Description:The front of the Sutherland China Works of Hudson and Middleton on Normacot Road in Longton. The works are on the south side of the road, opposite St James's Church. Farther down on the left, the building on the corner is the American Hotel, on the corner of Bagnall Street. Three old gas street lights are visible.
Hudson & Middleton operated here from 1941 with the wartime amalgamation of works belonging to the Hudson and the Middleton families. These works had previously been operated from 1889 by William Hudson producing fine quality bone china mugs and tea sets and the company was one of the last remaining potteries manufacturing all of their fine bone china mugs in England.
Built around 1850, the front range and three bottle ovens behind are grade II listed buildings. The factory was the site of the last firing of a bottle kiln with coal in 1978, organised by the nearby Gladstone Pottery.