JAMES KENT

SANDRINGHAM PATTERN TRIO'S x 6

LONGTON = STAFFORDSHIRE 

Made in England.

Condition: GOOD. All the cups have some crazing throughout and there is a bit of light gilt wear overall. No other damage seen.

Old Foley / James Kent Historical information:

This firm of general domestic potters, Old Foley, Longton, was founded by James Aloysius Kent (born 1864 died 1953) with five workmen from the firm of Barker & Kent (including Arnold Bennett's brother Septimus Bennett, modeller) in 1897.
James Kent (Ltd.), Old Foley Pottery was established at Longton, Staffordshire, England in 1897 and was in business until c.1989. The name is now being used by another company in Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent. The clues we found indicate that "Ltd." was added to the company name in the mark in 1913. The words "Old Foley Pottery" were used after 1955 (first mark). The mark with the word "Ltd." was probably used from 1950 to 1989. Chinese Rose pattern was made c.1897-1989.
As a complete sideline, you may be interested to know that when James Kent set up the pottery in 1897, one of the 5 staff who came with him from his previous partnership (Barker & Kent) was Septimus Bennett, the brother of the writer, Arnold Bennett, best known for his novels set in the Potteries area, including Clayhanger and Anna of the Five Towns.

Earthenware and porcelain manufacturer at the Old Foley Pottery, Stoke-on-Trent. NOTE: The small district of Foley is very close to the municipal boundary between Fenton and Longton and the marks of James Kent use the town names of Fenton and Longton at various periods. "This firm of general domestic potters, Old Foley, Longton, was founded by James Aloysius Kent (born 1864 died 1953) with five workmen from the firm of Barker & Kent (including Arnold Bennett's brother Septimus Bennett, modeller) in 1897." from Mankowitz & HaggarJames was joined at the business by his four sons. James Kent became a Limited company in 1913. When James died in 1953 he was succeeded as Chairman by his second son, Philip Francis Kent. The company continued as a family business until 1981 when it was purchased by Bayer (UK) Ltd. [Bayer is a German multinational chemical and pharmaceutical company]. In 1985/6 the business was taken over by the pottery and engineer Morris Rushton. The association with Morris Rushton was shortlived and 1987 the business became part of County Potteries PLC.  In 1989 County Potteries was renamed Carlton & Kent (from the names of Carlton Ware and James Kent which the company owned). During the same year Carlton & Kent went into receivership and the James Kent part was purchased by M. R. Hadida Ltd., owners of Hadida Fine Bone China Ltd. The company was renamed James Kent (1989) Ltd. 1995 Wedgwood sold the buildings of Foley China Works to James Kent who were operating at the adjacent Old Foley Pottery. The Old Foley Pottery was demolished c.2006 and the company operated from the Foley China Works. By c.2008 the company closed and by 2010 the Foley China Works had been demolished.