Thomas Cone, Ltd
Thomas Cone, (Longton) Ltd






 

Location and period of operation:

T Cone (Thomas, Ltd)

Longton

1892 

1963

 

Earthenware manufacturer at the Alma Works, Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, England

  • Originally (c.1892) as T Cone & Co - in partnership with Lewis Bentley

  • Then as Thomas Cone Ltd. (1893 - c.1920)

  • About 1920 the business was acquired by Thomas C Wild & Sons and was renamed Thomas Cone (Longton) Ltd. 

  • In 1942 the Alma works were closed under the Wartime Concentration Scheme.

  • In 1946 T.C. Wild sold the dormant business to a Mr. Rose who reopened the Alma Works, producing tableware under the name Thomas Cone.

  • Around 1947/9 the business was aquired by Charles Bowers and traded as Thomas Cone Ltd., initially as part of the Keele Street Pottery Group and then from 1950 as part of Staffordshire Potteries (Holdings) Ltd. 

  • In 1963 manufacturing was moved to the Staffordshire Potteries site in Meir and the Alma Works in Longton was closed - the Thomas Cone name became a production unit at the Meir Works.

 


London Gazette 10 Oct 1893

announcement that the partnership between Thomas Cone 
& Lewis Bentley had been dissolved
Thomas Cone continued on his own  

 

 

Thomas Cone Ltd
Alma Works High Street
Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, England
One of the K.S.P. Group of Potteries 
(Keele Street Pottery Group)

Advert for Thomas Cone Ltd from the April 1953 Pottery Gazette

 

 


Dish desgned by Edith Gater 

Edith Gater (1930's) was an artist producing tube-lined wares. Patterns include the famous Springtime, she also contributed designs to the Morris Ware range at Sampson & Hancock. Later she worked for Cauldon Potteries also designing tube-lined wares. During the war Edith left to do war work and afterwards went to work at Thomas Cone, Longton.


ROYAL ALMA
Made in
England 
Edith Gater 

 

 


cup & saucer 
King George V Silver Jubilee  1910-1935
Alma Ware
England

 

 

 

 

Alma Ware - 1930's Blue Floral trio
Alma Ware - 1930's Blue Floral trio 

 

 

 


Floral pattern plates with gilt 


Royal Alma
Est 1856
Made in England

mark introduced 1950+

 

 

Marks used at the Alma Works, Longton: 

Some adverts and marks state 'Established 1856' - the Thomas Cone business actually started in 1893.  The 1856 date is most likely the date of the original works on the site later occupied by Cope. 

T C
L
(the 'L' standing for LONGTON) 

T C
LONGTON

impressed or printed marks
often with a pattern name

1892 - 1912 

 

ALMA WARE

 

ROYAL ALMA

brand names used by Thomas Cope 

 


Asiatic Pheasants
T. C. 

 

 


TC
LONGTON 
TC
LONGTON 

'PHEASANT' is the 
pattern name
TC

monogramme mark
with crown above  

mark used 1912-35

 

 


Alma Ware
England

1935-42
Royal Alma
Made in England

mark introduced 1946+


Royal Alma
Est 1856
Made in England

mark introduced 1950+

 


COPE
OWD BILL

cast-in mark used on toby jug
- the '6' is likely a size mark -  

 

 

     
Made in England
by
Thomas Cone Ltd
Longton
Royal Alma
Est. 1856
 

'American Scenes' is the name of a series of transfer ware views

c.1950-63  

 

 

 

Marks and ware from the Meir Works (Staffordshire Potteries): 

In 1963 manufacturing was moved to the Staffordshire Potteries site in Meir and the Alma Works in Longton closed.
the Thomas Cone name became a production unit at the Meir Works - ware was marked 'Royal Alma Est. 1856' 

 

 

 


1970's Royal Alma cups and saucers
produced at the Staffordshire Potteries works in in Meir
 (similar in design to Kiln Craft pottery)


Est 1856
Royal Alma
Ironstone
Staffordshire
Made in England

11-73 is the date of manufacture - November 1973 

 

 

 

 


Coaching Scene cup
Est 1856
Royal Alma
Staffordshire
Ironstone
Made in England

 

 

 

 


The box is marked 'Royal Alma'
Kiln Kraft
Staffordshire Potteries Ltd

 

 

Thomas Cone, Alma Works in 1907
High Street (now Uttoxeter Road), Longton

- click for more information -

 

Questions, comments, contributions? email: Steve Birks