The Royal Albert brand only came into being in 1904, even though the pottery works where it was produced, the Albert Works, (named after Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s Consort and husband), had been in production since 1846.
Thomas Clarke Wild and his father, Thomas Wild Senior, bought the Albert Works, in Longton, in 1895. They decided to specialise in affordable tea, breakfast and dessert wares with floral designs, branded as Thomas C. Wild & Co, 1 with a backstamp of "T.C.W".
The association with name of Prince Albert ultimately led to the future success of the company. Thomas Wild and Co produced a range of Commemorative pieces for Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee, and she presented them with a Royal Warrant.
Thomas Clarke Wild II became sole proprietor on the death of his father in 1898. In 1904, as a result of the Royal Warrant and their
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many links to the Royal Household, he decided to take the brand name of Royal Albert.
Royal Albert soon established itself as a leading producer of high-quality bone china, specializing in tea sets and dinnerware. The company's early designs were heavily influenced by the Art Nouveau and Art Deco movements, which were popular at the time.
In the 1920s, Royal Albert began producing a series of commemorative pieces to mark special events such as the coronation of King George V in 1911 and the Silver Jubilee of King George V in 1935. These pieces were highly sought after by collectors and helped to establish Royal Albert as a premier maker of fine china.
As the business prospered Thomas Wild II acquired other factories and by the early 1920s, owned, or had controlling interests in, about 15 North Staffordshire potteries.
During World War II, as a successful exporter, the business remained in production. After the war, the company resumed its normal production of fine china, introducing new designs that were more modern and vibrant, such as the Old Country Roses pattern which was launched in 1962 and became the company's most successful design.
In 1964, Royal Albert, still trading as T. C. Wild & Sons Ltd was purchased by the Pearson Group, which was itself taken over by Allied English Potteries (AEP) in 1970. At this time the name of the business itself was changed to Royal Albert Ltd.
In 1972, Royal Albert was merged in to the Royal Doulton group, which continued to produce Royal Albert china patterns. Production of Royal Albert China was moved to Indonesia in 2002. In 2005, the company was acquired by the Waterford Wedgwood group, but in 2009, following the collapse of the group, Royal Albert was acquired by WWRD Holdings Ltd., which is now part of the Fiskars Corporation.
Today, Royal Albert continues to produce high-quality bone china, with many of its classic designs still in production, including Old Country Roses, Moonlight Rose, and Lady Carlyle. The company also releases new designs and collections, often inspired by British culture and heritage.
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