Green’s Dictionary of Slang

a leader, an important person.

1878		Gloucester Jrnl 11 May 7/3: Oh, we big pots must expect that sort of thing. They poo-pooh’d you once, m’Lud.
1880		E.J. Milliken ‘Cad’s Calendar’ in Punch Almanack n.p.: Lor! If I’d the ochre, make no doubt, I could cut no end of big pots out. Call me cad? When money’s in the game, Cad and swell are pooty much the same.
1890		Sporting Times 22 Mar. 2/2: You can see they’re ladies—probably daughters of some big pot along this road.
1898		Binstead & Wells A Pink ’Un and a Pelican 36: One of the big pots at St Martin’s called on Joe at his London address.
1900		J. Conrad Lord Jim 146: This was his introduction to an old chap called Doramin – one of the principal men out there – a big pot – who had been Mr Stein’s friend in that country where he had all these adventures.
1907		Godfrey & Victoria [perf. Vesta Victoria] Mary Queen of Scots 🎵 Said that I’d mix with the Lords and the Dukeses / And he’d introduce me to all the ‘big pots’ .
1910		Wodehouse Psmith in the City (1993) 27: You’re the dickens of a big pot right away, with a big screw and a dozen native Johnnies under you.
1912		R.W. Brown ‘Word-List From Western Indiana’ in DN III:viii 577: great pot, n. A person of much importance. ‘He’s in favor of it, and he’s a great pot, too.’.
1914		R. Tressell Ragged Trousered Philanthropists (1955) 524: What’s to become of the King, and the Royal Family, and all the Big Pots?
1915		Bulletin (Sydney) 11 Dec. 15/3: During the day the Big Pots come up and looked the place over.
1938		L. Ortzen Down Donkey Row 107: Yer build up a little business of yer own – and wot ’appens? The big pots come along and smother yer.
1946		S. Jackson An Indiscreet Guide to Soho 66: Someone told me he was a big pot in Whitehall.
1956		R.T. Hopkins Banker Tells All 22: A big pot from the Office of Works took us off that work and put us on this here digging job.
1960, 1975		Wentworth & Flexner DAS.