Grace's Guide To British Industrial History

Registered UK Charity (No. 115342)

Grace's Guide is the leading source of historical information on industry and manufacturing in Britain. This web publication contains 164,965 pages of information and 246,440 images on early companies, their products and the people who designed and built them.

Grace's Guide is the leading source of historical information on industry and manufacturing in Britain. This web publication contains 147,919 pages of information and 233,587 images on early companies, their products and the people who designed and built them.

Royal Albert

From Graces Guide

1905-1917 Thomas C. Wild and Sons's line of china called Royal Albert appeared during this period.

1964 the Lawley Group was merged with Thomas C. Wild and Sons Ltd to become Allied English Potteries (AEP)[1].

1970 AEP renamed its Thomas C. Wild and Sons Ltd subsidiary as Royal Albert Ltd.

1971 S. Pearson and Son acquired Doulton and Co and the outstanding interests in Allied English Potteries that it did not already own[2]. As a result Royal Albert, as a part of Allied English Potteries, joined with Royal Doulton.

1972 the various AEP's companies were subsumed into Royal Doulton following Pearson's acquisition of Doulton. Royal Albert Ltd continued to manufacture the traditional fine bone china tableware and teawares made by its famous predecessor. Harold Holdcroft's Old Country Roses, introduced in 1962, remain as the flagship of the Royal Albert brand and continues in production as one of the world's most popular and well known china patterns. Designer Peter Roberts succeeded Holdcroft in 1972 and floral patterns continued to dominate the Royal Albert offering. In addition to teaware, the Royal Albert name has been used on fine dinnerware, giftware and commemoratives, especially those with a Royal connection.

1998 Royal Albert Ltd continued to operate as a unit of Royal Doulton until the St Mary's Works were closed with the loss of many hundreds of jobs. Manufacture of Royal Albert ware was transferred to other Doulton factories and to Doulton’s manufacturing plant in Indonesia

2002 UK production of ‘Royal Albert' ceased in December. St Mary’s Works was eventually purchased by a private owner with the intention of converting the building into a small pottery manufacturing site and visitor centre.



See Also

Loading...

Sources of Information

  1. The Times, 11 August 1969
  2. The Times, 3 November 1971