About the maker
Trevor Corser (1938–2015) was a British studio potter who worked at the Leach Pottery in St Ives from 1966 until the workshop’s closure in 2005, making him the longest‑serving member of the Pottery. Born in Oldham, Lancashire, he arrived in St Ives initially as a fisherman and had no early plans to become a potter, but soon began working at the Leach Pottery, packing pots for transit and mixing clay. Over time he learned the skilled craft of a production potter, making the Pottery’s iconic standard ware and developing his own work within the Leach tradition.
Corser studied under Bernard Leach and worked alongside William Marshall, becoming one of the principal throwers and a mentor to many subsequent apprentices. He was known for his uncomplicated, functional pots and distinctive glazes, producing work firmly rooted in the teaching and aesthetic of the Leach Pottery. His independent work in stoneware and occasional porcelain was exhibited locally and internationally and is found in collections around the world.
Trevor Corser died on 30 November 2015 while preparing for a retrospective exhibition of his work at the Leach Pottery. In 2016, the Pottery presented Trevor Corser: 40 Years a Leach Potter, an exhibition tracing his long career and contribution to the studio.