Early Staffordshire pearlware and creamware pottery figures

Roger Giles

3/15/2009

When my book was published, I received a phone call. The lady at the other end was polite, but she wanted me to know she was annoyed. I had photographed some figures in her small collection for possible inclusion in my book, and I was a little embarrassed at having been able to include just one....so I held my breath! No, it was not the fact a mere lone figure had made it into the book. What had her really ticked was that I had not included her Roger Giles.

Well, you could have bowled me over with a feather. Firstly, I had not photographed her Roger Giles. Secondly, she had not even shown it to me. So I drew a deep breath and told her the truth: I had not included a Roger Giles because the cut-off date for my book was 1835 and I was not sure of the earliest possible date for a Roger Giles figure.

Well, since that time, I have come across three pearlware figures of Roger Giles that I believe date c1835, so perhaps Roger would have made it into the book, if I had seen him. As you can see below, the figure is small--about 4 inches high--and serves as a pepper pot (the hat is pierced and the opening beneath can be closed with a cork).

Staffordshire figure depicting Roger Giles. Picture courtesy of Andrew Dando Antiques.

'Sherratt' style Staffordshire figure depicting Roger Giles.

So why is Roger Giles squatting immodestly with his trousers pulled down? He is laying eggs of course! Roger Giles was a Devonshire jack-of-all-trades who supposedly advertised on a signboard to sell his fresh eggs, newly laid by him every day. I have found several versions of this rambling grammatical disaster, some claiming to be copied from a handbill, others claiming to be copied from a signboard. I am frustrated at not being able to pin a date to Roger Giles's attempt at marketing--not yet, anyway.

For a long time I did not want to own a Roger Giles because I thought the figure unattractively crude. Then I found my little Roger Giles, above, and I was smitten. Like the example in Andrew Dando's photograph, my figure is colorful and charming. A good early Roger Giles is difficult to find, but then the fun is in the search--and the reward is life-long. Happy hunting!

5 Comments

Joan & Alan Giles link

11/25/2009 06:44:24 am

Greetings,

We have a Roger Giles figurine, different from both the above photographs. The only identification on the base is the capital letter "L".

Integral with Roger Giles is a white plinth on front of which are the words 'ROGER GILES'.

We would be quite happy to send photographs of our RG.

With our thanks, Joan & Alan, Victoria, Australia

Marilyn Howells (nee Williams) link

2/8/2012 11:03:44 pm

I am the proud owner of two matching (not a pair - they're both facing the same way) Roger Giles Staffordshire figures They are a fraction under 5" tall and are on a square white base with the name ROGER GILES incised and high-lighted in black. They are wearing navy-blue jackets, grey-brown trousers, nankeen yellow socks, black shoes and grey hats.
I inherited them from my father, who inherited them from his mother (l862-1937). Grandmother was living in St. Mary's, Isles of Scilly, and after leaving school she was sent, in 1876 or 1877, to St. Ives in Cornwall to help her maternal Aunt Lavinia and Uncle "Sam" Trevail in their shop, The Old Curiosity Shop, which I believe was situated in Custom House Passage or Custom House Lane. Samson Trevail (b. C.1845) was a cutler, later adding umbrella-repairing in Penzance to his skills. He may have sold his wares in the shop.
When Grandmother returned to Scilly she took with her the two Roger Giles figures from The Old Curiosity Shop in St. Ives as a thank you present for her help. Later, in both her marital home and that of my parents, they were displayed in niches on either side of the fire-place. In both homes the boys of the family took a wicked delight in turning the figures back-to-front when polite company was expected - thus displaying their naked pink bottoms. As you know Roger Giles was "laying hegges" !
Needless to say, they are two of my most treasured possessions simply because of their connection with the past and with a grandmother who died on Christmas Day 1937, a year to the day before I was born on Christmas Day 1938.

Ruth Hynett

6/17/2022 12:38:05 pm

Hi. I am fascinated to read your article. I too have a Roger Giles although mine appears to be stoneware with traditional treacle brown glaze over cream. The face is crudely drawn whilst Roger's hat has a ribbon rosette. I have not seen anything like him on the internet. I wonder if you might have an idea of his age? I would be happy to supply a photograph. Thank you.