IN November 1974, Ted Heath, who was then still leader of the Conservative Party but had been deposed as British Prime Minister by Harold Wilson earlier that year, visited the factory of Royal Worcester Porcelain.

A couple of months before, the Royal Worcester Group of companies had announced an increase in pre-tax profit of about 30 per cent for the half year ended June 30 and things seemed to be looking up.

The increase from £781,000 to £1,008,000 was reflected by sales which were up to £7,888,000 from £6,475,000 for the same period the year before.

At that time the Royal Worcester Group consisted of three main companies, Royal Worcester Ltd, headquartered at the city porcelain works in Severn Street, Royal Worcester Industrial Ceramics of Wales and Welwyn Electrics of Northumberland.

But clouds seemed to be gathering when Mr JP Collins the group chief executive, said uncertainty was being caused by increased wages mainly through threshold payments and a slowdown in consumer purchases in electrics and ceramics.

However he added: "But as far as the porcelain company is concerned, this is not a major area of anxiety. We still have very full order books there.”

Sadly, there was trouble in store for one of Worcester's most famous names.