Stanley Thorogood was born in Rochford, Essex England, on 1 June 1873 and studied at Brighton School of Art in Brighton, Sussex and at the Royal College of Art in London, where he was a Royal Exhibitioner, a gold medallist and a travelling scholar. He subsequently worked as a ceramist, enameller and painter. Thorogood was also superintendent of art instruction for the Borough of Stoke on Trent, and was Principal of Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts in London from 1920 until his retirement in 1938.

A photograph of a pottery group of a woman on a horse, designed and made by Thorogood is illustrated in 'The Studio Yearbook of Decorative Art' 1926 (p.127); and a photograph of 'The Challenger', a pottery group of a man on a horse, designed and executed by Thorogood in underglaze and coloured glazes is illustrated in 'Decorative Art' 1928 (p.153).

Thorogood designed figurines for Royal Doulton and was one of the earliest exhibitors of ceramic figures at the Royal Academy. He also showed his work at Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool, the Paris Salon, and elsewhere.

Thorogood was elected a member of the Art Workers Guild in 1921. His address was given as Cliftonville, Marsh Road, Wolstanton, Stoke-on-Trent (1905, 1916) and The Garth, Cornwall Gardens, Brighton (1923, 1937).

Thorogood died in Brighton, Sussex on 7 November 1953. His address at the time of his death was 28 Cornwall Gardens, Brighton, Sussex.

His work is represented in the permanent collections of the museums in Brighton and Stoke-on-Trent.