Carlton Ware was established about 1890 at Copeland Street, Stoke on Trent, the company was formed as a partnership between James Frederick Wiltshaw, W.H and J.A Robinson from which the company name was formed Wiltshaw and Robinson.

They named their factory Carlton Works, in 1894 they then added the trade name Carlton Ware to create a new back stamp of a swallow and create a trademark. This was a circular mark topped with a crown carrying their initials W&R and also Stoke on Trent around the edge with the words Carlton Ware below and the swallow flying in the centre.

The partnership continued until April 1911 there then following a split in the company, this left James Wiltshaw as the sole proprietor. At this time new limited company was registered in November 1911, and was now known as Wiltshaw and Robinson Limited. The company was revived and went ahead with a new designer called, Horace Wain who produced new designs, colours and shapes for the company. James Wiltshaw was killed in an accident around 1918, at Stoke on Trent railway station.

Frederick Cuthbert Wiltshaw then took over the company ( this was James Wiltshaw's Son ). Even more patterns were produced and The Company was trading successfully when in 1930 it brought out the firm of Birks, Rawlins and Co, to expand on Carlton's china production. In 1958 Wiltshaw and Robinson was renamed Carlton Ware Limited, with Cuthbert Wiltshaw as governing director, but in 1967 the company was then taken over by Arthur Wood and Sons.

The company continued with its success, but in the late eighties the company hit trouble and, went into receivership in 1989, an attempt was made by Grosvenor Ceramic hardware, but it was a lost cause and production was finally halted in 1992. The factory still stands today and the name of Carlton is still there to be seen by all.