Writer and broadcaster J. B. Priestly made his first visit to the Potteries in 1933. At the time, he was writing ‘English Journey’, a personalised semi-documentary account of life in England.
A well-built, good-natured, plain-speaking, pipe-smoking Yorkshireman, he visited towns and cities throughout the country collecting information for his book.
Meandering northwards from Southhampton, John made his way to the Potteries, where he visited Adams, an 18th-century potbank in Tunstall.
John was surprised to hear the foreman at the works call the employees ‘ladies and gentlemen’ instead of ‘men and women’. He saw them making and decorating cups and saucers, teapots, butter dishes, dinnerware and tea services.
The ‘ladies and gentlemen’ took pride in their work. John admired their skill and craftsmanship but was critical of the firm’s traditional designs that were not selling in overseas markets.
Before he left the factory, John unsuccessfully attempted to throw a large plate on a potter’s wheel. He could not control the wheel’s speed, and the plate kept slipping off it.
North Staffordshire Heritage 