Lowestoft Porcelain Factory, Suffolk

The Lowestoft Porcelain Factory in Crown Street, formerly Bell Lane, produced soft-paste porcelain containing bone ash from 1757 until 1802.

One hundred years after the factory closed, photographs were taken of the premises, mould fragments discovered on the property, and the man who found them.

By then a brewery had been established at the site, with several rooms now used to dry malt.

Unfortunately, the collection of photographs taken in December 1902 have become particularly precious, as the historic site was demolished in 1955.

Unfortunately, the collection of photographs taken in December 1902 have become particularly precious, as the historic site was demolished in 1955.

An old photo taken in December 1902, showing the remains of the former Lowestoft Porcelain Factory buildings, then in use as a malt brewery. Two cottages adjoined the buildings on Crown Street, once known as Bell Lane. The image is now in the archives of the New York Public Library.

A photo taken in December 1902, showing the Lowestoft Porcelain Factory buildings at the entrance to the works yard. At the time of the old photo the factory building was now used as a malt brewery. The image is now in the archives of the New York Public Library.

An old photo taken in December 1902, showing the east view of the former Lowestoft Porcelain Factory buildings, then in use as a malt brewery. The man in the picture is Robert Skelton, who found various porcelain mould fragments around the building a century after porcelain production there had ceased. The image is now in the archives of the New York Public Library.

An old photo taken in December 1902, showing one of the rooms in the former Lowestoft Porcelain Factory buildings, then in use as a malt brewery. This room was beneath and next to rooms where mould fragments were found, a century after porcelain production had ceased here. The image is now in the archives of the New York Public Library.

An old photo taken in December 1902, showing one of the walls of the former Lowestoft Porcelain Factory buildings, then in use as a malt brewery. The unpainted brick shows the marking of "J.B. 1770" -(but since the 1770 company was called Robert Browne and Company, it was probably R.B. rather than J.B. and paint obscured part of the letter). The image is now in the archives of the New York Public Library.

Plans of the ground floor and upper story of the former Lowestoft Porcelain Factory buildings, drawn around 1902. Porcelain production had ceased a hundred years before, and the building was being used as a brewery when these plans were drawn. Despite the importance of these buildings being recognised by history enthusiasts back in 1902, the demolition crews were sent in to sweep away this famous local landmark a half-century later in 1955.

A photo taken in December 1902, showing the inside of the kiln at the Crown Street (previously known as Bell Lane), Lowestoft Porcelain Factory. At the time of the photo the factory building was now used as a brewery, and the kiln had been converted to a drying floor for malt. Thanks to the New York Public Library.

An old photo taken in December 1902, showing the original windows still in place upstairs at the former Lowestoft Porcelain Factory buildings, then in use as a malt brewery. The image is now in the archives of the New York Public Library.

An old photo taken in December 1902, showing an upstairs workroom at the former Lowestoft Porcelain Factory buildings, where workmen once manufactured the famous china and pottery. At the time of the photo, the building was used as a brewery and this room was used to dry malt. The image is now in the archives of the New York Public Library.

A photo taken in December 1902, showing the passageway leading from Crown Street into what had been the Lowestoft Porcelain Factory. At the time of the photo the factory building was now used as a brewery, but the fireclay box known as a sagger, which protected the ceramic ware while it was fired in the kiln, was still on the premises. The image is now in the archives of the New York Public Library.

A photo taken in December 1902, showing one of the rooms in the former Lowestoft Porcelain Factory, which had been converted to a brewery with the room now used to dry malt. The image is now in the archives of the New York Public Library.

Taken sometime around 1902, this is an old photo of porcelain mould fragments found on the site of the former Lowestoft Porcelain Factory buildings. Image credit: the New York Public Library.