The Fenay Bridge Sheep Roast Commemorative Plate is dated July 3rd 1937. The plate was sold to raise funds for Huddersfield Royal Infirmary prior to the establishment of the National Health Service. The original Huddersfield Royal Infirmary was designed by Joseph Kay and was located at New North Road. It was opened in 1831.
The plate was produced by J & G Meakin. The story of J&G Meakin starts well before the brothers opened their pottery in 1851. Their father James Snr, born in 1807 died 1852, started potting some years earlier in Longton before moving to Cannon St Hanley in 1850. In 1851, he was, due to ill health, succeeded by his two sons, James and George, who formed what was to be a long and successful partnership we now know as J & G Meakin Pty Ltd. The brothers stayed only one year at Cannon St before moving the factory to Market St where they stayed for 7 prosperous years, on its completion in 1859 they moved to the now famous Eagle Pottery.
After the second world war, pictureware patterns were produced with patterns varied to suit the intended export destinations. In addition to the many beautiful patterns, in 1951 their centenary year, Meakin produced a range of commemorative wares, these wares along with their pictureware series have now become highly collectable.
