A Bodley & Son lustre plate circa 1874-1875

A Bodley & Son lustre plate circa 1874-1875, possibly to a design by William De Morgan painted in ruby lustre with two Classical dolphins impressed Bodley & Son mark 23cm. diam. Edward Fisher Bodley was born in Lapford, Devonshire, in 1815. By the age of 24 he was living in Steeple Bumpstead, Essex, where he was an Independent minister of religion given to revivalist sermons. He moved to Rochford, Essex, where he married and had three children. After the death of his wife he came to Shelton, Stoke-on-Trent, and is listed as an accountant and as a commercial traveller in directories from 1864 to 1876. He also engaged in pottery manufacture, opening the The Scotia Pottery in 1862. The firm traded as Bodley and Harrold, changed to Edward F. Bodley and Co., and in 1880 to Edward F. Bodley and Sons.