Month: Sep 2025

A Walk from Kidsgrove to Biddulph via Mow Cop

Mow Cop’s craggy high point is crowned with Mow Cop Castle, an artfully ruined folly, constructed on the instruction of Randle Wilbraham, the lord of nearby Rode Hall ,in 1754. Since 1937 the castle and the gritstone rocks it sits upon have been owned and managed by the National Trust. These days the site is a country park.

Beneath Mow Cop Castle, it is very evident where gritstone was quarried over the centuries. These days, the village appears to be a quietly affluent place, but historically, quarrying meant that it was once an industrial hub.

Kidsgrove – Biddulph

Mow Cop, the birthplace of the Primitive Methodist Church, and Biddulph Grange Gardens will help to make North Staffordshire’s Industrial Landscape a World Heritage Site.

Friday NewsDesk

This has been a week of contrasts. We were delighted to learn that Longton is going to get a £2 million facelift. It will ease traffic congestion and attract more customers to the town’s shops and heritage market. Although disappointed, we were not surprised that production at Wedgwood’s Barlaston factory will cease from the end of September until January 5th 2026. The company’s accounts are due to be published in October. We wonder how economists will view them.

The Brownhills Murder (1797), the first post in our new series about Tunstall called Historic Tunstall, was posted this week.

Monday, September 15th, was Battle of Britain Day. Our post, North Staffordshire and the Battle of Britain, paid tribute to those whose courage in the face of overwhelming odds saved the world from Nazi domination and gave Britain its finest hour.

Although he is taking a Sabbatical to study Anglo-Saxon legal history, David will continue to edit our website.

We hope you have a relaxing and enjoyable weekend. Take care and stay safe.

Kidsgrove: Images of bygone days

Celebrating 35 years of friendship with Erlangen

Stoke-on-Trent is celebrating its 35 year old friendship with its twin city Erlangen.

The celebration takes place in October at Commerce House, where there will be stories, student talks and live links to Germany.

For 35 years, Stoke-on-Trent has shared projects, people and ideas with Erlangen.

To find out more and to book your free place, please go to: https://my.staffordshirechambers.co.uk/events-training/event-calendar/stoke-on-trent-erlangen-celebrating-35-years-of-friendship-oct25.html 

Talk about Admiral St Vincent

A talk about Admiral St Vincent will be given by Alan James on Tuesday, 7th October at The Methodist Church Hall, Green Lane, Blythe Bridge, to the Blythe Bridge & Surrounding Districts History Society. The talk starts at 7.30pm. Guests welcome.

Admission £2. For more details, please telephone 01782 399608.

A facelift for Longton’s town centre

Longton’s Times Square is getting a facelift. Stoke-on-Trent City Council plans to spend almost £2 million to transform the town centre.

At a recent meeting, the city council’s cabinet members agreed to allocate £1.985 million towards the project, which will improve pedestrian links and reduce traffic congestion.

The work includes pedestrianising Times Square and changing the road system. New paving, railings and lighting will be installed in Baths Passage and Strand Passage as part of the improvements.

Wedgwood to cease production until January 2026.

Wedgwood is ‘pausing production’ at its North Staffordshire factory. Pottery will not be produced at Wedgwood’s Barlaston factory between September 29th 2025 and January 5th 2026.

Wedgwood Factory Tours have also been cancelled between these dates.

The decision has been made before Wedgwood releases its accounts for 2024, which in October.

Historic Tunstall: The Brownhills Murder (1797)

John Wood, whose father was a pottery manufacturer in Burslem, bought the Brownhills estate near Tunstall in 1782.

He built a pottery factory on the estate and erected Brownhills Hall. The hall was a red brick Georgian mansion, where John lived with his wife, Mary, and their children.

In 1796, Mary was taken ill, and John asked Burslem surgeon Thomas Oliver to treat her. During his visits to the hall, Thomas met and fell in love with their daughter Maria. His love was reciprocated, and the couple wanted to get married. Although Thomas had a successful practice, John refused to let him marry her.

He ordered Thomas to leave the hall and never darken its doors again.

Maria and Thomas started meeting near a mill in the Scotia Brook Valley. One evening, John found them there. He attacked Thomas, and the two men fought each other. After the fight, John called Thomas a poor beggar and ordered Maria to stop seeing him.

Maria obeyed her father and refused to see John again. John was devastated. He neglected his practice, took no interest in his personal appearance and started drinking heavily.

John’s wife, Mary, was taken seriously ill. John asked Thomas to treat her. He agreed, and she became his patient again. When Mary recovered, Maria and Thomas asked John to let them marry. He refused. Thomas became angry and told John that he would get even with him. After making the threat, Thomas left Brownhills Hall and walked home.

A few days afterwards, Thomas, armed with two loaded pistols, went to Brownhills Hall. When he arrived there, John was still in bed. Thomas went to the factory to wait for him in his office. When he came into the office, Thomas gave him the bill for treating Mary.

John gave the bill to Mr. Bathwell, one of his clerks and spoke to him. While he was speaking to Mr. Bathwell, Thomas pulled a pistol out of one of his pockets. He shot John. After firing the pistol, Thomas attempted to commit suicide by shooting himself. Before he could pull the trigger, Mr Bathwell knocked the gun out of his hand.

John looked at Thomas and said to him, “Oh, sir, you have killed me.” Thomas replied, “It is what I intended.” He made another attempt to kill himself. The attempt failed and he was arrested.

John died three days later. Thomas was charged with murder and remanded in custody to await trial at Staffordshire Assizes.

His trial took place on Friday, 25th August 1797. He pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. Two leading physicians gave evidence to support his plea. Their evidence was rejected by the jury. He was found guilty and sentenced to death.

Until the beginning of the 20th century, a person found guilty by a jury at an Assize Court or Quarter Sessions could not appeal against conviction or sentence. Punishment was inflicted within days of the sentence being passed. Thomas was executed at 10.30am on Monday, 28th August, just three days after his trial.

After taking communion in the prison chapel, he walked calmly and bravely to the gallows. His body was taken to Stourbridge, where it was buried in the family grave.

The Brownhills Murder is one of a series of articles about North Staffordshire’s history written by Betty Martin before her death. Other articles from the series will be posted from time to time.

Memory Lane: Longton in the 1960s

This video takes you on a nostalgic journey down Memory Lane to Longton in the 1960s. You will be taken back to a time of tight-knit communities, bustling high streets and industrial activity in a pottery town in Stoke-on-Trent.

During your trip down Memory Lane you will see a stunning collection of rare photographs that bring Longton’s past to life.

When you have seen the video, please use our Comments Section below to share your memories of Longton with us. Tell us about the schools you attended and your first job. Let us know what you did in your spare time and tell us about your interests and hobbies.

North Staffordshire and the Battle of Britain

Monday, 15th September, was Battle of Britain Day.

It’s the day we pay tribute to the courage of the pilots who, fighting against overwhelming odds, won the battle. We also remember members of the armed forces killed in action and the civilians who died when enemy bombs fell on British towns and cities.

The role North Staffordshire played in the battle must not be underestimated. RAF pilots were trained at Meir. Firefighters from the Potteries were sent to help their colleagues in Coventry when it was bombed.

Two of the world’s leading aircraft designers, John Lloyd and Reginald Mitchell, grew up in the Potteries. Both men were educated at Hanley High School and served their engineering apprenticeships with local firms.

John Lloyd designed the Whitley, a heavy bomber. During the Battle of Britain the Whitley bombed and destroyed strategic targets in Germany and Italy.

The Spitfire, designed by Reginald Mitchell, became a living legend. It was the aircraft that gave Britain its Finest Hour and saved the world from Nazi domination.

Went the day well?
We died and never knew.
But, well or ill,
Freedom, we died for you.