which is sad to see for a Grade II listed building.
History of the site
William Henry Goss studied at the School of Design, Somerset House, London and initially specialised in ivory porcelain.
From 1858 to c.1870 William Henry Goss was at the Cock Works in John Street (now Leese Street), off Liverpool Road. He set up in business here on his own after working at W.T.Copelands for about a year and subsequently moved to the Falcon Works around 1870.
In 1873 Goss registered a patent for improvements in manufacturer of various items made from ceramic materials and in 1883 his son Adolphus joined the firm and was key in developing the souvenir trinket market. The Works underwent extensions to the the buildings between 1902 and 1905 and later, William H Goss handed over the firm to two of his other sons, Victor Henry and William Huntley and W H Goss died in 1906.
William Huntley was left in charge of the business in 1913 when Victor Henry died in a riding accident yet was not interested in progress and the firm gradually fell behind the times. As a consequwnce of this disinterest, the business taken over by Cauldon Potteries Ltd in 1929 and continued under the Goss name.
In 1934 the business was renamed Goss China Co. Ltd and later the business was aquired by Harold T. Robinson who also purchased Cauldon Potteries and many heraldic china producers, however, the works closed in 1944.
In 1956 the moulds and engravings were purchased by the Lawley Group Ltd. and by this time the Falcon Works belonged to Portmeirion Potteries Ltd. In August 1979 the two remaining glost kilns and workshop/warehouse range were registered as Listed Buildings.
In 1985 the Goss trade mark was revived by Royal Doulton Ltd.
In 2002 Portmeirion carried out a study called 'The Potteries Response On Maintenance Of The Environment (PROMOTE) LIFE PROJECT.
The original PROMOTE LIFE proposal was to build a working factory of the millennium, incorporating a Visitor Centre, on a derelict site, of about 1.3 hectares, adjacent to the factory on London Road, incorporating the former Falcon Works kilns and buildings. However, following a review of the Visitor Centre project, the Portmeirion Board of Directors decided to invest in its core business, rather than develop the tourism sector.
In December 2002 Portmeirion applied for listed building planning consent for 'Part demolition of the Falcon Works and refurbishment of the remaining area' - this application was abandoned.
2011 - In the Stoke-on-Trent City Council 'Stoke Town Masterplan', October 2011 the Falcon Works was identified as "a beautiful site with potential for residential conversion but the market is unlikely to bring it forward in the short term and there are issues with noise from the Portmeirion works. In the medium term the proposal is a market-led approach that brings forward a residential refurbishment together with a new build element to screen the Portmeirion factory."
2011 - the Falcon Works were sold by Portmeirion to a company named Connexa.
The above historical information has been taken from the following site: