Biddy & Diana Rose, and Harry Barclay - Milestone House Pottery

Admin wrote:Biography:
Biddy Rose became a studio potter in 1974 at Milestone House Pottery Yoxford with her mother, Diana. Biddy attended community education classes, with Joanna Constantinidis in Chelmsford and on moving to Suffolk, with Freda Sage. Later she took an intensive residential course on thrown form with Karen Karnes in USA, subsequently inviting Karen to Suffolk to run a similar course in UK.
Biddy and Diana sold their work in Yoxford 1974-96. In the early 1980’s Harry Barclay married Biddy and joined the pottery alongside his profession as landscape architect. Biddy, Diana and Harry moved near Aldeburgh in 1996 and ran the retail outlet ‘Avocet’ which sold their pottery until 2017 when Harry retired and Avocet closed. Diana lived to 99 years and made pots into her late nineties. Biddy continues making pottery and ceramics and sells her work from the studio near Aldeburgh

Have this rather nice 34 cms diameter stoneware charger and hoping for some ideas on maker. Seal looks like either a stick figure or  a star in an oval. All suggestions appreciated John

Not familiar with his work but it could be by Harry Barclay, who potted in Yoxford, Suffolk from 1974 to 1996. He made reduced thrown stoneware like this is and the mark appears about right. Can't be certain though.

Mark certainly looks close and this was bought in Essex so not that far from Yoxford.
Thanks John

Studio pottery vase brown, russet and beige, 17cms high,  marked on the bottom with what looks like a star in a circle." />" />

It is a lidded jar without the lid rather than a vase, I'm afraid.

It might be by Harry Barclay at the Milestone House Pottery in Yoxford (1974 -1996).

I might have the lid somewhere, will have to have a hunt. I remember something that might fit. Thanks for the info.[/i]

It does appear that Harry Barclay, Biddy Rose and Diana Rose all worked at the Milestone House Pottery during the dates 1974 to 96. A five pointed mark was used by all of them but it seems to have been slightly different in each case. However, it does appear that they all had personal seals (stylised H, B and D), which they used for individual pieces alongside these marks.

I do not know how well the five pointed marks match the diagramatic illustrations that I found but: -

Harry's mark gets thicker as it goes out.
Biddy's mark are thicker in the centre - like petals.
Diana's mark goes to a point like a star.

That is why I believe that this stamp was the one that Harry used rather than either of the two women.

I suppose without known examples of each it is difficult to be 100% certain, who stamped the bottom of this jar. However, I think we can say that it was made at the Milestone House Pottery in Yoxford, Suffolk.

Coincidentally I picked up this little jug by Biddy Rose (confirmed by her personal stamp) at a local car boot last weekend; the petal shape is quite distinct. The "arms" in the stamp on Sukraine's pot appear to get thicker toward the end, which would rule out Diana. So my money is on Harry.

Could it be Biddy Rose and Diane Rose.

A few Diana Rose pieces I have collected

There's an obituary of Diana Rose (11 October 1913 – 28 June 2013) here, which may clarify things:
http://www.anglianpotters.org.uk/userfiles/file/newsletters/2014SummerWeb.pdf

"Beginning pottery classes in 1965 in London, in her fifties, she moved later to Essex and bought a second-hand wheel and kiln. Di and daughter Biddy set up Milestone House Pottery in Yoxford, Suffolk in 1974....."

The obit is signed "Biddy Barclay", so presumably Harry was (or became) a relative by marriage.

A nice little pin dish. Toasty (as Naomi might say) unglazed finish, possibly wood fired. Nice olive glaze with simplistic, but pleasing, decoration.
Impressed mark looks, to my dodgy eyes, like a stick person or a star.
Any help welcomed.

Really grateful Naomi, thank you