Main Old Hall Club Title

The 91 years of J & J Wiggin can conveniently be broken down into the following periods of time:

Old Hall stirrups

Humble Beginnings (1893 - 1914)

In 1893, James Thomas Wiggin and his eldest son James Enoch set up a small manufacturing business, J & J Wiggin, in a converted stable at the back of their home.....

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An early bathroom fitting

Seeking Opportunities (1918 - 1928)

After the war, William Wiggin, who had taken over as chairman when James Thomas Wiggin died in 1918, came to the conclusion that the company should change direction.....

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World's first stainless steel toast rack and  tea pot

The Birth of Tableware (1928-1939)

1928 was a major turning point for the company.

The year began badly when a disastrous fire broke out at the factory in January, damaging much of the original Mission Hall.....

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The Connaught and Campden tea sets

Steady Progress (1945 - 1960)

After World War II, J & J Wiggin faced the process of converting the factory back to tableware production, a process made more difficult by shortages of raw materials of all kinds.....

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An Alveston tea set and Robert Welch candelabra

The Glory Years (1960s)

"The Wedding Present of the 60s" sums up the heights to which Old Hall rose during this period. 

Two more "Design of the Year" awards were won.....

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Edward Bear plate

The Prestige Era (1970-1982)

By the end of the 1960s, Old Hall was growing so rapidly that significant additional finance was needed over and above the resources of the Wiggin family.....

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A coloured Connaught tea set

Oneida (1982-1984)

Hopes were raised in January 1982 when Oneida, the world's largest cutlery manufacturer, bought Old Hall from Prestige, with the aim of adding Old Hall to their huge cutlery markets.....

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Teapot with Old Hall foreign mark

Post 1984

Oneida commissioned a purpose built factory in the Far East, exclusively for the manufacture of Old Hall products to the same exacting quality standards as hitherto.....

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[Home] [Introduction] [History] [Humble Beginnings 1893 - 1914] [Seeking Opportunities 1918-1928] [The Birth of Tableware 1928-1939] [Steady Progress 1945-1960] [The Glory Years 1960s] [The Prestige Era 1970 - 1982] [Oneida 1982-1984] [Post 1984] [FAQ] [EBAY Beware] [Sales] [Publications] [Events] [Talks] [Join us] [Contact Us] [Links]

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