Royal Kendal

HUDSON & MIDDLETON LTD

1941–1975

Hudson & Middleton Ltd were important manufacturers of domestic earthenware and bone china wares including tea and tableware, floral china, ornamental china and bone china mugs. Trade names included Delphine China (to c.1947), Sutherland China, Royal Sutherland, and Royal Kendal. The Hudson & Middleton Ltd mark was a lion rampant flanked by the letters 'H' and 'M'.

Hudson & Middleton Ltd was established in 1941 through the amalgamation of two businesses owned by the Barlow and Chapman families and trading as ‘William Hudson & Co’ and ‘J. H. Middleton & Co.’.

The business was run by fathers and sons Eric Vardon Chapman and George E. V. Chapman, and Eric Hudson Barlow and Grenville Barlow from the 1950's.  In 1972 family control stopped when the business was sold to Barker Ellis Silver Co. Ltd of Birmingham. Barker Ellis continued the business under the Hudson & Middleton name, but production of earthenware ceased in 1974. In mid-1975 the residual Hudson & Middleton Ltd business including the Sutherland Works was sold to new owners including the former managing director George Fairweather. The new business operated as Hudson & Middleton (Longton) Ltd.

Hudson and Middleton