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The first two phases in the evolution of the Doulton story were the establishment of the firm in Lambeth in London by John Doulton and later in Burslem in Staffordshire by Henry Doulton. The story is completed after 1901 with the granting of the title Royal which allowed the firm to be called Royal Doulton. Henry Louis Doulton was now the Managing Director.
Royal Doulton at Lambeth
The building industry was very depressed at the start of the 20th century and the First World War almost paralysed production. The Lambeth branch of Royal Doulton survived by manufacturing utilitarian products such as porcelain electrical insulators and chemical laboratory containers. Post-war rationalisation saw dispersal of manufacture of these goods to various other sites in England. Doulton house was erected on the Albert embankment near Lambeth Bridge in 1939. The Second World War saw a further need for manufacture of utilitarian wares for the services. However, rationalisation was completed after the war and the Lambeth branch closed in 1956.
Royal Doulton at Burslem
John Slater was retained as Decorating Manager when the firm became Doulton and Company in 1882 and John Cuthbert Bailey was appointed General Manager at the age of 23. Charles J Noke moved from Worcester to become Chief Modeller in 1889. Slater retired in 1914 and Charles Noke was appointed as Art Director until he retired in 1936. For the last 16 years of his tenure, Charles Noke worked in association with his son Cecil J Noke (Jack) who succeeded his father as Art Director in 1936 and Jack held the position until his sudden death in 1954. John Bailey’s son Cuthbert Bailey joined the firm in 1900 but left in 1907 and worked with other companies until he was invited back to succeed his father as General Manager in 1925. These pioneers experimented with totally new glazing techniques to make Flambe wares which were a triumph at the St. Louis exhibition of 1904, many other new glazing and design techniques such as Holbien, Rembrandt and Morrisian wares and the highly popular Kingsware, and Sung and Chang wares which were first exhibited at the British Industrial Fair at Crystal Palace in 1920.
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Chelsea Bird Dittersham on Dart
Hand-painted Royal Doulton plates
Henry Louis Doulton retired as Managing Director in 1919 and was succeeded by Sir Henry Doulton's grandson Lewis Eric Hooper who remained as chairman of the board from 1925 until 1955. Royal Doulton pioneered introduction of new techniques for ceramics, glazes, shapes and kiln construction. A huge range of Series Ware based on the works of various artists and authors had been developing since the late 19th century and particularly became popular in the boom after the First World War. Ceramic figures had been introduced at Doulton Lambeth by George Tinworth, and their production was further developed at Burslem by Charles Noke. Serious production began in 1913 particularly under the direction of Harry Nixon with the first in the series renamed Darling by Queen Mary after it was presented to her at the factory in 1913; it was given the backstamp HN-1. All succeeding figures had the HN backstamp until about 1940. The artist Leslie Haridine commenced an independent association modelling figures for Royal Doulton after the First World War and this continued for some 40 years. Peggy Davies continued the tradition after the Second World War. Character jugs became highly popular after their introduction by Charles Noke in the early 1930s. After the First World War, Tableware became the mainstay of the business and this continues to the present day.
Henry Louis Doulton
Lewis Eric Hooper
After the Second World War, the company divided its activities into four major subsidiaries; Doulton Fine China Ltd, Doulton Industrial Porcelain Ltd, Doulton Sanitary Pottery Ltd and Doulton Petrified Pipes Ltd. Subsidiary companies were established in Australia, South Africa, Canada and the United States. In 1960, the firm introduced translucent china, a less expensive intermediate between fine bone china and earthenware. Royal Doulton Tableware (Holdings) Ltd was established and acquired the firms of Royal Crown Derby, Minton, Royal Albert, Royal Adderley, Queen Anne, Paragon, Booths, Ridgway, Beswick and Webb Corbett. Royal Doulton continues to be the major ceramics company to the present day.
Baby Bunting Blue skies Coaching Days
Royal Doulton Series Ware
Pattern and Code Numbers
The following numbers indicate the approximate periods during which patterns were first introduced. Some patterns remained in production and kept the same number for many years. However, backstamps regularly changed and these can help to establish the period of production. Many pieces also carry an impressed or printed indication of when they were made. The impressed date may give the year only eg 1905; the month and year eg 10-08 for October 1908, or the full date eg 2-5-09 for 2nd May 1909.
Printed dates are also indicated on bone china pieces after 1927 by a code number beside the backstamp starting with 1 for 1928 and up to 30 for 1957.
D-Numbers (Earthenware)
1-339 1899 4823 -4969 1929
340-769 1900 4970 -5069 1930
770-1137 1901 5070-5169 1931
1138 -1495 1902 5170-5230 1932
1496 -1869 1903 5231 -5429 1933
1870 -2161 1904 5430 -5520 1934
2162-2442 1905 5521-5612 1935
2443-2723 1906 5613-5749 1936
2724-2914 1907 5750-5875 1937
2915-3079 1908 5876-6009 1938
3080-3229 1909 6010-6110 1939
3230-3374 1910 6111-6285 1940 -1948
3375-3519 1911 6286-6390 1949 -1952
3520-3635 1912 6391-6408 1953
3636 -3714 1913 6409-6438 1954
3715 -3821 1914 6439-6454 1955
3822 -3939 1915 6455-6464 1956
3940 -4074 1916-1918 6465 -6492 1957
4075 -4143 1919-1920 6493-6507 1958
4144 -4230 1921-1922 6508-6547 1959
4231 -4360 1923 6548-6558 1960
4361 -4470 1924 6559-6567 1961
4471 -4559 1925 6568-6587 1962
4560 -4659 1926 6588-6596 1963
4660 -4737 1927 6597-6006 1964
4738 -4822 1928
E-Numbers (Bone China)
1- 940 1901-02 6016-7683 1911
941-1950 1903 7684-8277 1912
1951-3040 1904 8278-8933 1913
3041-4054 1905-06 8934-9527 1914
4055-6015 1907-10 9528-10000 1915
H-Numbers (Bone China)
1-359 1916 4241-4329 1934
360-709 1917 4330-4425 1935
710-759 1918 4426-4519 1936
760-906 1919 4520-4609 1937
907-1049 1920 4610 -4710 1938
1050-1179 1921 4711-4821 1939-1942
1180-1443 1922 4822-4849 1943-1946
1444-1812 1923 4850-4906 1947-1952
1813-2268 1924 4907-4930 1953
2269-2649 1925 4931-4935 1954
2650-3180 1926 4936-4941 1955
3181-3599 1927 4942-4950 1956-1957
3600-3770 1928 4951-4956 1958
3771-3909 1929 4957-4959 1959
3910-4010 1930 4960-4961 1960
4011-4099 1931 4962-4964 1961
4100-4189 1932 4965-4968 1962
4190-4240 1933 4969-4975 1963
V-Numbers (Bone China)
V-numbers were used after 1927 for patterns on an ivory tinted china body.
1 - 376 1927-1928 1801-1909 1937
377-820 1929 1910-2069 1938
821-1000 1930 2070-2170 1939
1001-1190 1931 2171-2250 1940
1191-1320 1932 2251 -2295 1941-1942
1321-1940 1933 2296 -2365 1943-1948
1491-1619 1934 2366 -2384 1949-1950
1620-1710 1935 2385 -2400 1951-1954
1711-1800 1936
RA-Numbers
Hand-painted wares designed and decorated by Robert Allen and artists in his studios, were often given hand written RA-numbers RA-numbering was continued for several years after Allen retired.
Book Nos. Pattern Nos. Book Purchase Date
1-6 RA 1- 763 Books purchased before Nov. 1892 are missing.
7 RA 764-1323 Nov. 1892
8-9 RA 1324–2234 Missing
10 RA 2235–2763 Nov. 1897
11 RA 2764-3254 Jan. 1899
12 RA 3255-3705 Dec. 1900
13 RA 3706-5000 Apr. 1902
14 RA 5001-5404 Apr. 1903
15 RA 5405-5805 May 1904
16 RA 5806-6202 Oct. 1905
17 RA 6203-6602 Feb. 1907
18 RA 6603-7002 May 1908
19 RA 7003-7402 Dec. 1909
20 RA 7403-7806 Apr. 1911
21 RA 7807-8204 " Nov. 1912
22 RA 8205-8606 Probably early 1914.
23 RA 8607–9004 First World War period.
24 RA 9005-9402 Apr. 1919
25 RA 9403-9802 Aug. 1921
26 RA 9803-9999
RA 1-199 Nov. 1923
27 RA 200-509 Dec.1925-Nov. 1928
28 RA 510-709 Nov.1928-Dec. 1930
29 RA 710-906 Dec.1930-June 1932
30 RA 907-1112 June1932-Nov. 1933
31 RA 1113-1333 Nov.1933-June 1934
32 RA 1334-1538 June1934-Mar. 1937
33 RA 1539-1741 Mar.1937- ? 1943
34 RA 1742-1774 During the Second World War.
The RA-numbers were discontinued about 1943 or 1944.
Charles Noke launched Royal Doulton figures
In 1912-13 and these were given an HN number for Harry Nixon who was the artist responsible for their design and painting. The first figure was HN1 "Darling" made for Queen Mary.
Backstamps
Various special marks will be found on figures, character jugs and series ware indicating the design such as Titanium, Morrisian, Brangwyn, Flambe, Sung or Chang, or the series patterns such as Under the Greenwood Tree, The Gallant Fishers and Bunnykins. Three examples are shown:
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