Toby Jugs

A Wilkinson 'Winston Churchill' Toby Jug by Clarice Cliff, circa 1941

Seen here holding a ship in his lap, seated on a Union flag, and a bulldog peeping around from behind. On the base is inscribed 'And may God defend the right', and on the rear inscribed 'Going into action'

Toby Jugs and Clarice Cliff

The Winston Churchill toby jug was part of a set of eleven Wilkinson toby jugs celebrating the Allied Commanders of the First World War.

The limited editions were produced between 1915 and 1919 and later 1941. They comprised of Lord Kitchener, Field Marshall Haig, Admiral Beatty, Admiral Jellicoe, Marshall Joffre, Lord French, David Lloyd George, Marshall Foch, General Botha, President Woodrow Wilson, King George V all designed by Carruthers Gould and, later in 1941, Winston Churchill designed by Clarice Cliff.

Toby Jug History

Toby jugs, also referred to as Fillpots or Philpot, are a pottery jug in the form of a seated person, or the head of a well known person. The original Toby Jug was developed and popularised in the 1760's by Staffordshire potters. Although the exact origins of the form are still today disputed, they nearly all originally depicted a rather rogueish chap who loved to live life to the excess- whether that be drinking, smoking, eating, and in Boris Johnson's case partying!

So, it seemed logical and apt to choose Boris as my inspiration for my sculpture. Though, my figure does not conform to the traditional form of the toby jug it borrows the humour and style from this genre. And when Boris received the sculpture, he, too, referred to it as a toby jug, as well as an ' amazing homunculus' (latin for 'little man').