Did you know that the Armstrong Whitley Bomber was designed by John Lloyd, who grew up in Etruria? He was educated at Hanley High School. When John left school, he became an apprentice at Shelton Bar. During the First World War, he worked at the Royal Aircraft Factory. When the war ended, John went to work for Armstrong Whitworth, becoming the company’s chief aircraft designer in the 1920s.
Author: David Martin
Free Access to Ancestry at Staffordshire Libraries
Family Historians who are members of Staffordshire Library can grow their family tree at their local library.
Ancestry, the leading genealogy resource on the internet, is ‘packed full of records’. It can help you trace by giving you hints and tips to guide your research.
For more information, contact your local library.
Visit Stoke-on-Trent during its Centenary Year
We strolled through the ‘Street of Life in Stoke’ [at the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery] where we envisaged living in the past and gazed in wonderment at the old chemist’s shop with its small wooden drawers filled with pills and potions. Also on display was an antiquated fish and chip shop range, a cosy potter’s cottage and the interior of a village pub.
Friday NewsDesk
North Staffordshire Heritage has had an uneventful week. We have continued to reorganise our filing system, which holds research projects dating back to the 1990s.
Our research project into the Anglo-Saxon justice system is progressing well.
We have been researching the meaning of the Early English place name ‘Tun’.
Some historians suggest that ‘Tun’ was the name the Saxons gave to a fortified village which they built on the site of a Roman villa or small settlement. It has always been accepted that our Tunstall in Stoke-on-Trent dates from 5th or 6th century. If it was built on a Roman site, Tunstall is much older than anyone thought possible.
We hope you have a relaxing and enjoyable weekend. Take care, and we’ll see you again next week.
Staffordshire History Festival
Staffordshire History Festival celebrates the county’s rich and diverse heritage. During the two-month festival, which ends on October 31, local history talks and exhibitions will be held at libraries and heritage sites throughout Staffordshire.
Councillor Hayley Coles, Cabinet Member for Communities and Culture said:
The Staffordshire History Festival is a brilliant chance to explore the stories that shape our communities. Whether you are interested in exhibitions, film screenings or hands-on workshops, there’s something for everyone. No matter where you are in the county, history is just around the corner – so get involved and discover what makes Staffordshire so truly special.
An exhibition, Staffordshire and Slavery, opens on September 16 at the Staffordshire History Centre. A film about the life of Fanny Deakin will be shown at Newcastle Kidsgrove and Biddulph Libraries. For more details of these and other events, please contact the Staffordshire History Centre or your local library.
New Grant Programme for Museums
The National Archives is launching a new national grant programme for libraries and museums.
The programme, called the ‘Spaces, Places and Belonging’ Community Hub, is being funded by the Arts & Humanities Research Council.
It will support inclusive, community-led research projects throughout the United Kingdom. There will be three grant schemes.
They are: Skills Bursaries, Seed Corn Grants and Project Grants (for more details, click the names of the grants)
Applications for Seed Corn Grants and Skills Bursaries open on Monday, 15 September 2025.
A webinar to launch the grants is taking place on Wednesday, 17 September 2025.
To be part of the webinar, follow this link to Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/spaces-places-and-belonging-community-hub-launch-webinar-tickets-1524899849499
How to apply for a grant of between £10,00 and £250,000 for your heritage project
Does your organization want to apply for a grant of between £10,000 and £250,000 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund? If you have an idea for a heritage project, this video tells you how to apply for Heritage Lottery Funding.
For more information, please visit The National Heritage Fund’s website at https://www.heritagefund.org.uk/fundi…
Ancestral Tourism 1: Churches and Churchyards
What might, for us, be termed ‘Ancestral Tourism’ could simply be an enjoyable day out for any family and friends accompanying us. The little stops and circuitous routes wouldn’t be too burdensome on companions, and might be thought to add dimension to a place.
I say this from a position of experience, since I’ve done quite a bit of visiting the ancestors over the years, often accompanied by my husband and dog. The trick is to intersperse the family history with other sightseeing and activities and, above all, to know where to draw the line.
Bottle Ovens of Staffordshire at the Brampton Museum
A special talk on the Bottle Ovens of Staffordshire will be given by Phil Rowley, a local historian and ceramics expert. The talk will take place at Newcastle-under-Lyme’s Brampton Museum on Sunday 7 September at 2.00 pm. Admission £5. For more details, please contact the Museum.
Two Film Shows at the Brampton Museum
Two Film Shows at the Brampton Museum in September, telling the story of North Staffordshire’s Pottery and Textile Industries.
There are two film shows at Newcastle-under-Lyme’s Brampton Museum in September.
The first film, The Pottery Industry – 20th Century to Today, will be shown on Sunday, 14 September at 2.00 pm. Admission Free.
The second film, Leek and the Story of Silk Twisting, will be shown on Thursday, 18 September at 2.30 pm. Admission £5. The film marks the start of an autumn programme called Textile Take Over at the Brampton Museum. The programme will include exhibitions, talks and events relating to North Staffordshire’s textile industry.
North Staffordshire Heritage 