1971 March - Gladstone is rescued at the eleventh hour
"The Potters" - A 15 minute introduction to Pottery and Gladstone Pottery Museum, and appeal for its preservation. |
| Derek H Johnson, Chairman and Managing Director, H & R Johnson-Richards Tiles Ltd Appeal for Gladstone Pottery Museum Screen grab from 'The Potters' Film |
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| C W (Bill) Bowers, Chairman and Managing Director, Staffordshire Potteries (Holdings ) Ltd Appeal for Gladstone Pottery Museum Screen grab from 'The Potters' Film |
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| Screen grabs from 'The Potters' Film |
1971 Firing Enthusiasm - One of the first leaflets
Early 1970s
Outside Gladstone China and Salisbury China |
| Gladstone Pottery Museum, Uttoxeter Road, Longton Note The Vulcan Inn on the right Photo: Rodney Hampson Date: Early 1970s |
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| Gladstone Photo: courtesy James Morgan Date: unknown early 1970s Published in The Sentinel, March 2021 |
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| Gladstone Pottery Museum Later in the 1970s and the Vulcan Inn has gone Photo: Rodney Hampson |
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| Vulcan Arms, Uttoxeter Road, Longton Photo: source unknown Date: unknown |
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| Gladstone Works and Salisbury China 'The White House' Photo: Rodney Hampson Date: 1970 |
1971 Early December - Engineering volunteers start work
The first volunteers to set foot on the Gladstone Works were the 'Engineering Volunteers'. One of their first jobs was to remove the coal-fired boiler in the room which was to eventually house the steam engine.
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| Gladstone - Engineering volunteers begin Photo: Arthur Maxfield Date: December 1971 |
1972 Before building restoration begins
Buildings at Gladstone Works, prior to restoration. Parts of the Roslyn Pottery factory can be seen in this view. |
| Gladstone Works Photo: Stoke-on-Trent Museums / Staffordshire Past Track Date: 1972 |
1972 - The 'Heavy Brigade' and the Engineering volunteers start their work
The volunteer 'Heavy Brigade' and Engineering Volunteers start work on clearing the site before the builders move in to start the building restoration. |
| Gladstone - heavy work begins Photo: Arthur Maxfield |
1972 - Building renovations begin
Alan Walker and his partner John Nicklin trading as Trent Builders and Property Developers had the contract to turn Gladstone Works from dereliction to something that then became the museum. Alan Walker was from Meir and was a bricklayer. John Nicklin was from Blurton and was a joiner. They held many maintenance contracts with local potbanks. Information from Carl Walker, son of Alan, January 2018
1972 - Making the buildings safe
Professionals were employed to make the buildings safe. One of them, a bricklayer, helped make sure all the buildings were in a sound condition. His name was Sidney Ayres, born & bred in Longton, a stone's throw from Gladstone, in Chaplin Road. (info from Neil Bourne, August 2016)
1973 - Planning proposals
December 1973 - Notice of Development Proposals : Use of pottery as working museum |
| Gladstone Pottery Museum Story - December 1973 Notice of Development Proposals Use of pottery as working museum Photo: Phil Rowley |
1973 - Getting the Show on the Road
Personal recollections of David Sekers, the museum's first DirectorI’ll never forget my first glimpse of the potbank yard at Gladstone. With its towering bottle ovens, functional cluster of workshops, and its brick and cobble textures, it was an image that encapsulated an industry.
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| Gladstone Works Yard - Derelict before restoration 1971 Picture courtesy of Phil Rowley, original origin unknown |
By the time I arrived, Trustees had bought the Gladstone site, and set out a vision for its conservation and for the displays it would contain. It also featured what at the time was a new idea: it should be a working museum where the skill of the various processes would be displayed by craftsmen and women. Credit for this idea must go to the late Robert Copeland (who had seen working museums in New England).
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| Robert Copeland 2001 |
He was a visionary industrial archaeologist whose volunteer corps had helped restore the Cheddleton Flint mill, and were soon to be invaluable at Gladstone.
We suffered unforeseen delays with the restoration work (the gable end of the warehouse block was unstable); and the three day week in the early months of 1974 added to initial difficulties; so the opening was delayed until 20th August 1974.
By then we had a new gas kiln and an agreement to make traditional Staffordshire figures under license. The site was transformed by the arrival of the pioneers teams of volunteers; and the main attraction was watching the demonstrators, David Rooke, Hilda Morris, Mrs Goodwin and Mrs Birks. Largely due to them, visitors from the start seemed to enjoy learning about the unique personality and character of the Potteries.
Gladstone soon played a part in attracting tourists to the area, but it took several seasons for visitor numbers to grow enough to balance the books. The original supporters’ faith in the museum project seems to have been justified, particularly as the rich seems of social history that it represent have now receded so much further into the past, and are so much harder to recognise in the changed city of today.
David Sekers
David Sekers was born in 1943, the son of the Hungarian industrialist, Sir Nicholas Sekers, and his wife, Agota. He attended Eton College, where he was a pupil in the house run by Nigel Wykes, and then Worcester College, Oxford.
1974 - Origins and Plans, from the Souvenir Brochure
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| Gladstone Souvenir Brochure from 1974 |
The idea of making a Living Industrial Museum in the Potteries was given its major impetus by the circumstances which changed the face of Stoke-on-Trent within a decade. The enlightened policy of slum clearance, the reclamation of derelict land and major reconstruction has had the effect of changing the landscape of the City.
Bottle ovens, once the most characteristic feature of Stoke’s landscape, still numbered more than a thousand after the war. But by 1959 this figure was halved, and by 1964 only about two hundred were left, almost all disused. The adoption of clean fuels in place of coal, not only changed the air above Stoke; it sealed the fate of the City’s characteristic bottle ovens. Today rather less than fifty remain.
It was during the last decade that some City planners and Museum officials had the foresight to conduct surveys of some of the older remaining factory sites with a view to considering whether some of them could or should be conserved. There was no plan at this stage to create a Living Museum.
The Gladstone Works in Longton was high up on the list of conservable and characteristic potbanks; after the works were vacated and the site put up for sale, attention was focused on this particular potbank but in March 1971 it became evident that the buildings were to be demolished and it was only at the eleventh hour, when the bulldozers were about to move in that the site was saved. For by this time a group of eminent pottery manufacturers had foreseen how such a potbank could be restored and put to use. An old potbank could be an ideal site in which to relate and record the history of the industry.
It was with these thoughts in mind that at the end of March 1971, H. & R. Johnson provided the money to buy the site; immediately thereafter the Trust was formed which was destined to plan and finance and administer the Living Museum on the site. In September 1972 the Title Deeds of the Gladstone Works were formally handed over to the Trust by H. & R. Johnson-Richards Tiles Ltd.
Foundations
The plan was to restore the Gladstone Works so that future generations should come and see the old bottle ovens, and learn how this major industry developed here in Stoke-on-Trent. It would be a working museum, where methods of manufacturing pottery would be daily demonstrated to visitors. These two aspects would be combined with the unique opportunity of seeing an authentic old factory environment.
This plan was worked out in much detail; founders of the scheme were confident that it would evoke the interest not only of tourists and pottery enthusiasts from all over the country, but also that of local people. And more importantly it would be a basis for local industrialists to give their financial support to the fund raising appeal.
The Staffordshire Pottery Industry Preservation Trust launched its appeal at the end of 1971. Support was immediately forthcoming from some of the largest pottery companies in Britain, and from most sectors of the industry.
Bottle ovens, once the most characteristic feature of Stoke’s landscape, still numbered more than a thousand after the war. But by 1959 this figure was halved, and by 1964 only about two hundred were left, almost all disused. The adoption of clean fuels in place of coal, not only changed the air above Stoke; it sealed the fate of the City’s characteristic bottle ovens. Today rather less than fifty remain.
It was during the last decade that some City planners and Museum officials had the foresight to conduct surveys of some of the older remaining factory sites with a view to considering whether some of them could or should be conserved. There was no plan at this stage to create a Living Museum.
The Gladstone Works in Longton was high up on the list of conservable and characteristic potbanks; after the works were vacated and the site put up for sale, attention was focused on this particular potbank but in March 1971 it became evident that the buildings were to be demolished and it was only at the eleventh hour, when the bulldozers were about to move in that the site was saved. For by this time a group of eminent pottery manufacturers had foreseen how such a potbank could be restored and put to use. An old potbank could be an ideal site in which to relate and record the history of the industry.
It was with these thoughts in mind that at the end of March 1971, H. & R. Johnson provided the money to buy the site; immediately thereafter the Trust was formed which was destined to plan and finance and administer the Living Museum on the site. In September 1972 the Title Deeds of the Gladstone Works were formally handed over to the Trust by H. & R. Johnson-Richards Tiles Ltd.
Foundations
The plan was to restore the Gladstone Works so that future generations should come and see the old bottle ovens, and learn how this major industry developed here in Stoke-on-Trent. It would be a working museum, where methods of manufacturing pottery would be daily demonstrated to visitors. These two aspects would be combined with the unique opportunity of seeing an authentic old factory environment.
This plan was worked out in much detail; founders of the scheme were confident that it would evoke the interest not only of tourists and pottery enthusiasts from all over the country, but also that of local people. And more importantly it would be a basis for local industrialists to give their financial support to the fund raising appeal.
The Staffordshire Pottery Industry Preservation Trust launched its appeal at the end of 1971. Support was immediately forthcoming from some of the largest pottery companies in Britain, and from most sectors of the industry.
1974 March - Wanted!
From the Daily Mail, 6th March 1974 |
| Note: See Pottery Point above - A Saggar Makers Bottom Knocker did not 'knock the bottom out of saggars.' He did the exact opposite and made saggar bottoms. Also saggars are not 'moulds' they are robust fireclay containers used to contain and protect pottery during firing ion bottle ovens |
1974 - 5 April 1974
H&R Johnsons loaned the Gladstone Pottery Museum Development Trust the sum of £20,000 (Record in the Stoke-on-Trent City Archives Ref:SD1269/A/1) |
| Gladstone from Uttoxeter Road Photo: source unknown Date: 1974 |
1974 August 20th - The Preview Season opens
The museum opened to the public for the first time. This Preview Season was a 'trial run' (before the Royal opening of the 'First Phase' on 24 April 1975) to see how the museum would 'work' with visitors. The museum opened on 20th August 1974. Some of the first visitors were children representing many schools in the district. Entrance charges? Adults 50p and Pensioners 20p!
In November 1974 David Sekers, Museum Director, wrote to volunteers "...the preview season is succeeding even more than we expected. So far 12,000 people have been around Gladstone and so now we would like to to plan to extend the Preview Season in the new year. .... the museum will reopen on January 7th"
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| David Sekers, Museum Director, wrote to volunteers about the success of the Preview Season (click on image to make it readable) |
During the morning of 20th August 2024 a small group of volunteers from the very early years of Gladstone Pottery Museum met there to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the start of the Preview Season. The event was organised by Paul Niblett (a volunteer since 1971) who provided birthday cake, bubbly and balloons.
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1974 - Re-pointing the bottle oven
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| Repairs and re-pointing one of the Gladstone bottle ovens Photo: Courtesy Evening Sentinel Date: Spring 1974 |
1974 - Emptying the first glost firing in the museum's new kiln
David Sekers, Gladstone Museum Director, and John Gould, Works Manager
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| Gladstone Pottery Museum Story Unloading the first glost firing 1974 David Sekers and John Gould |
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| Commemorative two handled bowl by Maurice Ward Photo: Terry Woolliscroft Collection Date: 1974 |
John Gould (1935 - 2022) John joined the staff at Gladstone in 1974 as Works Manager heading the manufacturing section of the museum. He worked at the museum for 18 years until 1992 when Stoke-on-Trent City Council took ownership of the museum and promptly closed the manufacturing department.
1974 - Gladstone Pottery Museum's first Christmas event
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| The Royal Doulton Band and Choir, conductor Ted Gray playing the Gladstone Carol in Gladstone's yard, Christmas 1974 Photo: Brian & Maureen Colclough Collection |
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| Newly invented Gladstone Hot Dog served on a ware board by Eric Taylor! Gladstone's yard, Christmas 1974 Photo: Brian & Maureen Colclough Collection |
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| Carol Concert in Gladstone's yard, Christmas 1974 Photo: Brian & Maureen Colclough Collection |
1975 March - Royal visit to city announced
The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester will be making their first official visit to Stoke-on-Trent in April, it was announced today.
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| Courtesy The Evening Sentinel |
Full text of the Sentinel article:
In an extensive day-long tour they will visit the Aynsley China factory, Longton, Wedgwood's Barlaston Factory, and officially open the first phase of the Gladstone Pottery Museum.
Formerly Prince Richard of Gloucester, the shy but artistic Duke is in his early thirties. He inherited the Dukedom last year following the death of his father. The Duchess, aged 28, was formerly Miss Birgitte van Deurs, a straw-blonde Dane, and daughter of: an eminent lawyer. The couple were married in 1972 and they have a five-months-old son.
The highlight of their visit on April 24th-will be the official opening of the first phase of the Gladstone Pottery Museum at Longton. It opened for a preview season in August of last year after a three year battle by the Staffordshire Pottery Industry Preservation Trust to raise more than £250,000 [£2.5 million in 2018] to cover the cost of early restoration work.
Although not yet complete, the project is centred on an early Victorian pot bank and has spectacular bottle ovens, cobbled yards and traditional workshops restored in the atmosphere of more than 100 years ago. Today, Museum Director Mr. David Sekers told the Sentinel: "We are delighted with the news. It is well known that the Duke is keen on conservation and as an architect he is likely to be very interested in the work at Gladstone.
After leaving Gladstone, the royal party will have lunch at the British Ceramic Manufacturers Federation, Stoke, as guests of the Gladstone Pottery Development Trust before returning to Longton to visit the Aynsley China factory.
For Aynsley China Ltd., the visit sets the seal on a "milestone year' - it is, the company's bicentenery and the Duke will be opening £250,000 extensions. The third stage of their tour will take the Duke and Duchess to Wedgwood at Barlaston, where the couple will be taken on an extensive tour of the factory. It will include a visit to the museum, design studio and showroom, and the Duke will be invited to unveil a plaque commemorating the day.