Sir George Wade, part two....

Before the Second World War, Wade Heath were producing their beautiful ceramic artware, known as Flaxman Ware - jugs, vases, bowls, all in the fabulous art deco style which was made from around 1935 whilst at the same time Jessie Van Hallen was producing her 'ladies,' mostly with a cellulose finish to satisfy the cheaper end of the market. During the 30's Wade also obtained the Disney licence for Snow-white and the Seven Dwarfs, which was also modeled by Jessie Van Hallen, and produced by Wade Heath in their Royal Victoria Pottery which coincided with the release of the Walt Disney film of the same name. Wade Heath also produced a Mickey Mouse figure as well as a child's Mickey Mouse tea set which, according to the author Pat Murray, were both released in 1935.

Then the Second World War intervened. Jessie Van Hallen left the company for ever, George Wade was commissioned into the South Staffordshire Regiment and organised National Defence in Cheshire and Staffordshire. In 1940 he was promoted to Colonel and appointed to command the Birkenhead Garrison. It was at this time, while his company was turned over to the war effort that he wrote numerous pamphlets and a series of books on military training and tactics. He was author of Minor Tactics Training Manual, the Home Guard 'Bible.

At the end of the war, in the general election which saw the national war leader, Winston Churchill loose the election and be replaced as prime minister by Clement Attlee of the Labour Party, Colonel George Wade stood as a parliamentary candidate for Newcastle-Under-Lyme, but he, like Churchill lost to the Labour candidate. This was his single foray into politics which he never repeated.

When the war ended in 1945, industrial ceramics were in great demand and short supply. It was for this reason that he sent his son-in-law Major H. Straker Carryer on a quest to find a new factory. He came up with an old linen mill on the banks of the river Bann in Portadown, County Armagh, Northern Ireland. In 1946 the company bought the leasehold on the property and soon was producing electrical insulators. In 1950, the factory showing great success, became a private limited company named Wade (Ulster) Ltd. At its height it had a work force of over 400 and contributed greatly to the local economy as well as the overall success of Wade, England.

With the decline for industrial ceramics in the early 50's Wade (Ireland) - on 2nd January 1950, they became a private limited company, changing the name somewhat to Wade (Ulster) Ltd - went over to giftware with its own distinct 'Irish' look porcelain, reportedly originally a mistake, albeit a successful and lucrative one! The Wade (Ulster) factory was run by Major H. Straker Carryer and his wife Iris, Sir George's eldest daughter, who was Art Director. They launched themselves headlong into producing a wide range of giftware, goblets, vases, tankards, jugs, pots, ashtrays, pictures, wall plaques (see article on Wall plaques) etc. etc. as well as other notable pieces which until recently were thought to have been made in Burslem (see the feature on Wade (Ireland)

In 1952 Colonel Wade purchased at auction Brand Hall. Built around 1700 it is situated near Norton-in-Hales, some miles south-west of Stoke-on-Trent. A large brick building with stone facing, it is better known to Wade collectors as Bloodshot Hall from the Whimsey-on-Why set.
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Sir George...... part three

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