William Kent (Porcelains) Ltd

Earthenware and porcelain manufacturer, particularly of electrical fittings. At the Novelty Works, Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, England.

The business had been started by William Kent in 1894 producing 'Staffordshire Ware' figures, dogs, flat back ornaments.
During the Second World War manufacture of decorative ware suspended and the company concentrated on the manufacture of porcelain for electrical fittings - in 1944 the company changed its name to William Kent (Porcelains) Ltd.
In 1944 the directors were two of William Kent's sons - E.J. Kent, S.H. Kent; at least by 1955 his grandson John S. Kent had joined the business.
After the war the majority of the output continued to be porcelain fittings for the electrical industry, however "the Kent family retained a small portion of the present factory where in 'Old Staffordshire' style pottery is still made from moulds produced from the original master-moulds".
At the end of December 1962 William Kent (Porcelains) Ltd stopped the manufacture of earthenware figures - they continued for a period to produce industrial porcelain for the electrical market.
A company 'Bairstow Manor Pottery Ltd' acquired the original 19thC Kent Staffordshire Dogs moulds and produced from them.

Staffordshire Ware
W K
England

Staffordshire Ware
KENT
Made in England

The cat on the left bears the mark with the initials 'WK' inside the Stafford knot (probably dates 1920s / 30s) the cat on the right has the 'KENT' mark - this is certainly post 1944.

"Kents 'Old Staffordshire' pottery is not 'reproduction' in the strictest sence of the word, because, except for a short period during wartime, the pottery has been produced continuously from the early days."

a moulded initial mark on modern
earthenware figures made from the
original 19th C master moulds

Purple = Sneyd Brickworks
Green = Royal Doulton Works
Blue = Adelaide Works
Red = Novelty Works of William Kent

By this time the original three of the kilns at the Novelty Works have been demolished.

"The camera is looking along Glendale Street, off Waterloo Road, in Burslem. At the time of the photograph, Glendale Street was called Stoneley Street. At the bottom is the site of William Kent (Porcelain) Ltd., manufacturers of earthenware figures and ornaments, especially dogs.

The company dated from 1880 (Kent & Parr Ltd.) and operated the Novelty Works which also had an entrance in neighbouring Auckland Street (formerly Wellington Street). The pottery has been demolished.

The terraced houses on both sides of Glendale Street date from the 1890s. On the left is a 1960s Bristol air compressor with the hosepipe leading to a pneumatic drill somewhere off to the left."