Ridgway Homemaker

The Homemaker pattern by Ridgway has become one of the most recognisable and collectable tableware from the 1950, and 1960s.

It is decorated with iconic black and grey images from the era, household items, plant pots and furniture, and an abstract radio/tv waves background. It really symbolises that revolutionary and exploratory age.

The dinner plate shows these images to their best advantage.

Enid Seeney (1931-2011) and Woolworths

Homemaker and Barbecue by Ridgway

Enid Seeney, the designer of Homemaker served her apprenticeship at The Spode Copeland works.

In 1951 she joined the Booths Colclough factory, in Stoke On Trent, which was part of the Ridgway group.

The design was a slow starter as far as buyers were concerned. Initially Woolworths placed only a small order and sold it in only a few of the flagship Woolworths stores. This was after Enid Seeney had left Ridgway. Apparently she didn’t make any money out of this contemporary design.

Homemaker became very popular and was expanded into the other Woolworth stores. It was a cheap tableware to buy and collect. Appealing to the aspiring housewife of the age.  The tableware was made until the 1970s.

Collecting Homemaker

The cereal bowls, and the large and smaller plates are still fairly affordable, but there has been an incredible rise in the price of the rarer items such as the tureen, teapot and the ‘Cadenza’ coffee pot. I have noticed a decline in items for sale in this design on ebay. Are collectors hanging onto their Homemaker?

There is also a rust coloured version a must buy if ever spotted.

Ridgway Barbecue

I came across this design, also a Woolworths and Ridgway collaboration, while rummaging in my local charity shop.

My interest was alerted by the black cups, they reminded me of Homemaker. The plates and saucers have little images of skewers, salt and pepper pots and other items for the barbecue: Mushrooms, onions, fish and meat.

For a few pounds they were mine, and I headed home for a bit of research online.
Information seems very scarce.

The designer was Margaret Simpson and they were made for the Australian market. I hardly ever see any for sale on ebay.

I am unsure if this pattern will ever be as collectable as Homemaker. But it’s a variation on a theme and its rarity makes it an interesting collectable.

Would I buy a chipped Homemaker piece at the right price?   Probably.

Happy Crocking.

Further Reading
Homemaker: A 1950s Design Classic