WELL WELL WELL ........

......... another Kensington connection, perhaps someone is trying to tell me something. Just a pretty little dish you may be thinking to yourself, but no, this little dish has again led me to the intriguing web I have come to know as the John Barker Dynasty. Having got our act together this week with the Car Boot timings we did the rounds starting with Aldeburgh and then drove up to the very large one at Friday Street. You could liken the whole experience to shopping in a country store and then driving to one of our delightfully large supermarkets - how will we cope? Well we did, and we had a great time and met some very interesting people. Friday Street is where I found the little dish. The lady on the stall said it belonged to her mother-in-law whose father had grown up in Kensington and that Derry and Toms was the place to go. Visions of a Jeeves and Wooster life leapt to mind.

I just had to have it and find out more, not realising the Barker connection at the time. (If you take a look at my post about the Barkers of Kensington trouser press I found at the Campsea Ashe Car Boot you will see the connection) Barkers which was a huge store in Kensington (later with Biba and House of Fraser links) bought Derry and Toms. In the 30's and influenced by the Rockefeller Center gardens, Barkers commissioned Ralph Hancock to create a roof garden. It is now owned by the Virgin Group. There are some great links to the Roof Gardens at Derry and Toms and even the blog of the Head gardener David Lewis.

All this from that little dish, not bad for a pound.

I love this collage style pattern, to me it is very 70's with rich colours and hand drawn squiggles. These I found at Aldeburgh. The plates match and have the Barratts backstamp, all except for one which has the large 'b'.

The large 'b' is my favourite and much more in keeping with the style of the plate. I couldn't find any info about this one until I looked at the 'Made in England' large piece of pottery artwork on this link and there was the big 'b' right there for all to see.

Through the ages, they blend so well.

Through the ages - the Backstamps. My favourite is the 'Hostess' I grew up with these patterns so they are in the soul.

This sleek dish is also part of the 'Snowhite' range. The solid blue lid makes this stand out from the crowd.

A little pile of DURABILITY plates, a perfect match for the cloth I bought years ago. They were obviously waiting for each other.

A coloured Union Jack, all the rage now, definitely ahead of their time.

And finally to Lulworth Cove. Doesn't it just make you want to head for the Tearoom and the cream teas.

Just beautiful! I'm due for a break, where's the suitcase?