Ralph Hall & Co Tunstall, Staffordshire 1814 - 1849

Swan Bank Works, Tunstall, Staffordshire

1811 - 1849

Ralph Hall worked in partnership with his brother John originally at the Sytch Pottery in Burslem, but after 1811 Ralph took over Swan Banks Works at Tunstall and was responsible for production there. As early as 1814 it is suggested that they were more or less working independently, although the partnership was not dissolved until 1822. Ralph continued to trade in his own name until taking his son into partnerhip in 1836 and then restyling the title again to R.Hall & Co in 1841. The company ceased trading c1849 and the Swan Banks Works were taken over by Podmore Walker & Co in 1853. The company was heavily involved in the North American market and there is evidence of cooperation with the Podmore Walker company in that respect and possibly in other respects. Ralph was responsible for the production of two major series of patterns, in blue, the Select Views Series and the Picturesque Views Series and a number of other individual patterns of various styles and colours possibly having to change their source material after the Copyright Act of 1842. Coysh & Henrywood suggest that this company produced "Asiatic Pheasants" wares but it does seem rather unlikely unless it was in co-operation with Podmore Walker, they do not seem to have shared any other pattern with that company.