05/09/2026
You might know Wade for its tiny Whimsie figurines but did you know that Staffordshire pottery also produced everything from Art Deco figurines to decorative vases and London Underground tiles?
The Wade company heritage traces back more than 200 years to 1810, when it was connected to an earlier pottery that the Wade family later acquired. It wasn’t until 1867 that the recognisable pottery business really developed, when there were several Wade family companies operating. They eventually all came together under the umbrella Wade Potteries Ltd, in 1958.
Over the years Wade produced vases, bowls, jugs, teapots, nursery ware, figures, animals, commemorative pieces, tiles, pub ware, advertising pieces and industrial ceramics. But success didn’t come without its difficulties and in 2022 they went into administration. The Wade brand didn’t disappear, it was acquired in 2023 by RKW, who revived Wade pottery and intend to maintain the Stoke-on-Trent connection.
Browse through the photos and you will spot a brown glazed Wade England Mermaid and Seahorse Posy Vase; a good example of Wade’s decorative side rather than the Whimsies most people associate with them.
Wade is just one of the many collectable names you will spot within our centre. See what you can spot on your next visit.
Monday-Saturday, 9am-6pm
Sunday 10am-4pm
📍Garage Lane, Setchey, King's Lynn, Norfolk, PE33 0BE
