Goss crested china

The Industrial Revolution and the coming of railways opened up travel to working people rather than just the wealthy and, in particular, it led to the growth of English seaside resorts like Blackpool and Southend-on-Sea.

William Henry Goss (1833–1906), owner of the Falcon pottery in Stoke-on-Trent, and his sons, Adolphus and Victor, are often credited with the idea of making souvenir ware bearing crests and names of seaside resorts in the late 19th century.

Now, many British people are familiar with the white glazed porcelain souvenirs, typically in classical shapes of Roman and Greek antiquities.

Small busts of famous people like Queen Victoria or George V, were also made together with of ships and cars.

The First World War caused a decline and in 1929 the Goss family sold their factory which continued to produce souvenir ware until the end of the 1930s.