Tableware Blog — A Brief History

For more than 200 years, Britain was at the very heart of the world’s pottery and tableware industry. Names such as Wedgwood, Royal Doulton, Spode, Denby, Johnson Brothers and Poole Pottery became synonymous with quality, craftsmanship and innovation.

Paragon China was founded in 1897 in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, originally operating as the Star China Company under Herbert Aynsley and Hugh Irving. Around 1900, the name “Paragon” began to appear on its wares, and by 1919, the business formally adopted the name Paragon China Company...

It is doubtful that when Jesse Carter bought up a broken down pottery site in Poole, Dorset in 1873, he had any idea of the impact this would have on the future of UK pottery. In the early years the business was tough and concentrated on architectural ceramics but...

The tableware industry in the United Kingdom has undergone significant changes over the past 50 years. From advancements in manufacturing techniques to shifts in consumer preferences, the industry has adapted to meet the demands of a rapidly changing market. In this blog post, we will...

Wedgwood is one of the most popular manufacturers of fine china, tableware, porcelain and numerous luxury accessories. The company has been around since 1759, making it one of the oldest china and tableware companies in the country. It was created by Josiah Wedgwood. Just 6...

Hornsea Pottery was created in 1949 by two brothers named Desmond and Colin Rawson, with the help of funding from a local businessman named Philip Clappison. The company began with Plaster of Paris giftware for sale in Hornsea on the East Yorkshire coast. The original...

Royal Worcester, a revered porcelain company, was created in 1751 by Doctor John Wall and a group of local businessmen. One of their first product lines was the Worcester porcelain, painted in blue under the glaze. Soon Robert Hancock arrived at Royal Worcester, and he...

Royal Doulton was a company widely known for creating some of the highest quality collectibles and tableware in the world. It was created in 1815 by John Doulton, Martha Jones and John Watts, and it was designed to primarily create luxury ceramics, at least in...