Thus in 1752 he got 7_s._ a week, and an earnest of 5_s._; and in the following year he was raised to 7_s._ 6_d._ per week, with the unusually high earnest of £1 11_s._ 6_d._ At this time he must have been married, for in the same year, 1754, it appears the second Josiah Spode was born. But little is known of the early life of this second Josiah Spode; the probability, however, is that his father, after leaving Whieldon’s service, commenced a small manufactory on his own account, and that he learned the business with him. About 1770, Spode (the son at that time being about sixteen years old) is stated to have taken the works at Stoke, previously carried on by Messrs. Turner, or Turner and Banks. He is said also to have introduced, about 1784, transfer printing into Stoke. Previous to this time Mr. William Copeland, of London (a native of Stoke), who travelled in the tea trade, made the acquaintance of Mr. Spode and offered to undertake a commission to sell his tea ware and other goods to his customers. The enterprise was very successful, and a warehouse was taken in Fore Street, Cripplegate, London, for the general sale of Spode’s goods. Trade increasing rapidly, Mr. Copeland, who became a partner with Mr. Spode, afterwards, in 1779, purchased the property, 37, Lincoln’s Inn Fields, and, at the back, in Portugal Street, opened an immense depot for the sale of pottery goods, in the place where stood the theatre (originally built by D’Avenant in 1662, and rebuilt by Rich in 1714), famous as being the house in which Garrick first appeared; the original Joe Miller flashed out his witticisms; and where the _Recruiting Officer_, the _Beggars’ Opera_, &c., were first produced. This establishment was managed by Mr. Copeland; the manufactory being conducted entirely by Mr. Spode. Mr. Spode’s son, who was ultimately taken into partnership with his father, was for a time in the London house, but on the death of the latter, in 1797, he returned to Stoke, and devoted himself to the manufactory. In 1800 Mr. Spode commenced making porcelain in addition to earthenware, and was the first to introduce felspar into its composition. In 1805 he introduced an opaque porcelain, known as “ironstone china,” which he manufactured to a very large extent, and exported in immense quantities to France and other countries. In 1806 H.R.H. the Prince of Wales visited the works, and Mr. Spode was appointed potter to him. The porcelain, the ironstone china, and the ordinary earthenware manufactured at this time were of the very highest character, both in body, in glaze, and in decoration; indeed, in all three of these respects they rank with the best of the period.