Leach, David
 

David Leach
May 2000

David Leach was born in Tokyo in 1911, and was first taught to pot not by his father Bernard but by Shoji Hamada. He studied at North Staffs Technical College and in 1930 joined the Leach Pottery where he stayed, on and off, for twenty-five years. He helped the family business in artistic, practical, technical and managerial capacities.

In 1953 he headed the ceramics department of Loughborough College. He started the Aylesford Pottery in 1954, handing it over a year later to Colin Pearson.

After the handover of Aylesford Pottery he moved to Bovey Tracey in Devon and set up Lowerdown Pottery.

He was awarded the O.B.E in 1987, and is important for his development of porcelain suitable for studio pottery and his services to education. David died in February, 2005.

His three sons; John, Jeremy and Simon are all potters.

Lowerdown Pottery
 

David Leach set up Lowerdown Pottery in Bovey Tracey, South Devon, in 1955 after handing over the running of Aylesford Pottery to Colin Pearson, and remained there until his death in February, 2005.

In his early days at Lowerdown he specialized in slipware before turning his attention to stoneware and fine porcelain. The porcelain work is characterized by fine carving and his pale green celadon glaze. He makes his own tools from simple materials, and uses both kick- and power wheels.

Since 1970 David's son Jeremy Leach has potted at Lowerdown. The pottery's gallery displays much of David's work, and the work of other fine potters - notably that of his sons Jeremy and Simon.