Group    From 1815  To 2009

Royal Doulton / Doulton Potteries

Categories: Craft / Design, Industry

Ceramic manufacturing company. Began with a factory at Vauxhall Walk, Lambeth. Initially a partnership of John Doulton, Martha Jones, and John Watts, Jones left in 1820 leaving the company name as Doulton & Watts. John Watts retired and in 1853 the company became Doulton & Co. It was Henry Doulton who introduced art ceramics into the business.

Doultons also manufactured some metal items, such as taps and cast iron baths and notably, the cast iron ‘swan’ benches on the Albert Embankment as can be seen by the stamp near their feet (brought to our attention by Memoirs of a Metro Girl).

In 1907/8 Mary Watts asked Royal Doulton to make tiles for the Postman's Park memorial. We wondered if this indicated that John Watts was related to G. F. Watts and that explained the commission but we think not. By this time G. F. Watts was dead and Mary Watts was forced to find another maker because De Morgan had ceased making tiles. She never liked Doulton's tiles nor, apparently, her husband's family so it seems unlikely that she chose Doultons for any familial reason.

The brand still exists, owned by a conglomerate, but the company folded in 2009.

We cannot discover whether the John Watts of Doulton & Watts was related in any way to G. F. Watts.

Other work in London includes: A corridor in St Thomas's Hospital is decorated with a number of lovely large Doulton panels depicting nursery rhymes, presumably saved when a children's ward was demolished. Some of the decorative elements on the nearby Beaufoy Institute are probably by Doulton.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Royal Doulton / Doulton Potteries

Commemorated ati

This section lists the memorials created by the subject on this page:
Royal Doulton / Doulton Potteries

Creations i

Apollo Inn

An information board near an entrance to the gardens informs: "Euterpe the M...

Read More

Doulton drinking fountain - Henry Fawcett

{It's highly probable that the fountain had a plaque commemorating Henry Fawc...

Read More

Henry Doulton's pottery

Vauxhall History gives: "Doulton worked closely with the renowned Lambeth Sch...

Read More

PP - 2A - Smith

This is a lovely plaque but the fireman's helmet on a plaque for a police con...

Read More

PP - 2E - Ricketts

PC Harold Frank Ricketts, Metropolitan Police, drowned at Teignmouth whilst t...

Read More

Other Subjects

Tallow Chandlers Company

Tallow Chandlers Company

Tallow chandlers make candles and other products from animal fat.  the Company originated as a religious fraternity.  1456 granted a coat of arms.  1462 became a Livery Company. 

Group, Craft / Design, Liveries & Guilds

2 memorials
The Potteries and the Piggeries

The Potteries and the Piggeries

A notorious Victorian slum in Kensington. From the late 18th century this was an area where bricks were made to supply nearby construction sites.  As London was developed agricultural activities w...

Place, Craft / Design, Property

1 memorial
John Cusworth

John Cusworth

British History On-line credits Cusworth with the Newby Place monument.   Mapping Sculpture provides some information. The stone masons John Cusworth & Sons was active 1825-79, at least two ge...

Person, Commerce, Craft / Design

1 memorial
Sir Ambrose Heal

Sir Ambrose Heal

Furniture designer and retailer. Born at Crouch End. Studied at the Slade School of Fine Art before joining the family firm which ran the Heal & Son department store. He designed the simple, st...

Person, Commerce, Craft / Design

3 memorials
John Hutton

John Hutton

Glass engraver. Born New Zealand. Moved to London as a young artist. Best known for work at Coventry Cathedral, where he is buried.

Person, Craft / Design, New Zealand

2 memorials

Previously viewed

World War 2

World War 2

Sorry, we've done no research on WW2, it's just too big a subject. But do visit the picture source web site - it has a fascinating collection of maps.  And we enjoyed these photos of current WW2 ev...

Event, Armed Forces, Tragedy

378 memorials
35 St Martin's Street

35 St Martin's Street

Three storey terrace house. Lived in by Isaac Newton 1710 - 1725, although he owned it until his death in 1727. When it was demolished the panelling of the front parlour was reconstructed as the Is...

Building, Literature, Property

1 memorial
New River Company

New River Company

See the New River for an explanation of why the New River Company came into being.  Puzzled why the Company should have been so involved in rebuilding after war damage we found the explanation at A...

Group, Industry

6 memorials
Stimpson & Co

Stimpson & Co

Builders of the 1892 Westminster Public Baths and Wash-houses.  

Group, Property

1 memorial