Warrant_stating_the_occasion_2014-07-15_03-59

The Paragon China Company was a British manufacturer of

bone china Bone china is a type of vitreous, translucent pottery, the raw materials for which include bone ash, feldspathic material and kaolin. It has been defined as "ware with a translucent body" containing a minimum of 30% of phosphate derived from c ...

from 1919 to 1960, based in Longton,

Stoke-on-Trent Stoke-on-Trent (often abbreviated to Stoke) is a city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Staffordshire, England. It has an estimated population of 259,965 as of 2022, making it the largest settlement in Staffordshire ...

, previously known as the Star China Company, and more recently part of the

Royal Doulton Royal Doulton is an English ceramic and home accessories manufacturer that was founded in 1815. Operating originally in Vauxhall, London, and later moving to Lambeth, in 1882 it opened a factory in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, in the centre of Engl ...

group. Paragon was noted for producing high quality

teaware Teaware is a broad international spectrum of equipment used in the brewing and consumption of tea. Many components make up that spectrum, and vary greatly based upon the type of tea being prepared, and the culture, cultural setting in which it is ...

and

tableware Tableware items are the dishware and utensils used for setting a table, serving food, and dining. The term includes cutlery, glassware, serving dishes, serving utensils, and other items used for practical as well as decorative purposes. The ...

, and was granted royal warrants of appointment by several members of the

British Royal Family The British royal family comprises Charles III and other members of his family. There is no strict legal or formal definition of who is or is not a member, although the Royal Household has issued different lists outlining who is considere ...

History

The Star China company was founded in 1897 as a

partnership A partnership is an agreement where parties agree to cooperate to advance their mutual interests. The partners in a partnership may be individuals, businesses, interest-based organizations, schools, governments or combinations. Organizations ...

between Herbert Aynsley (great-grandson of the founder of

Aynsley China Aynsley China Ltd. was a British manufacturer of bone china tableware, giftware and commemorative items. History The company was founded in 1775 by John Aynsley in Lane End, Longton, Staffordshire. In 1861 his grandson John Aynsley built the ...

) and Hugh Irving, trading until 1919, and using ''Paragon'' as a trade name from about 1900. In 1919, after Aynsley's retirement the company name was changed to Paragon China Company Limited. Irving's two sons subsequently became

managing director A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a chief executive or managing director, is the top-ranking corporate officer charged with the management of an organization, usually a company or a nonprofit organization. CEOs find roles in variou ...

s of the business. In its early history the firm manufactured tea and breakfast wares, exporting to Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. However, in the 1930s, Paragon expanded both its market, to include the Americas, and its range of products to include

dinnerware Tableware items are the dishware and utensils used for setting a table, serving food, and dining. The term includes cutlery, glassware, serving dishes, serving utensils, and other items used for practical as well as decorative purposes. The q ...

. Also at this time, Paragon began its move towards creating a smokeless factory, installing electric

kiln A kiln is a thermally insulated chamber, a type of oven, that produces temperatures sufficient to complete some process, such as hardening, drying, or Chemical Changes, chemical changes. Kilns have been used for millennia to turn objects m ...

s. The 1960s saw the company change hands several times, owned for a while by T.C. Wild, then forming part of Allied English Potteries, then becoming part of Royal Doulton. The Paragon name has been retained, mainly with designs based on traditional floral patterns. The early Paragon pattern books are presumed lost, however the royal commemorative designs are still sought by collectors.

Royal warrants

* 1926 - The

Duchess of York Duchess of York is the principal courtesy title held by the wife of the Duke of York. Three of the eleven Dukes of York either did not marry or had already assumed the throne prior to marriage, while two of the Dukes married twice; therefore, th ...

( Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon) commissioned china for the nursery of Princess Elizabeth (now Queen

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...

). This pattern is known as "Two for Joy", originating from the English number rhyme ''One for sorrow, Two for joy'' associated with

magpie Magpies are birds of various species of the family Corvidae. Like other members of their family, they are widely considered to be intelligent creatures. The Eurasian magpie, for instance, is thought to rank among the world's most intelligent c ...

s, and the legend that two magpies were seen at the christening of Princess Elizabeth. * 1930 - The Duchess of York commissioned a tea service to mark the birth of Princess Margaret Rose (later

Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon (Margaret Rose; 21 August 1930 – 9 February 2002) was the younger daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. She was the younger sister and only sibling of Queen Elizabeth II. Ma ...

). This pattern also has two birds, as well as marguerite and

rose A rose is either a woody perennial plant, perennial flowering plant of the genus ''Rosa'' (), in the family Rosaceae (), or the flower it bears. There are over three hundred Rose species, species and Garden roses, tens of thousands of cultivar ...

flower designs, referring to the

given name A given name (also known as a forename or first name) is the part of a personal name quoted in that identifies a person, potentially with a middle name as well, and differentiates that person from the other members of a group (typically a f ...

s of the princess. * 1933 - Queen Mary granted a Royal Warrant of Appointment * 1937 - King George VI and Queen Elizabeth granted a royal warrant for the occasion of their coronation * 1938 - Queen Elizabeth (the future Queen Mother) and Queen Mary granted a Royal Warrant of Appointment * 1953 - Queen Elizabeth II granted a Royal Warrant of Appointment

References

Stoke-on-Trent museum research resource

article from ''British Potters and Pottery Today'', by Cyril G. E. Bunt, 1956

External links

Exploringthepotteries.org.uk: Paragon pieces to explore online
{{Stoke-on-Trent Ceramics manufacturers of England Companies based in Stoke-on-Trent Staffordshire pottery British companies established in 1897 Design companies established in 1897 Manufacturing companies established in 1897 British royal warrant holders Privately held companies of the United Kingdom