Edward Hughes together with his son-in-law established a porcelain manufacturer at the Opal China Works in Fenton during the late 1880’s as E. Hughes & Co. Edward’s son Frederick also joined the firm shortly after its establishment. In 1939 the firm became a Ltd. and changed its name to Hughes (Fenton) Ltd. In 1948 the business was acquired by Lawleys Limited and it became part of the Lawley Group until its closure in 1953.
The matching set consists of the open sugar bowl and creamer / milk jug, each item has been hand painted with an emblem depicting the South African map beneath a rising sun with the words “Eendracht Maakt Macht” (unity is strength), which was the motto of South Africa after the 17th of January 1852, when the United Kingdom, ruler of the Cape Colony, approved the independence of the South African Republic (also known as the Transvaal Republic) in the Sand River Convention. The Transvaal Republic used the motto until 1902 when it was annexed into the British Empire as a result of the Second Boer War.
Both items are stamped underneath Fenton China E. Hughes & Co. Made in England Hand Painted.
The sugar bowl has a short 0.8 cm hairline on the rim down and aside from this and slight gold loss on the rims of each item, the items are in very good condition considering their age.
Creamer height of rim: 6.8 cm, Diameter of rim: 6.5 cm, Diameter of base: 4.8 cm Sugar Bowl height: 6 cm, Diameter of rim: 8.5 cm, Diameter of base: 5.6 cm
