We recently bought this salt glazed stoneware teapot at auction. It’s attributed to Pearson’s of Whittington Moor, although it is not marked or stamped, and dates to around the 1890s.
What excited us about the teapot was the personalisation, alongside the white sprig decoration, it bears plaques saying ‘Ann Yates, Brown Edge, nr Buxton’.
It is easy to imagine the pride Ann must have felt when serving tea to her guests. This is a statement piece!
It’s interesting that Brown Edge is described as ‘near Buxton’ as now it is thought of as part of the town. We found Ann Yates on the 1881 census, where she was living at 2 Brown Edge Lane, the wife of John, a quarry agent and farmer of 21.5 acres. They lived in the house with their three sons and two daughters, ranging from 11 to 23 years old. Ann was born in Sparrowpit and was 47 at the time of the census.
The house numbers on Brown Edge Road (then called Brown Edge Lane) have changed since the 1880s and there were very few houses on the street prior to this date – the majority of housing dates from the early 1900s, 1930s and beyond.
Ann and her family likely lived towards the bottom of the road near the junction with Lightwood. When she lived there she would have had to cross a bridge or a ford over Hogshaw Brook.
When Ann lived there, there was also a brickworks near the bottom of the road plus another one further up, where St Thomas More’s playing fields are. Both of these brickworks had disappeared by 1900. You can find out more information about the brickworks on the East Midlands Named Bricks : 2016 website.
Buxton Museum and Art Gallery 
Fascinating. What a find. Thank you for your research too.
LikeLike
I knew Ann Yates daughter Sarah. She lived to be 104 and was independent until the end and lived at Sparrow Pit. She was a relative of my grandmother and told me about her childhood in Buxton. Her husband was a Vernon and was killed in a quarry accident
LikeLike
Wow, thank you Margaret.
LikeLike