Les Blakebrough (1932- ) came to Australia from England in 1948. He studied painting and ceramics at East Sydney Technical College from 1955-1957, then joined Ivan McMeekin as a trainee at Sturt Pottery, Mittagong, taking over as Manager from 1959-1972, and as Director of the Sturt Group of Workshops from 1964-1972. In 1963 he studied with Takeichi Kawai in Kyoto. In 1973 he was appointed senior lecturer in ceramics at the Tasmanian School of Art, setting up a studio at Mt Nelson, Hobart in 1974 which became the Pot Company in 1976. In the mid-1980s he became interested in porcelain, his research leading him to develop a clay called Southern Ice, which he currently fires unglazed using metal salts to colour the surface and a deep etching process for decoration. Since 1996, he has been Principal Research Fellow of the Ceramic Research Unit at the University of Tasmania. His work is marked with an impressed or embossed 'LB' or full signature.