George Wade

Wade Story Courtesy of Pat Murray author of many wade books. See her web site on our links page.

George Wade & Sons, the Pottery behind Wades

The “Wade” Story

The first Wade to make a name for himself in the pottery business was John Wade. He first started in the potteries in 1867 as "Wade & Colclough". Then in 1887 he established his own pottery and began trading as "Wade & Co" making Teapots and their Accompaniments (Hot water jugs, milk jugs, sugar bowls and teapot stands). By the 1940s there were three Wade potteries owned and operated by three brothers who were John Wade's nephews. The three brothers were named: William, Albert J and George Wade.

The potteries they owned and operated were:

"Wade, Heath & Co" producing domestic tableware’s and decorative products. Their main output since the 1960s has been promotional wares for liqueur and cigarette companies as well as other advertising wares such as liqueur bottles/decanters, ashtrays and water jugs to name a few.

"The Flaxman Tile Works" producing decorative floor and wall tiles and fireplace surrounds. (With the advance of gas fires in Britain, tiled fire place surrounds were no longer a viable product and the 'Flaxman Tile Works' ceased trading in 1970)

"George Wade and Son" producing thread guides and bobbins for the cotton industry and miniature and other giftware items. (It is the George Wade and Son Ltd pottery that is now world famous for it's miniatures. The best known of these being the '1st Whimsies’, which made their appearance in 1954 at the 'British Industries Fair')

By the 1950s there were four Wade potteries a new pottery having been established in Northern Ireland.

"Wade Ulster" (later renamed "Wade Ireland") producing industrial ceramics and gift wares such as Lucky Fairy Folk, Leprechauns, Pigs, and Pink Elephants. Wade Ireland is now world famous for its unique grey/blue/brown glazed table and giftware’s. (The colour originated by accident in 1953 when a glaze mixer made a mistake trying to re-create the colours used on goblets and tankards the pottery was producing for the Coronation of 'Queen Elizabeth II' called 'Coronation Ware').

After World War II the 'Wade' potteries were kept busy with the replacement of essential industrial ceramics destroyed or damaged by bombing. Replacement of these essential ceramics ended in the early 1950s. It was then that Sir George Wade decided to produce his now world famous miniature Animals, referred to by Sir George as his 'Pocket Money Toys', so called, because the miniatures were intended for school children to spend their 'pocket money' on.

With the death of 'Sir George Wade' in 1986 at the age of 94 years and the untimely death of his son 'George Anthony (Tony) Wade' of Leukemia a year later in 1987, 120 years of Wade family involvement with the potteries came to an end.

In 1989 'Wade' was taken over by Beauford PLC, which renamed the potteries 'Wade Ceramics Limited'. In 1992 "Wade Ireland" which had been re-named "Seagoe Ceramics" was no longer a part of 'Wade Ceramics'. The "George Wade" and the "Wade, Heath" potteries are still in production today under their new name "Wade Ceramics".

Listed below are some of the first modellers of 'Whimsical Wades" and the models they created that are now world famous:

JESSIE VAN HALLEN 1930s

Flower Posies

Large Dogs

Lady Figures

Snow White set

ROBERT BARLOW LATE 1930s

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Sailor

Comic Duck Family (Quack Quacks)

Tableware’s

FAUST LANG LATE 1930s

Brown Bear

Budgerigars

Chamois Kid

Cockatoo

Ermine

Grebe

Heron

Highland Stag

Horse

Monkey on Tree

Panther

Parrot

Weasel

NANCY GREAT-REX 1940s

Butcher, Baker and Candlestick maker

JOSEPH/JOHN SZEILOR 1940s - Early 1950s

Puppies

Siamese Kittens

WILLIAM K. HARPER 1954 -1962

1954 First whimsies Series

Bernie & Poo

Disney Blow Ups

Drum Box Series

Fawn Tray

Flying Birds

Hat Box Models

Hedgehog Tray

Irish Comical Pig

Irish Pink Elephant

Irish Song Characters

Minikins Series

Noddy Set

Pet Face Dishes

Pogo

Seagull Boat

Shamrock Cottage

Shore Crab

Tortoise family

Treasure Chest

T.T. Tray

T.V. Pets

LESLEY McKINNON 1959-1961

(Granddaughter of British Prime Minister Ramsey Macdonald)

The British Character

Happy Families

TOM COLCLOUGH 1961 - Viking Vase

PAUL ZALMAN 1961

Ascot Bowl

Cherub Bowl

Mable Lucie Attwell models

ALAN MASLANKOWSKI

Cheetah and Gazelle

Connoisseur Birds

University Treasure "Razor Back Pig"

World of Survival Series

FREDERICK MELLOR

The Thistle and the Rose Chess Set

KEN HOLMES 1975 - present

Bride and Groom

Burglar and Policeman series

Children & Pets Limited Editions

Dinosaurs

Knight Templar

My Fair Ladies

Tetley Tea Van Money boxes

Tetley Brew Gaffer items

Thorntons Chocolate Van Money box

Sophisticated Ladies

St. Bruno Tobacco Key ring

Survival Animals

Some of the above named 1950s models when first produced were sold for as little as ½ a penny, and at the highest range the cost was £1.50. Sixty years later those ½ penny models are selling for £50+ and the £1.50 models have sold for more than £500+ making them one of the fastest growing collectables known today.