Some of our customers write “Dear Nancy...” which is nice as that’s the name of our shop but my name is actually Rachel. When I explain that Nancy was my grandmother, slight confusion is replaced with understanding of my desire to ground a business in family history, in my case through my grandmother's love of fine china, tea and cake baking.

Family is at the core of Nancy's Vintage China in other ways too. My mum, Sharon, joined me not long after I started the shop. My daily battle with the long queues at my local post office in morning rush hour just wasn't working and my little flat was bursting at the seams with vintage china. With extra space and time, my mum was willing to take on the demanding task of painstakingly packing and shipping all our orders so that they safely reach their destinations. She also enjoys sourcing our vintage pieces along with the help of my dad whose many years of shopping for antiques and curios means he's a willing and partner on these excursions.

Long before vintage and upcycling became fashionable I was the one accompanying my dad on visits to fairs, markets and car boot sales, spending my precious pocket money on 1970s and 80s Barbie dolls and various ornaments for my bedroom. I loved the fact that I could buy things that no one else had and which were, in many instances, better quality than the 'modern' toys of the time.

The beginning of Nancy's Vintage China was in a small selection of vintage plates, which I'd bought with the idea of making some cake stands for friends' birthdays. A week later, armed with my trusty drill, a special diamond tipped drill bit and some internet instructions, I made my first cake stands! .....and somehow got away with breaking only one plate. I gave some away as presents and some were used in my friends' vintage tea party wedding. One of these friends then suggested I sell the rest of the stands on Etsy. And the rest is history!

I am still as fascinated today with vintage china as I was when I first set up the shop. My mum and I can spend hours sorting through our recent finds, trying out different combinations for cake stands or mismatched tea sets. We even just love cleaning the china. Sad, we know! But there's nothing more satisfying than finding a dusty tea set which has been languishing in the back of a cupboard somewhere for years, only to find that when it is cleaned carefully it's an exquisite piece of fine English china. The real icing on the cake (if you will forgive the pun) is when it reaches its new home where its beauty and quality is appreciated for a second time.

***Please note that recently we changed our name to Nancy's Vintage China from Nancy's Tea Shop, but the shop remains the same despite our name change!***