Alfred Meakin

Alfred Meakin Ltd was set up in 1875 and operated from the Royal Albert, Victoria and Highgate Potteries in Tunstall.

Alfred was the brother of George and James Meakin who ran a large pottery company in Hanley.

Royal Albert

I was very excited to spot this teacup in the charity shop. I quickly turned it into a candle for a present. 

The pottery mark underneath the cup.

Use of the name 'Royal Albert' dates from c.1904. Early marks (pre-c.1922) include a crown surrounded by a garter carrying the words 'Royal Albert Crown China' and the initials 'TCW'. From c.1917 to c.1935 the crown is surrounded by the words alone with the word 'England' beneath. Post 1935 marks use the words 'Royal Albert Bone China'. Many variations occur and the pattern name is often included. Elaborate floral backstamps are common on post-1945 wares.

Royal Albert Ltd marks include a multicolour floral spray, the pattern name and the company name. 'Royal Albert' was registered as a trade name in 1993 and in 2005 it became a Waterford-Wedgwood fine china brand.

Royal Albert

Wild (Thomas C. Wild (& Co.)) (1896–1917)

Thomas Clarke Wild joined his father, Thomas Wild, in the purchase of the Albert Works, Longton in 1895, and the partnership manufactured bone china tea ware as Thomas C. Wild & Co. Wild became sole proprietor on the death of his father in 1898 and from 1905 to 1917 the business traded simply as ‘Thomas C. Wild’. The St Mary’s Works, Longton, was purchased from Bernard Moore in 1905 and used initially for decoration of the products manufactured at the nearby Albert Works. As Wild’s business prospered he acquired other factories and pottery businesses, the Park Place Works was acquired in about 1910, followed by the Royal Albert China Works in 1917, the Shore & Coggins Ltd business (and Edensor Works) in 1918 and that of William Lowe in 1919. By the early 1920s Wild owned or had controlling interests in about 15 North Staffordshire potteries.

Thomas Wild's sons Thomas E. Wild and Frederick C. Wild joined the business in the early years of the 20th century and were admitted into partnership with their father in 1917, the business then trading as Thomas C. Wild & Sons. Wild retired from active management in 1932 and the business was incorporated as Thomas C. Wild & Sons Ltd with Thomas and Frederick Wild as the permanent directors. In the course of the 1930's the sons rationalised the business closing or selling off some of their father’s many acquisitions and, beginning in 1937, undertaking the modernisation and expansion of the St. Mary’s Works.

As a major exporter, the business remained in production during the Second World War and in 1946 the decision was made to again expand the St Mary’s Works. To fund the expansion the company was one of the first UK pottery businesses to list on the London Stock Exchange. The share issue, on 8th July 1947, closed five times oversubscribed only five minutes after opening. Control of the business, and its three remaining subsidiaries Roslyn China Ltd, Chapmans (Longton) Ltd, and Shore & Coggins Ltd, remained, however, firmly in the hands of the Wild brothers and their sons. The company acquired Paragon China Ltd in 1960 greatly expanding its manufacturing base.

Only four years later, in 1964, the Pearson Group through its subsidiary Lawleys Ltd made a cash and share offer for the whole share capital of T. C. Wild & Sons Ltd and the Wild family members accepted the offer. The new acquisition was merged by Pearson’s into their Lawley Group to form a new company Allied English Potteries Ltd although Wild and the other member companies continued to trade under their own, well-known, names. Thomas E. Wild was appointed as life president of Thomas C. Wild & Sons Ltd and sons Kenneth and Peter Wild joined the Board of the newly formed Allied English Potteries Ltd. The Wild businesses initially operated independently within Allied English Potteries, but in 1966 AEP closed the Shore & Coggins Ltd business, leading to the resignation of Peter Wild—ironically the closure was to free the Edensor Works to allow increased production of the Wilds’ own iconic Royal Albert china. In 1969 Kenneth Wild, managing director of T. C. Wild & Sons Ltd, and David Wild, managing director of Paragon China Ltd, (also an AEP Board member) resigned from their positions severing the last family links to the company founded by their grandfather.
http://www.potteryhistories.com/page100.html

Country Roses

In 1896, Thomas Clark Wild bought a pottery in Longton, Stoke on Trent, England, called Albert Works, which had been named the year before in honor of the birth of Prince Albert, who became King George VI in 1936. Using the brand name Albert Crown China, Thomas Wild and Co. produced commemorative bone-china pieces for Queen Victoria's 1897 Diamond Jubilee, and by 1904 had earned a Royal Warrant.

From the beginning, Royal Albert's bone china tableware was popular, especially its original floral patterns made in rich shades of red, green, and blue. Known for incredibly fine, white, and pure bone china, Royal Albert was given to the sentimental and florid excesses of Victorian Era England, making pattern after pattern inspired by English gardens and woodlands. With designs like Serena, Old English Roses, and Masquerade and motifs inspired by Japanese Imari, the company appealed to a wide range of tastes, from the simplest to the most aristocratic.

Before 1904, pieces of Wild's bone china were printed or impressed on the back with a simple crown mark with the letters "T.C.W." underneath. Between 1905 and 1907, pieces were stamped with the words “Royal Albert Crown China” between concentric circles around a crown and sometimes the letters "T.C.W." or the pattern’s name. Between 1907 and 1922, the new backstamp had a similar circular logo, but with the crown on top and interlocking "TCW" letters on the inside.

When Wild's sons joined the company in 1917, they quite naturally changed the firm’s name to "Thomas Wild & Sons" and started using a mark that doesn't have circles around the logo. Starting in 1927, Royal Albert used a wide variety of more stylized backstamps, some with the crown, some without, and others stylized with script and Art Deco lettering. Some of these marks even had roses or other parts of the pattern in them.

Purple Rose Meaning

 The primary meaning of a purple rose is Enchantment. Falling in love at the very first sight creates a magnetism that inspires the giving of a purple rose. The suitor is inspired to show their affection through the giving of a special gift. Falling in love at first sight, just like Cinderella’s Prince Charming. 

The purple rose has different meanings and is a favorite among rose lovers.

The meaning for a purple rose can also be protection or paternal/material love.

Enchantment or incantation means a magical spell, charm or bewitchment.

This implies that the magic can disappear as quickly as it appeared. Any shade of purple roses exudes a sense of majestic beauty.

Royal Albert American Beauty Rose

Royal Albert: Months of the Year

Lily of the Valley 

Royal Albert

Months of the year series 

This is a series of 12

Royal Albert

Old Country Roses
Harold Holdcroft first designed the Old Country Roses pattern in 1962. It was inspired by a typical English country garden with flowers in bloom. Today it is one of the most recognised and celebrated fine bone china patterns in the world which makes it as popular today as it was then.

Royal Albert:Flowers of the month

Company History

Wild (Thomas C. Wild (& Co.)) (1896–1917)

In 1895 Thomas Clarke Wild joined his father, Thomas Wild, in the purchase of the Albert Works, Longton, and the partnership manufactured bone china teaware as Thomas C. Wild & Co. Wild became sole proprietor on the death of his father in 1898 and from 1905 to 1917 the business traded simply as ‘Thomas C. Wild’. The St Mary’s Works, Longton, was purchased from Bernard Moore in 1905 and used initially for decoration of the products manufactured at the nearby Albert Works. As Wild’s business prospered he acquired other factories and pottery businesses, the Park Place Works was acquired in about 1910, followed by the Royal Albert China Works in 1917, the Shore & Coggins Ltd business (and Edensor Works) in 1918 and that of William Lowe in 1919. By the early 1920s Wild owned or had controlling interests in about 15 North Staffordshire potteries.

If you like floral designs then you will adore Royal Albert's Flower of the Month series. For every month, there is a beautiful and breathtaking flower for you to admire. 

The flower of the month for April is the Sweet Pea.

Royal Albert

Company History

Wild (Thomas C. Wild (& Co.)) (1896–1917)

Thomas Clarke Wild joined his father, Thomas Wild, in the purchase of the Albert Works, Longton in 1895. The partnership manufactured bone china tea ware as Thomas C. Wild & Co. Wild became sole proprietor on the death of his father in 1898 and from 1905 to 1917 the business traded simply as ‘Thomas C. Wild’. The St Mary’s Works, Longton, was purchased from Bernard Moore in 1905 and used initially for decoration of the products manufactured at the nearby Albert Works. As Wild’s business prospered he acquired other factories and pottery businesses, the Park Place Works was acquired in about 1910, followed by the Royal Albert China Works in 1917, the Shore & Coggins Ltd business (and Edensor Works) in 1918 and that of William Lowe in 1919. By the early 1920s Wild owned or had controlling interests in about 15 North Staffordshire potteries.

Flower of the Month 

May Teacup & Saucer

Flower: Lily of the Valley
To own a piece of Royal Albert is like having a piece of history in your hands.