Spotted on ‘Call the Midwife’

It’s 1970 in the current series of the BBC’s hugely popular Call the Midwife – and keen viewers among you might have noticed some Royal Doulton dinnerware being used for tea at Nonnatus House (Episode 3, Sunday 19 January).

Gracing the table as the sisters and midwives tucked into a wholesome homity pie – and welcomed news from Sister Julienne that the nurses’ hard-won pay increase had been backdated and incorporated into this month’s wages – was Royal Doulton Reflection TC 1008.

This pattern was in production for more than 20 years (1959–1981) and looks just as elegant in 2025 as it did in the 1960s and 70s. Royal Doulton Reflection features a subtle mid-blue border with a dainty white flower and leaf pattern on plates and bowls, while the tea set items are more prominently blue with a white finish inside.

The letters ‘TC’ in this pattern name, and the others featured below, are important. They stand for ‘Translucent China’, which is now better known as Royal Doulton Fine China. This offered the superior translucent quality of bone china but without the price tag.

Royal Doulton Reflection is a popular replacement china collection at Chinasearch and our stocks are good. Similar Royal Doulton patterns include Rose Elegans, Aegean and Harmony.

Royal Doulton Rose Elegans TC 1010 (1961–81) is complementary alongside the Reflection pattern – and they were in production for a similar period. With this pattern, the light blue is left unadorned and the floral motif, in subtle pinks and greens, sits off the crisp white of each item.

Featuring a stronger border pattern is Royal Doulton Harmony TC 1104. This was in production for just four years (1975–79) and uses bold black with touches of green and white in its floral decoration, presented off a border of mid-grey/blue.

Also similar in tone but on a coupe shape is the Royal Doulton Aegean TC 1015 collection (1959–75), which incorporates a full-colour mid-grey/blue background with intricate white leaf design as a border.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on this series of Call the Midwife. In most episodes, people can be seen around a table, enjoying sandwiches, a full meal or tea with cake, so we expect many more popular china collections from the 70s to make an appearance!