Empire Porcelain Co

Hanley

1896 

1967

They were manufacturers and merchants  in London and Steinschönan and Kittlitz, Austria as 'Lazarus and Rosenfeld' in New York as Lazarus Rosenfeld and Lehmann in Altrohlau, Austria as Victoria Porzellanfabrik (Victoria Porcelain Factory) in Staffordshire as the Empire Porcelain Company

"Lazarus & Rosenfeld, Ltd. 

- This private company has been registered, with a capital of £150,000, in £1 shares, to carry on the business of manufacturers of and dealers in china, glass, and earthenware, house furniture and utensils, ornaments, and fancy goods, &c., to acquire the businesses carried on at 3 and 4, Bevis Marks, E.C., as “ Lazarus & Rosenfeld,” and at the Empire Porcelain Works, Stoke-on-Trent, as the “Empire Porcelain Co.,” and to adopt an agreement between B. Rosenfeld, I. Rosenfeld, S. Rosenfeld, I. Lazarus, and A. Rosenfeld. 

The subscribers are I. Rosenfeld and A. Rosenfeld, both of 3 and 4, Bevis Marks, E.C., merchants."

Pottery gazette and glass trade review - 1st September 1910

"Fire at Empire Porcelain Co - The smaller works of the Empire Porcelain Co., Stoke-road, Hanley, was the scene, on the night of Friday, January 18 [1907], of a disastrous fire, which broke out in some warehouses in the centre of the commodious building stretching from Newlands-street to Elgin-street. 

The flames had got a firm hold before the outbreak was discovered, and although the Hanley, Stoke and North Stafford Railway brigades worked most energetically, there was a great conflagration, which ended in the central portion of the premises being burned to the ground. The two wings of the building were saved, but the damage will probably be well over £5,000, which is covered by insurance.

A number of hands have been thrown idle as the result of the fire, but employment has been found for as many of them as possible at the larger works of the company adjacent, pending the rebuilding of the premises destroyed.

Such arrangements have been made by the company as will reduce the interruption of business to a minimum. The cause of the out-break is a complete mystery." 

Pottery gazette and glass trade review - 1st February 1907

"An outbreak of fire occurred at the Empire Porcelain Company’s pottery in Stoke-rd., Hanley, on Sept. 19  [1909]. It was discovered that the ceiling of a biscuit oven — the floor of the polishing shop — was on fire. The Hanley and Stoke fire brigades were quickly on the scene, and in about half an hour the fire had been got under. 

The damage was very slight, £20 being the estimate. Besides the injury to the floor, a quantity of ware was broken. The outbreak is supposed to have originated from the heat of the oven"

Pottery gazette and glass trade review - 1st December 1909

"On Oct. 17 [1910] a fire occurred at the china and earthenware manufactory of the Empire Porcelain Co., Hanley. The outbreak was not discovered until the flames had obtained a firm hold, and the entire factory was eventually destroyed. The damage is estimated at from £20,000 to £30,000, and some 400 hands will be thrown out of employment. 

An immense quantity of ware was destroyed. The firm had been working at high pressure, Christmas and Coronation order having been heavy. The stock and property were insured."
p.1266

"The conflagration which destroyed the Empire Porcelain Company’s two works in Stoke-road, Shelton, during the night of Sunday, Oct. 16, as mentioned under “ Trade Notes,” was the greatest fire which has occurred in the Potteries since that which occurred at Grindley’s, at Tunstall, five or six years ago. 

All the evidence seems to demonstrate the fact that the lift shaft was responsible for the rapid spread of the flames. The shaft appears to have acted as a sort of chimney, and the draught drew the flames upwards with such terrific force that the roof must have been attacked almost immediately. 

This is the second misfortune that the Empire Company has sustained within a short period, and on both occasions the factories were working at high pressure."
p.1273

Pottery gazette and glass trade review - 1st November 1910

"A destructive fire occurred in the early morning of Oct. 23 [1912]  at the manufactory of the Empire Porcelain Company, Stoke-road, Shelton, as the result of which extensive damage, estimated at nearly £10,000, was done. 

At 1.30 a.m. two constables saw flames breaking through the roof, and heard the noise of falling crocks. Almost simultaneously an engineer on duty at the works had discovered the fire. The alarm was given, and the Hanley, Burslem, Stoke and the North Staffordshire Locomotive Fire Brigades promptly attended under the direction of Chief Officer F. Bettany. 

The fire was raging furiously in the uppermost storey of the top works, where large stocks of ware were stored, and it was found impossible to save that part of the building. The fact, however, that the factory had just been rebuilt on the best fire-proof principles, combined with the excellent work of the brigades, resulted in the conflagration being confined to the top floor. The fire was got under control at 3.30, but by then that storey and its contents had been destroyed. 

On Sunday, Oct. 16, 1910, the top works of the Empire Porcelain Company were burned to the ground, and damage estimated at close upon £30,000 was done. The work of rebuilding was only completed about Christmas last, and it was in the same block that this fire occurred. About six years ago a fire also took place in another part of the same manufactory, the damage then amounting to about £2,000. 

The origin of the outbreak is not known. The damage is covered by insurance, but a number of workpeople are temporarily thrown out of employment.

Pottery gazette and glass trade review - 1st November 1912