It all began in 1984, when Emma was working in London soon after leaving university. One day, she was hunting for a birthday present for her Mum. She wanted to give her two cups and saucers that would say ‘I love you. I miss you’. 

She went into a china shop and looked around, hoping to see some china that would capture the warm and welcoming spirit of her mother’s North Oxford kitchen.  But in those days, the Great British high street seemed to have only two offerings: dainty and formal or robust and decidedly unromantic. 

Emma suddenly had a vision of the dresser from her mother’s kitchen. She imagined it here in the china shop, laden with a wonderful array of colourful, mismatched pottery.  It was clear that the only way to make the vision a reality would be to start making china herself. But she had absolutely no idea how – or where.