The world-wide reputation of “Foley” China has caused many cheap imitations and in future, to protect the public, the real and genuine “Foley” China will always be indelibly marked “Shelley” China, a trademark which is a guarantee of the highest excellence.

In 1911 the economic situation had started to improve and Walter Slater was given more artistic freedom. He started to develop ornamental pottery and earthenware, as well as supervising the development of fine bone china. By 1914 Shelley had started to make a name for itself by producing dinnerware in china as opposed to high quality earthenware. Within a few years it proved to be a great success, especially in the USA.

Shortly before the 1st World War two of Percy’s sons, Percy Norman and Vincent Bob, joined the family company. Kenneth Jack, the other son, went to Birmingham University. All three were known by their middle name and later on all three had a cup shape named after them i.e. Norman, Vincent and Kenneth. Norman and Bob joined up and both returned safely from the war. Jack stayed on at university. All three then started working for the company, Norman was concerned with production, Bob took over warehouses and stock control, Jack with his accountancy training took charge of the finances. In 1919 Eric Slater, Walter’s son joined the company. After completing his training he started to produce designs which in later years proved a huge success for the company. During 1920 money was invested in developing the works and an extension that included an office block and showroom was completed (this was the three-storey building in front of the factory) The investment and improvements that were started in 1920 were now in evidence as quality and overall production at the factory continued to improve. In 1925 the showroom was described as one of the best in the Potteries.

The company was still called Wileman & Co, even though it had been controlled by the Shelley family for over fifty years and on 1 January 1925 the Shelley name and trademark was registered.

The period of the mid twenties until the start of the Second World War was Shelley’s most productive years. It was during this time that the Art Deco period was proving to be very successful with the various Deco shapes that were designed. Another factor that was helping the company was that the bone content in the china had enhanced the quality and in cup shapes the phrase ‘eggshell china’ was commonly used. Shelley was promoting its ware through advertising and employed a company called Smedleys Advertising Services Ltd. Smedleys were futuristic in the way they promoted the ware in catalogues, magazines, newspapers and even at cinemas. This again helped in keeping the Shelley name in everyone’s mind.

In the mid twenties Shelley broke with tradition and employed a well known illustrator of the time, Hilda Cowham, to produce a range of nursery ware. Cowham designed a series called Playtime; the design was a simple representation of children’s activities. A second series of designs were produced in 1927 and in 1928 a tea set with a seaside theme was produced. The teapot was a bathing tent, the sugar bowl was a sea side bucket and the milk jug was a shell with a seaweed handle.

In 1926 Shelley introduced a second well known illustrator – Mabel Lucie Attwell. Her first six designs portrayed scenes involving children, animals and small green elves in green suits – these were called ‘Boo Boos’. Attwell also produced a tea set, the teapot was in the shape of a mushroom house, the sugar bowl was a mushroom with the top cut off and the milk jug was a green Boo Boo in a coy saluting pose.

The response to these designs was enthusiastic and the Pottery Gazette wrote that they were “a truly irresistible range of nursery ware, altogether in advance of what was usually put before the trade”. The buying public must have also liked them as they sold very well. Attwell’s success continued and later a set of children figures were introduced, all were named. A series of small elves in various poses was also produced. Attwell continued to produce designs and the ware was still being manufactured in the sixties.

Whilst Shelley was now renowned for its fine china, the factory also produced normal run-of-the-mill table ware, although items such as jelly moulds broke with tradition as the shape was seen on the outside of the mould and not just on the inside, the outside of the mould usually being plain. Another design that proved very popular during this period was the Harmony and Harmony drip ware; this decoration was produced on almost everything that Shelley manufactured.

In 1928 an inventory and valuation of the land, buildings and contents was commissioned and this valued the whole lot at £50,000.

In January 1929 the company became a limited company with Percy Shelley and his three sons being equal shareholders. In 1932 Percy Shelley retired after being the proprietor for almost fifty years, he moved to Bournemouth and died in 1937. In 1933 Kenneth Jack died in hospital after an operation. Walter Slater retired as Arts Director in 1937, his son Eric took over as Arts Director.

The success of the company continued into the late thirties, but when war was declared in September 1939, Shelley was suddenly faced with the realisation that there would be shortages of labour due to conscription and that materials would quickly be in short supply. Regulation and restrictions were brought in and controlled by the Board of Trade. In June 1942 a complete ban on decorated ware was imposed on the UK market. Decorated ware was still being produced for export, as exports were a vital source of income for the UK

During the war a decision was taken to stop the production of earthenware and concentrate entirely on producing fine bone china. This meant a complete change-around at the factory; this was to give the production a continuous flow from the slip house to the packaging house.