Westminster Fine China Australia
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These are some stories from people who worked or were associated with Westminster Fine China.

Mrs Phyllis S. moved to Melbourne about 1958 and worked in the office from 1958 to 1961.  Here is a transcript of some of the things that she remembered from when she worked there.         
She  worked for them part time, three days per week from 1958-1961, carrying out
clerical and accounting work.               
Westminster was owned by Stanley Rogers Cutlery, at that time in Melbourne. 
It had only been established for a few years when she worked there.  She thinks that it was in a street of  Bay Road, Highett, about halfway between Highett and Sandringham. 
The building had two stories.               
Stanley  Rogers ran the business and was of the Jewish faith.                
Comments on production:
a. Stanley would go to Japan and choose the shapes, which were then imported as
blanks.
b. There was a section where the girls worked who placed the transfers onto the  blanks.  Items with misplaced transfers were not destroyed – staff could buy them as seconds.
 c. George Markikas, born in Egypt of Greek parents, was in charge of the firing
section.  Stanley would come out and inspect after firings and generally supervise.
 d. The kilns were electric and were quite long, with a conveyor inside.  Firing generally was overnight and there were shift workers.
 e. Transfer work was fired first, followed by a second firing for the gold  work.
 f. Marking at this time was in gold with the abbey in the centre.                 
At the time they made ballerina-shape afternoon tea sets with six cups, saucers
and plates.  They were available in four pastel colours of green, lemon, pink and  blue.                 
Stock was sold through department stores and there was a showroom in Melbourne.  Stanley Rogers cutlery was also sold through the same outlets and was imported from
England.

 

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