ROYAL Worcester, a major employer in the Faithful City for 250 years, is looking for the help of past and present employees and their families and descendants.

As part of this year's celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the internationally-renowned company, the Museum of Worcester Porcelain in Severn Street, is seeking to compile a comprehensive pictorial archive of its most valuable resource down the years - its employees.

The museum is currently staging an exhibition called 250 Years of Employment which features several hundred photographs of members of the Royal Worcester workforce over the past century or so.

Seen at work and play are a wide spectrum of employees including artists and craftsmen such as painters, gilders, modellers, burnishers, turners and casters; essential support staff such as chemists, engineers, firemen, packers and shop assistants; and, of course, managers and bosses.

The exhibition occupies a large gallery at the museum and runs until Monday, January 14.

Museum curator Wendy Cook explains that the photographs on display are drawn from the archives of the Royal Worcester factory and the museum.

"When we first decided to put on the exhibition, we intended to include photographs brought in by members of the public, but it soon became apparent we had such a large number of photographs ourselves, we couldn't accommodate any extra in the display.

"However, we have been so encouraged by the response of people that we realise we have here a wonderful opportunity to build up a comprehensive and invaluable pictorial archive.

"Lots of interested local people have been in to see the exhibition since it opened in August, and many of them have offered to bring along their pictures for us to copy for the records. And, no doubt, there are numerous other ex-employees or their families and descendants, who have old photographs or significant information which would be lovely to copy for the archives. You never know what is going to turn up when you make such an appeal."

Wendy points out that the Royal Worcester factory doesn't keep a record of employees after they have left the company. This means there are no details in the archives of particular artists, craftsmen and others, who went on to work for other companies or who may have set up in business on their own in all manner of spheres from ceramics to wallpaper designs.

The museum would therefore like to hear from anyone who can fill in missing biographical details about past employees who moved on, even, say, in the past 15 to 30 years.

"We get endless inquiries about particular Royal Worcester painters from people world-wide who collect their individual work, but it can sometimes be a struggle to provide information they need," adds Wendy.

The museum would also welcome the help of people in identifying more of those captured on camera in the vintage photographs from the Royal Worcester archives.

During its long history, a lot of Worcester families have had several members of their households working at the porcelain factory, and this is even so today, though only in a few instances.

Wendy Cook emphasises: "We are certainly in a business where people have a great loyalty to this factory and are very proud of the heritage of the company and what it has achieved during its 250 years."

And what would give even greater satisfaction is if more present and past employees visited the Museum of Worcester Porcelain.

* If you can help in offering more old photographs or information of relevance to Royal Worcester or may be able to identify people in existing archive photographs, then please contact Wendy Cook by writing to her at the Museum of Worcester Porcelain, Severn Street, Worcester WR1 2NE or telephoning 01905 23221.

* Alternatively, a special session is being held at the Severn Street museum on Tuesday, November 27, when people with old photographs, or information, will be welcomed with coffee between 11am and 1pm.

Admission charges to the museum are £3 for adults and £2.25 for juniors and senior citizens. Children under eight are admitted free.