The Royal Doulton Company wanted to expand their already successful fine china business, so in 1969 they acquired Webb Corbett. The Webb Corbett name was still used until 1980 when the company began labelling products as ‘Royal Doulton Crystal by Webb Corbett’.
In 1986 the Webb Corbett name was dropped altogether, and products were marketed solely under the Royal Doulton brand.
By the mid-to-late 1990s, most stemware was being made and decorated in Stourbridge, with some giftware ranges being produced in part or wholly on the continent. The company’s Head of Design, Terry Rowntree, helped keep the factory in business for a few more years by offering design and marketing services to establishments such as Marks & Spencer.
The company also produced one-off trophies for international sporting events such as Formula One Grand Prix races and rugby tours. The Hopetoun Cup (or the Doulton Cup) was made for the Scotland vs. Australia match in 1998 and was one of the largest pieces produced in Stourbridge for decades; it weighs over 9kg.
Another landmark came in 1998 when the factory was tasked with supplying the decanters for the world leaders at the 24th G8 summit in Birmingham.
Due to a downturn in the popularity of expensive crystal stemware and an increase in imports from abroad, Royal Doulton Crystal closed in 1999.
