Overview
Alexander Willison Buchan (Always known as A. W. Buchan) was born in 1833 to a Midlothian farmer, William.
Buchan’s tenure of the site was no less than the 6th pottery works at the same location. The Post Office Directories list “Murray & Buchan” from 1869, as stoneware manufacturers in Portobello.
The works continued through family lines and suffered the same issues as many other potteries during the war periods; with workforce shortages and the replacement of stoneware jars with glass – but they persisted with help to a Government contract to produce stoneware rum bottles.
J Gordon C Buchan died in 1967 and the works passed to Douglas Buchan, who realised that the works were unlikely to be viable in Edinburgh, but could qualify for government financial assistance if he were to move the works to another location.
Crieff was chosen for the new works, and the last pieces were thrown in Portobello during late 1972 – one-pint tankards of shape number 187/20 marked:
“In Commemoration of Production Ending
This 30th Day of June 1972
established 1867″
The pottery continued production at Crieff until 2000.
Main Products
Saltglazed stonware, storage jars, whisky jars and flagons, jam jars, grave side vases, ginger beer bottles, etc.
Decorative ‘colour wares’ from around 1945.
Articles in SPHR
- 2 - References
- 4 - Murray & Buchan's Pottery
- 5 - Some Account Books - Robin Hill
- 6 - References
- 7- Waverley Potteries - Graeme Cruickshank
- 12 - References
- 16 - References
- 17 - References
- 24 - References
- 26 - Advert for stone bottles
- 26 - Restoration of Portobello Pottery Kilns - Mike Brown
- 55 - Buchan pots designed by Alan Reiach - Mike Brown
- 56 - A dish for checking colours - Graeme Cruickshank
Articles in Bulletin (Members only)
- 7 - Reference, Cruickshank 1982
- 8 - References
- 9 - References
- 15 - Pottery in Perth and Kinross, Past and Present
- 26 - Advertisement
- 30 - References
- 36 - References
- 36 - Patterns
- 40 - Patterns
- 42 - Patterns
- 46 - Patterns
- 49 - References
- 50 - Portobello Pottery Kilns - Graeme Cruickshank
- 55 - Patterns & References
- 67 - References
- 68 - References
Typical Backstamps & Marks
Impressed “Buchan Portobello” with monogram; impressed “Buchan Portobello Edinburgh”; impressed with thistle, pattern number & name
“Murray & Buchan, Portobello”, “Buchan, Waverley Potteries, Portobello”
‘Portovase’ and ‘Senolith’ or ‘Cenolith’
Pattern Names
- Brittany
Other Publications & Links
- Cruickshank, G: "Portobello Saltglaze"
- Hill, Robin: "Buchan's Pottery, Portobello - The Final Days" A History of A W Buchan & Co. Ltd 1997, Edinburgh
- Hill, Robin: "A W Buchan & Co Ltd, Potters, Portobello, 1994, Privately Printed
- BBC - Buchan