A city that forgets its past is a city without a future.
Stoke-on-Trent is a city with a proud heritage.
Its history is a testament to people from the Potteries who have played significant roles on the world stage.
Stoke-on-Trent’s city council was one of the pioneers of comprehensive education. It defied Conservative and Labour governments to reform secondary education by creating comprehensive schools and a sixth-form college.
Local art schools, technical schools and colleges of further education were progressive centres of excellence. Reginald Mitchell, who designed the Spitfire, turned down a place at Birmingham University. He wanted to serve an apprenticeship with a firm in Fenton and study engineering at city technical schools.
By the early 1930s, the North Staffordshire Technical College was a university in everything but name. The college’s worldwide reputation in ceramic research and mining engineering attracted students from Europe, North America and the Commonwealth.
Some argue that the past is dead. They are mistaken. It lives in our collective memory and shapes our destiny. Our city’s proud heritage tells us who we are and why we are unique. A city that forgets its past is a city without a future.
Can You Help Trace These Film Strips?
North Staffordshire Heritage needs your help to find a series of historic 35 mm film strips. These films were made by local schools in 1960. They were produced to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the County Borough of Stoke-on-Trent’s creation.
We have the scripts for all these film strips. But we have only found one film strip, the Township of Tunstall that was made by Highgate Secondary School.
The film strips about Burslem, Hanley, Stoke-upon-Trent, Fenton and Longton are missing. If you can help us to trace them, please email northstaffordshireheritage@outlook.com
North Staffordshire Heritage 