Building record MDR10265 - Royal Crown Derby Works, Osmaston Road, Derby

Royal Crown Derby Works, Osmaston Road. Established as a new company in 1877 in the former 1837 Workhouse premises. Firstly known as Derby Crown Porcelain Co. Acquired the old King Street China Works (SMR32131) in 1935. Currently carries on the long tradition of porcelain manufacture in the city, originating from the 1750s. (1) Most of the individual parish workhouses were sold when the new Union workhouse was established; in 1837 St Alkmund and St Werburgh were sold. The new workhouse was completed in 1839 at the cost of £8,000, with the parishes contributing a proportion of the expenses. The first governor, Ratcliffe Gawthorne, was appointed in October 1838. (2) The building originally dates from 1839 and was the Derby Union Workhouse, built by John Mason. It was converted into the porcelain works in 1879. The metal framed dome has been replaced and may be cast aluminium. Re-fronted in the late 1950s to the designs of Peter Billson of Naylor, Sale and Widdows. The original workhouse buildings are still evident at the rear. (3) In 1898 the works were listed as a major supplier of Derby china globally. It was both a machine and hand made pottery works with large clay mixers and smaller hand-crafted pottery works. (4)