ROYAL ADDERLEY - RIDGWAY POTTERIES ORIGINS OF THE NEWFOUNDLAND TARTAN CHINA PATTERN
The Newfoundland Tartan China Pattern was developed using historic and cultural symbols of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, and each of these symbols has special meaning to its heritage and history. From Sam Wilansky's vision of a Newfoundland Tartan, the Armorial Bearings which evidence the historic ties to England, to the delicate pitcher plant, this pattern is able to tie these symbols together so that collectors are searching for more than just fine bone china -- they are collecting china that represents their heritage.
NEWFOUNDLAND TARTAN
The Newfoundland Provincial Tartan was developed in 1955 by the Late Sam Wilansky, a clothier on Water Street in St. John's, and was registered in Scotland as the Provincial Tartan in 1973. The Tartan is predominantly green with gold, white, brown, and red bands of color. These colors were chosen to correspond with Newfoundland's Anthem, 'The Ode to Newfoundland" - green represents 'the pine clad hills', gold represents 'the sun rays' that crown the pine clad hills, white represents 'the cloak at Winter's stern command', brown represents 'the Iron Isle', a reference to Bell Island where iron ore was mined from the 1890's to the 1960's and red to represent England's Royal Standard for which our Fathers stood.
ODE TO NEWFOUNDLAND
When sun-rays crown thy pine-clad hills, When spreads thy cloak of shimm'ring white
And summer spreads her hand, At winter's stern command,
When silvern voices tune thy rills, Thro' shortened day and star-lit night,
We love thee, smiling land, We love thee, frozen land,
We love thee, we love thee, We love thee, we love thee,
We love thee, smiling land. We love thee, frozen land.
When blinding storm gusts fret thy shore, As loved our Fathers, so we love,
And wild waves lash thy strand, Where once they stood we stand,
Thro' sprindrift swirl and tempest roar, Their prayer we raise to heaven above,
We love thee, wind-swept land, God guard thee, Newfoundland,
We love thee, we love thee, God guard thee, God guard thee,
We love thee, wind-swept land. God guard thee, Newfoundland.
Written by Sir Cavendish Boyle, Newfoundland Governor from 1901 to 1904.
Music by Sir C. Hubert Parry
ARMORIAL BEARINGS / COAT OF ARMS
The amorial bearings present a white cross on a red background, reversing the Cross of St. George. The white cross divides the shield into quadrants with the Royal Lion (supporters of England's Coat of Arms) in the upper-left and lower-right quadrants, and Unicorns (supporters of Scotland's Coat of Arms) in the upper-right and lower-left quadrants. 
PITCHER PLANT (Sarracenia Purpurea)
The pitcher plant was not declared to be the Provincial Flower of Newfoundland and Labrador until 1954, however, this strange little plant was engraved on the newly minted newfoundland penny during the late 1880's, the emblem chosen by Queen Victoria. The pitcher plant is primarily found in bogs and marshlands throughout the province. It has large wine-red flowers with red and gold centres, with hollow pitcher-shaped leaves attached at the base of the stem. An insectivorous plant, it feeds off insects that become trapped inside when the leaves fill with water, allowing the pitcher plant to thrive in environments which many plants cannot. Recently, the Goverment of Newfoundland and Labrador adopted a new Provincial logo which prominant displays the picture plant as a symbol of the Province.