Manufacturer: W.H. Grindley, England, and Shenango China
User: Walton's Lunch System
Date of Grindley plate: 1900s – 1920s
Date of Shenango creamer: 1927 – 1954

Grindley

Shenango

Boston Matchcovers Collection

1083 Washington St., Boston, Mass.

David H. Walton

1922 Technique ad excerpt

Photo by Nishan Bichajian, circa 1954-1959 MIT Libraries' Dome

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Notes: Born in Canaan, Nova Scotia in 1874, David H. Walton started the Walton Lunch System as a small lunch venue in 1903 and grew it to a chain of luncheons with several locations in Boston, Mass., and two locations in Montreal, Canada.

By 1916, there were Walton's Lunch rooms at 242 and 424 Tremont St., 629 and 1083 Washington St., 7 School St., 42 Federal St. and 44 Summer St. in Boston. At that time, there were also two Montreal locations at 259 St. James St. and at the cross-streets of Peel and St. Catherine.

As was common with the luncheons of this time period, the lunch rooms were adorned with tile and the employees wore white uniforms to communicate sanitation and cleanliness.

By 1922, the number of Walton's Lunch rooms had expanded to 15 (based on the ad excerpt shown above), and in the 1940s, that number increased to 20 locations, based on the matchcover also shown above.

Sources:
The Book of Boston: Fifty Years' Recollections of the New England Metropolis by Edwin Monroe Bacon, The Book of Boston Company, Boston, Mass., 1916, p. 497.
Technique, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Junior Class, 1922

Grindley: White body with blue-green scrolling vines border pattern, topmarked Walton's in bold, outlined blue-green letters.
Shenango: Tan Inca Ware body with blue scroll, ornamental border pattern, topmarked Walton's in bold, outlined blue letters.

Plate photos contributed by kathleen
Platter photos contributed by floralady
Creamer photos contributed by Susan Phillips
ID contributed by kathleen, magbess & lady*bird