Johnson Brothers

Johnson Brothers started manufacturing durable tableware and other earthenware, under the brand label of "White Granite" in 1883. The four Johnson Brothers, Alfred, Frederick, Henry and Robert jointly ventured to produce well-potted white ware in 1888. The under-glaze print pottery that they created was quite unique and made them extremely popular. Robert moved to United States of America and entered the market of tableware, as the pottery market was just emerging. Soon, the Johnson Brothers pottery gained demand because they were not only beautiful, but also cheaper. During World War I, they had to temporarily halt their production, which resumed after the war was over.

The company maintained it’s lead with innovative designs, new shapes, patterns and colours. The Dawn range worked wonders. The new technique of halloware made their products more demanding, leading to a massive growth in production. In the 1930s, the Johnson Brothers adopted a new method of manufacturing pottery by using electrical fire. This gave their products more consistency and quality. The Second World War made them pause their production again. After resuming production, the company expanded with new plants in other parts of world such as England, Canada and Australia. The company witnessed tremendous growth in the 1960s and merged with the Wedgwood Group. Later, the company underwent mergers and acquisitions with many other companies such as Coalport, Meakin, Midwinter, Adams, Mason and Crown Staffordshire. In the 2000s, the headquarters of the company moved to China.