Old BR ceramic jug - date/history?

Hi all,

Found this jug in a charity shop recently - a black rose design on either side and a BR double arrow logo on the bottom. Any ideas when it dates from/where it might have been used?

Thanks.

I'm intrigued by this - it appears to have no makers mark/stamp on it. Most of BR crockery was produced by Dudsons pottery - they were still making items for the privatised rail companies - have to check next time I'm travelling 1st. How big is it?

It's about 14cm tall by 9cm diameter at the base. A milk jug maybe? I was wondering whether the rose pattern was specific to the crockery used on a particular named train?

Could it have been hotel ware rather than for a train?

I've had a quick look in "British Rail 1948-78, A Journey by Design" by Brian Haresnape, and the only BR catering items mentioned there are glasses and cutlery - nothing about crockery.

I note the Arrow logo seems to be rather smudged. Is it on top of or underneath the glaze? If on top, it may be someone's attempt to pass the jug off as being railway-related when it isn't?

Regards,
John Webb

John Webb said:

I note the Arrow logo seems to be rather smudged. Is it on top of or underneath the glaze? If on top, it may be someone's attempt to pass the jug off as being railway-related when it isn't?

Regards,
John Webb

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I noted that - I wondered whether it had been brought for an office and the stamp applied to act as deterrent against pilfering. It doesnt look like standard catering or hotel design.

ilkestonian said:

Could it have been hotel ware rather than for a train?

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Quite possibly! Didn't BR own hotels at some point?

John Webb said:

I've had a quick look in "British Rail 1948-78, A Journey by Design" by Brian Haresnape, and the only BR catering items mentioned there are glasses and cutlery - nothing about crockery.

I note the Arrow logo seems to be rather smudged. Is it on top of or underneath the glaze? If on top, it may be someone's attempt to pass the jug off as being railway-related when it isn't?

Regards,
John Webb

Click to expand...

Fair point, but the logo is definitely underneath the clear glaze, even if it is a little smudged.

Still a bit of a mystery then!

pendolino said:

Quite possibly! Didn't BR own hotels at some point?

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Railway hotels were nationalized in 1948, but separately from BR until 1962. Eventually sold off in 1981.

pendolino said:

Fair point, but the logo is definitely underneath the clear glaze, even if it is a little smudged.

Still a bit of a mystery then!

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So it seems, but I think I would agree that it might well be a buffet or hotel-related item rather than a train-catering item.

John Webb said:

I've had a quick look in "British Rail 1948-78, A Journey by Design" by Brian Haresnape, and the only BR catering items mentioned there are glasses and cutlery - nothing about crockery.
Regards,
John Webb

Click to expand...

I can confirm from experience that there certainly was some BR crockery, issued for and used on the one time MotorRail service from Ely to Stirling and I suggest that it is likely there may have been others too.

However the stuff I recall was all plain green, but had a BR design number and double arrow logo moulded in the base of each item. (I have one complete individual tea-set today comprising one tea plate, small tea-pot (two cup size) and one cup & saucer.)

Perhaps there may have been other designs for more prestigious services

Plates, Mugs, Cups & saucers, Tea-pots & other tableware etc. were refurbished at Ely along with sleeper bedding etc. before loading the cars.

I recall a lot of this stuff being scrapped away from Ely stores to Cambridge in the early 1980s. (The ones I have were acquired somewhat later.)