Wade Ceramics
Encyclopedia
Wade Ceramics Ltd. are manufacturers of porcelain
and earthenware
, including animal figures for their Collectors Club, whisky flagons, and a variety of industrial ceramics.
In the 1950s, the Wade potteries created "Whimsies," small solid porcelain animal figures first developed by Sir George Wade
, which became popular and collectable in Britain and America. Their other brand names of inexpensive collectable porcelain include, "TV Pets," "Whoppas," and "Minikins".
Over the years, Wade has produced many licensed pieces based on popular TV shows, comic books, Disney
films, and more recently the Mr. Men
books and Pokémon
.
It was originally made up of a number of different companies founded by various members of the Wade family, and was only finally united as Wade Potteries Limited in 1958. The original companies were:
In 1905, George Wade & Son took over rival company Henry Hallen. As the Hallen firm was owned by a distant relation and was founded in 1810, Wade Ceramics (through this) claim to have been established in 1810.
In the 1930s Colonel Sir George Wade gained control of the Wade companies that had previously been run by his father and uncles. He also started further Wade factories, including Wade (Ulster) Ltd in Portadown
.
Following the death of Sir George Wade in 1986 at the age of 94 years and the death of his innovative son George Anthony (Tony) Wade of Leukaemia in 1987, the Wade potteries were taken over by Beauford Plc in 1998 and were renamed Wade Ceramics Ltd. In early 1990s the Irish pottery factory was re-named Seagoe Ceramics and was closed down.
Beauford Plc's pottery factories were taken over by a management buyout
in 1999 becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Wade Allied Holdings Ltd.
Edward Duke former CEO of Beauford became the major shareholder of Wade Allied Holdings and Chairman of Wade Ceramics. His partner, Paul Farmer became Managing Director of Wade. In 2009 Wade Allied Holdings invested £7.9m in a new factory with the latest robotic manufacturing equipment to make ceramic flagons for the whisky industry. The last Wade factory in Burslem was closed in 2010 and sold for housing development.
Porcelain
Porcelain is a ceramic material made by heating raw materials, generally including clay in the form of kaolin, in a kiln to temperatures between and...
and earthenware
Earthenware
Earthenware is a common ceramic material, which is used extensively for pottery tableware and decorative objects.-Types of earthenware:Although body formulations vary between countries and even between individual makers, a generic composition is 25% ball clay, 28% kaolin, 32% quartz, and 15%...
, including animal figures for their Collectors Club, whisky flagons, and a variety of industrial ceramics.
In the 1950s, the Wade potteries created "Whimsies," small solid porcelain animal figures first developed by Sir George Wade
George Wade (pottery manufacturer)
George Albert Wade , born in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England to a family who ran a pottery business. He was knighted in 1955 for political and public services....
, which became popular and collectable in Britain and America. Their other brand names of inexpensive collectable porcelain include, "TV Pets," "Whoppas," and "Minikins".
Over the years, Wade has produced many licensed pieces based on popular TV shows, comic books, Disney
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
films, and more recently the Mr. Men
Mr. Men
Mr. Men is a series of 49 children's books by Roger Hargreaves commencing in 1971. Two of these books were not published in English. The series features characters with names such as Mr. Tickle and Mr. Happy who have personalities based on their names...
books and Pokémon
Pokémon
is a media franchise published and owned by the video game company Nintendo and created by Satoshi Tajiri in 1996. Originally released as a pair of interlinkable Game Boy role-playing video games developed by Game Freak, Pokémon has since become the second most successful and lucrative video...
.
History
Wade Ceramics was established in 1867.It was originally made up of a number of different companies founded by various members of the Wade family, and was only finally united as Wade Potteries Limited in 1958. The original companies were:
- Wade & Myatt (later became George Wade & Son, who made industrial ceramics and Wade Whimsies). Established 1867.
- John Wade & Co (later Wade Heath & Co, who made decorative ware, particularly art deco vases in the 1930s). Established 1867.
- J & W Wade (later AJ Wade Ltd, who made tiles, notably the original tiles for the London Underground). Established 1891.
In 1905, George Wade & Son took over rival company Henry Hallen. As the Hallen firm was owned by a distant relation and was founded in 1810, Wade Ceramics (through this) claim to have been established in 1810.
In the 1930s Colonel Sir George Wade gained control of the Wade companies that had previously been run by his father and uncles. He also started further Wade factories, including Wade (Ulster) Ltd in Portadown
Portadown
Portadown is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The town sits on the River Bann in the north of the county, about 23 miles south-west of Belfast...
.
Following the death of Sir George Wade in 1986 at the age of 94 years and the death of his innovative son George Anthony (Tony) Wade of Leukaemia in 1987, the Wade potteries were taken over by Beauford Plc in 1998 and were renamed Wade Ceramics Ltd. In early 1990s the Irish pottery factory was re-named Seagoe Ceramics and was closed down.
Beauford Plc's pottery factories were taken over by a management buyout
Management buyout
A management buyout is a form of acquisition where a company's existing managers acquire a large part or all of the company.- Overview :Management buyouts are similar in all major legal aspects to any other acquisition of a company...
in 1999 becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Wade Allied Holdings Ltd.
Edward Duke former CEO of Beauford became the major shareholder of Wade Allied Holdings and Chairman of Wade Ceramics. His partner, Paul Farmer became Managing Director of Wade. In 2009 Wade Allied Holdings invested £7.9m in a new factory with the latest robotic manufacturing equipment to make ceramic flagons for the whisky industry. The last Wade factory in Burslem was closed in 2010 and sold for housing development.