In 1815 John Doulton invested his life savings of 100GBP and partnered with Jones and Watts to establish a small riverside pottery business in Lambeth London producing utility salt glazed stoneware. Most pottery factories were situated by riversides to aid with transportation of products. By 1826 the company was trading as Doulton Watts.

This provided the foundation for John Doulton's son, Henry Doulton (photo below) to build an industrial empire based on his inventiveness which lead to ceramic sanitation solutions urgently required during that period, medical vessels that would withstand chemicals, and mass production techniques allowing response to growing demand.

During the expansion, Henry purchased a major shareholding in the Burslem Stoke-on-trent, Nile street pottery factory, Pinder Bourne & Co. Pinder Bourne & Co had been producing decorative table wares and ornaments sharing Henry's passion for art ware. Henry later purchased the entirety of this factory renaming it to Doulton Burslem. Special note should be made to the Nursery and Greek patterns extablished at Pinder Bourne and later used in early seriesware produced by Royal Doulton.

In 1889, Charlse J Noke joined the company as a modeler, later becoming the art director. Noke re-introducted figurines and increased the range of series wares. Through experimentation, Noke established numerous new ranges of wares such as Rembrant, Holbien, Kingsware, Crystaline, Flambe and Titanian.

In 1893 the new figures and decorative arts ranges were shown at the Chicargo International Exhibition again to great reception and excitement.

From around 1901, Seriesware was expanded and in 1934 toby and character jugs were introduced.

Doulton's huge dominance Internationally combined with Noke's flare for design created the ever lasting fashion of whats commonly recognised as Royal Doulton.