• Gladding, McBean & Co. in Los Angeles, California, US from 1934 to 1962 

• Interpace (International Pipe and Ceramics) of New Jersey, US from 1962 to 1979 - (in the UK from 1972)

• Wedgwood (UK) from 1979 to 2000s

• In order to expand the Franciscan Tableware brand into the European market, in 1969 Interpace US acquired the Stoke-on-Trent (UK) pottery company Myott, Son & Co.

• From 1972, as an addition to their traditional product lines, Myott produced Franciscan Tableware in the U.K. Shapes, patterns and some glazes were imported from the UK and the UK manufactured Franciscan ware was sold in the UK, North America and Europe. 

• In March 1974 - Myott acquired the share capital of Alfred Meakin (Tunstall) Ltd and from around 1976 they traded under the name Myott-Meakin Ltd. 

• In 1979 Interpace sold the Franciscan Ceramics division in Los Angeles to the UK based Josiah Wedgwood & Sons Ltd and also sold Myott/Meakin to a group of investors.

• In 1984, Wedgwood closed the US Franciscan Ceramics division. The production of the Franciscan patterns which were produced in the US - Desert Rose, Apple, and Fresh Fruit were moved to the Johnson Brothers division of Wedgwood in England. All the other dinnerware and tile lines were discontinued.

• In 1997 production of the Franciscan Fresh Fruit pattern was discontinued. 

• 2003 - Wedgwood moves production of all products, including Franciscan Ware patterns Desert Rose and Apple, to China.

• In 2011 production of the Franciscan Apple pattern was discontinued. 

• 2013 - the use of the trade name Franciscan and all wares was discontinued. 

Background information courtesy: A handbook of British Pottery Manufacturers 1900-2010, Michael Perry. 

Links:

Historical timeline of Franciscan Ceramics

Franciscan Ceramics on Wikipedia 

plate in the ORIGIN pattern

this pattern introduced c. 1975

ORIGIN by
Franciscan tm
Oven to Tableware
^R Interpace England
Dishwasher Detergent Safe

a boxed 30 piece Origin set sold by the Glasgow based retailer Sneddon & Sons Ltd

Box label 

 Earthenware: With Care
from
Myott-Meakin Limited
Newfield Potteries
Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent

the standard oval 'Franciscan' mark used in the US, but with 'England' replacing 'USA'

Franciscan Dinnerware
Made in England

Franciscan
England

cast in mould mark

Following the acquisition by Interpace in 1969, Myott produced The Brook with a badged 'Franciscan' name.  

Tonquin by Franciscan
Made in Staffordshire 
England

The Tonquin pattern was first introduced by John Carr & Co in the latter half of the 19th century as a flow-blue open pattern.

Alfred Meakin later produced this as a transfer printed romantic scene with a sail boat, pagoda, bridge and trees with a floral border.     

In March 1974 - Interpace acquired Alfred Meakin through Myott and between c.1974 and 1979 Meakin produced Tonquin with a badged 'Franciscan' name.  

c.1976 - 1979

From around 1976 the two Interpace owned companies traded under the name Myott-Meakin Ltd. 

In 1979 Interpace sold the Franciscan Ceramics division in Los Angeles to the UK based Josiah Wedgwood & Sons Ltd and also sold Myott/Meakin to a group of investors - so the Franciscan name transferred to Wedgwood. 

Franciscan - an Authentic Design Classic by Johnson Bros 

post 1979 to 2003

Following the acquisition by Wedgwood in 1979 manufacture of Franciscan ware was then transferred to Johnson Brothers, a division of Wedgwood. 

In 1984, Wedgwood closed the US Franciscan Ceramics division. The production of the remaining Franciscan patterns which were still produced in the US - Desert Rose, Apple, and Fresh Fruit were moved to Johnson Bros.

As well as manufacturing in England Johnson Bros contracted some production to state of the art factories in Indonesia and Portugal. 

mark with 'Made in England' is pre 2003 

mark with no country of manufacture 
is made in China

c.2003-13