News of the Potteries

Collectable figures

Betty Davies Ceramics in Stoke on Trent, is celebrating moving away from liquidation by producing limited edition figures.  There are 4 figures in the series, which are limited to a maximum of 250, these are 'The Whisperer', 'The Listener', 'The Secret Keeper' and 'The Phoenix'.  A gold and silver 'Phoenix' has been presented to the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery.  (The Sentinel)

Federation Tankard

This year is to the celebrate the centenery of the Federation of the six towns, Burslem, Stoke, Tunstall, Hanley, Fenton and Longton (31st March 1910.  To commemmorate this event, Potter's Kiln (UK) has provided a tankard with the help of three industries - Leeds Pottery Ltd, who have produced the tankards.  I chose this company because of their expertise in creamware (if ever you visit Stoke, search them out, their ware is superb), a local artist Margaret Donnellan who designed the artwork (she is so talented, that she painted the picture the size it appears on the tankard) and Finsbury China Ltd who produced the transers at a rapid speed.  I wish to thank all these people for their encouragement in creating this ware. 

Update on the Spode factory site

Stoke on Trent City Council is looking to expand the existing St Peter's Churchyard conservation area in Stoke to cover most of the town centre.  Ms Corfield, senior conservation office at the council said 'Extending the conservation area will make no difference at all to the Spode site, because most of those buildings are already protected by their listings.  Any developer would have to work with English Heritage anyway if they were looking to develop this site'.  Only four buildings on the Spode site were not protected already, and none of them had architectural value. This would mean a developer could easily put forward a case for their demolition, in spite of them being in a conservation area.  Kevin Ball, regeneration manager at the council said that extending the conservation area could actually help attract the right kind of developer for the site.  He said 'It might put off some developers, but with respect those probably wouldn't be the sort of developers we'd want'.  Ms Corfield said the city council would continue consulting on the plans for the site in the next few weeks.   (taken from Stoke-on-Trent's local newspaper 'The Sentinel').

Wedgwood

The face of master potter Josiah Wedgwood incorporated into a brick sculpture has been stored away for the past 22 years. Now the council has decided to place the design outside the Moat House Hotel on the Festival Park for all to see.

Historians in Stoke-on-Trent are to launch a series of walks which have been commissioned by the City Council.  The walks celebrate the 250th annivsersary of Josiah Wedgwood opening a factory in Burslem in 1759.   Celebrations have already been taking place at the Barlaston factory, but many are wondering if the new owners KPS are going to do any special events.  What a year this has been for Wedgwood!

Hudson & Middleton

Hudson & Middleton, one of the oldest pottery firms in Stoke-on-Trent since 1895, fell into adminstration in January, resulting in 19 workers being made redundant.  Last week, the company was sold to Hudson's Fine Bone China, a new firm founded by Hudson & Middleton's former management, who now wish to re-hire the employees. Director, Mike Deaville said 'Our main priority is to keep manufacturing in Stoke-on-Trent.  We are proud of the fact we make our products here.  A lot of people are outsourcing now, but we want to fly the flag for manufacturing here, and hopefully people are prepared to support that.  We are getting more and more people interested in the 'Made in England' back stamp because it's now becoming rarer than hen's teeth. 

Wade

Ceramics firm, Wade in Burslem has developed a new dinner service for people with dementure after revealing a 20% rise in profits. The range will be called ‘Dignity' which is aimed at elderly people who have the condition. The 198-year-old firm has tried out the range by residents of Abbots House Day Centre in Abbey Hulton. The concept is all about giving people back their dignity because in care homes, elderly people often have to use plastic children's cups. The dinner service will be produced in white, yellow and green, the easiest colours for dementia suffers to see. The range includes two handled cups and dishes with edges that food can be scooped up against. Further plans are a two-handled teapot, finger bowls, salt and pepper dispensers with Braille wording. Although this product will be produced in Thailand, 80% of Wade's output is from Stoke on Trent. (I think we can forgive them).

Dialect Mugs

Proud ‘Stokies' (Potters) have been buying thousands of mugs celebrating the potteries dialect. The mugs which feature distinctive sayings like ‘ay up duck' and ‘cost kick a bo agen a wo an yed it till it bosts? (these are not spelling mistakes). The mugs are being manufactured by Burslem based ‘Mooland Pottery'. Owners of the firm say they are selling 5,000 mugs a year. Moorland also produces other regional ranges - Brummieware (Birmingham), Geordieware (Newcastle upon Tyne), Scouseware (Liverpool) and pearlyware (London).

Poole Pottery

Good news for the Potteries! Early in the year ‘Poole' ceramic manufacturers in Dorset ceased trading. After six months the company was bought and moved to Stoke on Trent. It is now being produced within the ‘Royal Stafford' factory in Burslem. The styles and colours are still as dynamic and vibrant as always.

 Sales at Portmeirion

Portmeirion is about to take on more staff at their London Road factory in Stoke-on-Trent.  The pottery firm has taken more than £21 million sales in the first half of 2010, against last year's figure of £17 million.  Portmeirion bought the Spode & Royal Worcester brands last April and brought some production back into the UK.  Last year, Portmeirion took on 39 new employees and are now going to employ another 6.  This can only be good news for Stoke. 

Older news

• News of the Potteries, 30th of December, 2008