Category: Stoke-on-Trent

High Energy Costs Could Kill the Pottery Industry

High energy costs are threatening the Pottery industry’s future.

Local firms are paying £875 million a year for the energy they use. An analysis by Nottingham Trent University indicates that Britain’s ceramic industry spends 70% of its turnover on energy and 14% on government and regulatory levies.

Energy costs for the pottery industry in America and China have not risen since 2020.

The analysis examined a company based in Stoke-on-Trent with 49 employees and a turnover of approximately £630,000. This year, the firm will be paying £443,000 for the energy it uses.

Pottery worker Sharon Yates said to delegates attending the Labour Party Conference: “I am a proud pottery worker – just like my dad before me. The most highly skilled potters make ceramics in my town and we export the round the globe. But the industry we rely on is dying.

Tell us what you think. Do you agree with Sharon? Is the pottery industry dying, or can it survive the high cost of energy? If the industry is on its last legs, what does the future hold for Stoke-on-Trent? Have your say and tell us what you think.

Burslem and Cobridge in the 1790s

This image shows Wood & Caldwell’s Fountain Place Works in Burslem. In the 1790s the company made Staffordshire figures, earthenware and stoneware. Enoch Wood and James Caldwell were partners in the firm. The firm owned Bycars Colliery, where it mined coal to fire the factory’s bottle ovens and kilns.

A Description of the Country From Thirty to Forty Miles Round Manchester, a book published in 1795, was compiled by Dr John Aikin. The book tells us about Newcastle-under-Lyme and North Staffordshire’s pottery towns and villages in the 179os

This edited extract from the book describes Burslem and Cobridge as they were in the 1790s.

Burslem

Burslem is the home of North Staffordshire’s pottery industry. Earthenware has been made there for many centuries. Dr Plot, in his History of Staffordshire, written in 1686, said that the factories making pottery in Burslem were the largest in the district…

The town has two weekly markets. A large market is held on Monday, and a smaller one is held on Saturday. Four or five years ago, cattle markets were established. These markets are well attended by cattle dealers and butchers.

Burslem is a parish in its own right. The parish church, St John’s, has a good organ. The church has recently been enlarged and regenerated.

There are a large number of [Wesleyan] Methodists in the district. The Methodists have built a large chapel in Burslem and erected chapels in several pottery towns and villages. There are many other religious sects in the Potteries. Few areas have such a great diversity of sincerely held religious opinions.

Cobridge

Cobridge is an industrial village where earthenware is made. It is partly in Burslem Parish and partly in Stoke Parish.

Celebrate Black History Month at the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery

Come to the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery on Saturday, 4 October to celebrate Black History Month.

The event is a creative cultural day that celebrates the art, music and food of people of African or Caribbean descent.

This year, Black History Month’s theme is ‘Standing Firm in Power and Pride’, a tribute to the resilience, strength, and unwavering commitment to progress that define the Black community.

During the day, there will be a wide range of events including craft workshops, dancing, music and singing, Ghanaian acrobatics, stalls and many more things to enjoy.

 The celebration starts at 11 am and ends at 5 pm. Admission is free.

Hanley: A nostalgic journey through time and the effects of neglect

My journey spans the transformative years between 1980 and 2007, documenting the vibrant nightlife, iconic local landmarks, businesses and the palpable atmosphere that once defined my hometown. A town full of so much hope for a future that never came.

In the 80s and 90s, Hanley’s nightlife was the heartbeat of the towns night-time economy. Iconic clubs like The Place, Chicos, Satchmos and Golden at the Academy, the latter attracting busloads from the West-Midlands and Manchester, hosted world famous DJs, featured on MTV and in numerous sub-culture magazines of the day.

Hanley: A nostalgic journey through time and the effects of neglect.

Moorcroft Pottery Reopens

Moorcroft Pottery in Cobridge, which closed in April, has reopened. Will Moorcroft, who bought the firm and saved it from liquidation, has restarted production. Will, whose grandfather William Moorcroft founded the company, said he was “quite emotional” when the factory started making ware again.

More Images of Longton

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.

Open Day at Hilderstone Dig

There is a free open day at Stoke-on-Trent Museum Archaeological Society’s dig on Hall Lane, Hilderstone. The whole excavated area will be uncovered and many interesting finds will be on display. The site was originally believed to be the location of a multi-phase house dating from the 17th century. During deeper excavations this year, Roman and Medieval finds have been made. What could have been a ring ditch has been discovered, and it is possible that the site is prehistoric.

The site is open on Sunday, 28 September, from 11 am to 3 pm. Entry is free. Parking is available at Hilderstone Garage, Hall Lane.

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.

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.