This site was created to recognise the remarkable achievements of Gladstone Working Pottery Museum following the rescue of the original derelict factory from the bulldozer in March 1971.
The museum was opened by HRH The Duke of Gloucester on 24th April 1975.
This is an independent and amateur site created by me, Terry Woolliscroft (occasional Gladstone volunteer), and has no association with the official Gladstone Pottery Museum website, here>
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| This site is archived for preservation by the British Library The UK Web Archive is a consortium of the six UK legal deposit libraries which aims to collect all UK websites at least once each year |
Contact?
Terence Woolliscroft - terry.wool@proton.me terry.wool@proton.me
Why Blogspot Blogger?
Why have I used Blogspot Blogger and not created a full-blown dot-com website?
"Well, first off, Blogspot Blogger is free to use and does the job well. Furthermore, it will still be here after I've popped my clogs! ;)
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| Gladstone Logo from the 1975 Souvenir Booklet |
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| Gladstone Working Pottery Museum - an iconic photo Kevin Millward in the cobbled yard |
This museum is unique. It was founded by Potteries people with a vision. Pioneers. Through thick and thin, and many ups and downs, it has grown to be a museum of international importance. At the time of its foundation it was a new concept in the way a museum should operate - a living and working museum. It was the second one of its kind, after Ironbridge Gorge Museum.
From the start, volunteers have been an essential and integral part of the operation of Gladstone and that's how I got involved, fresh out of college, in the 1973.
From the start, volunteers have been an essential and integral part of the operation of Gladstone and that's how I got involved, fresh out of college, in the 1973.
- It's where I met my wife, Pam Bott, another volunteer who became one of the Museum's first curators. She wrote the original 'Bottle Ovens' leaflet. more>
- It's where my mother Millie Woolliscroft worked as a volunteer free hand paintress demonstrator.
- It's where my sister Kathy Niblett created the Sampy Exhibition in 1976. more>
- It's where my brother-in-law, Paul Niblett, has worked tirelessly as a volunteer since 1971. more>
- It's where my sister-in-law, Val Bott, now an independent museum consultant, advised on displays in the early days of the museum, especially in relation to tiles. more>
- It's where my brother-in-law, Paul Bott, did a spell as a vol in the very early days before he moved out of the district.
Blog Author
Terence Woolliscroft.My other sites and contact details: https://linktr.ee/TerryWoolliscroft
Stoke-on-Trent born Terry Woolliscroft enjoyed his entire career in the ceramics industry. At the age of 16, he joined Josiah Wedgwood and Sons Ltd. The company sponsored his attendance at the North Staffordshire Polytechnic where he gained an Honours Degree in Ceramic Technology. Wedgwood also sponsored his month long course at the Outward Bound School, Aberdyfi, a truly life chnaging experience.
In 1975/6 he was a member of the team which surveyed the remaining bottle ovens in the Potteries.
In 1975/6 he was a member of the team which surveyed the remaining bottle ovens in the Potteries.
In 1978 he, and his future wife Pam, were members of the organising committee of The Last Bottle Oven Firing in Stoke-on-Trent. It was at this event that he met Alfred Clough, the 'fireman' responsible for this, the final firing.
In 2018 Pam and Terry wrote the standard work on the last firing "Bottle Ovens and the Last Firing" - available exclusively at the Gladstone Pottery Museum shop.
Latterly was been employed in the sanitaryware industry working for Twyfords, Roca, Lecico, Laufen, The Bathroom Manufacturers Association, The John Lewis Partnership and B&Q. The last decade or so has seen him travelling the world passing on his knowledge of the industry in special training seminars.
In his spare time he has created online sites containing specialist local information including:
Latterly was been employed in the sanitaryware industry working for Twyfords, Roca, Lecico, Laufen, The Bathroom Manufacturers Association, The John Lewis Partnership and B&Q. The last decade or so has seen him travelling the world passing on his knowledge of the industry in special training seminars.
In his spare time he has created online sites containing specialist local information including:
- The Potbank Dictionary
- The Potteries Bottle Oven
- The Last Bottle Oven Firing 1978
- The Gladstone Pottery Museum History
- The History of Twyford Bathrooms
These have been archived by The British Library. Links here https://linktr.ee/TerryWoolliscroft
Acknowledgements
Thanks go to these people who have contributed information, images and movies which have been uploaded to the blog:- Brian Colclough
- Ray Johnson
- David Malkin
- Kathy Niblett
- Paul Niblett
- Phil Rowley
- Pam Woolliscroft
No marketing communications are sent to anyone in the EU/UK.
Wikipedia The author of this site has no association with Wikipedia and does not add any information, comments, or edits to Wikipedia. Reliability, accuracy of information and consistency are a key to Terry's thinking.