Royal Worcester (1751-2008)
Royal Worcester is a historic English porcelain manufacturer based in Worcester and is one of the oldest porcelain companies still in operation, alongside Royal Crown Derby. It was founded in 1751 by physician John Wall and apothecary William Davis, who convinced 13 businessmen to invest in a new porcelain factory located at Warmstry House on the banks of the River Severn. Prior to this, Wall and Davis had conducted experiments with porcelain-like materials, though their success is not well documented. They secured £4,500 from investors to launch the business, initially named The Worcester Tonquin Manufactory. In 1752, the company acquired the Bristol porcelain manufactory of Lund and Miller, a key part of their expansion strategy, with the help of major shareholder Richard Holdship. Holdship, a Quaker, personally secured a soaprock mining license from fellow Quaker Benjamin Lund, ensuring access to a crucial material for porcelain production.
In 1783, Thomas Flight, formerly the company’s London sales agent, purchased the factory for £3,000. His sons took over management, with John Flight leading the company until his death in 1791. During a royal visit in 1788, King George III granted the factory a royal warrant, and it became known as the Royal Porcelain Works. Under the leadership of the Flight and Barr families, the factory produced soft-paste porcelain using soapstone, known for its resistance to cracking in hot water. However, this material fell out of favor in the 1790s with the rise of bone china, although the company continued producing soapstone porcelain until its merger with Chamberlain in 1840.
early 1900 Worcester mark on a Royal Worcester Bowl Painted By Austin previously sold by Jacksons Antique
Worcester porcelain later included hard-paste wares produced by Chamberlain’s and Grainger’s factories. Both companies began as decorators, painting porcelain blanks made by other manufacturers before starting their own production. Chamberlain’s Factory, which started manufacturing in 1791, earned a royal warrant from the Prince Regent in 1811 due to its exceptional quality. In 1840, Chamberlain’s merged with the main Flight and Barr operation to form Chamberlain & Company, a strategic move in a challenging market.
Grainger’s Factory, established in 1807, produced porcelain of a slightly lower quality than Chamberlain’s. Despite a series of partnerships and name changes, the Grainger family maintained significant control until the last family member passed in 1889, at which point Royal Worcester took over. The Grainger & Co. name and factory continued to operate under Royal Worcester until 1902, with some Grainger molds still in use by Royal Worcester into the 21st century.
Royal Worcester faced market challenges starting in the 1970s, merging with Spode in 1976. After years of financial difficulties and layoffs, the company entered administration in 2008. The brand name and intellectual property were acquired by the Portmeirion Group, a pottery and homewares company based in Stoke-on-Trent.