Gladstone Pottery Museum Stoke, England Review and Need to Know Guide

When

March 2023

Where

Gladstone Pottery Museum in Stoke-on-Trent, England

Introduction

My daughters and I enjoyed our educational trip to Gladstone Pottery Museum arranged by another lovely home educating mum.

Gladstone Pottery Museum in Stoke-on-Trent, England

Workshop – Vessel making from Clay

The day was split into two parts; in the morning we completed a workshop of clay vessel building. It was a lovely experience as all three of us made our own. First, we made coils and build it around a tube template. When we were satisfied with the height, we joined the coils, some people left them as it was – with the coils showing. We then decorated the pot using different techniques shown to us by our lovely educator. We added a base to made it more vessal like.

Gladstone Pottery Museum, making our clay vessel.

We unwrapped it from the template and were left with our unique vessels! They will be put in the kiln and will ready for collection in a few weeks.

It was a lovely creative experience for us all.

Gladstone Pottery Museum, our final clay vessel.

Tour of Gladstone Pottery Museum, Stoke

We had a break for lunch and went on to our afternoon activity; a brilliant tour by our guide including the coal fire bottle ovens. One of the only ones still standing due to The Clean Air Act in 1956 which was passed with the aim to tackle the smog and air pollution in major cities of the Uk.

We were also shown how to throw a pot (not literally!) by Nathan. It was fascinating to see!

Nathan the Potter demonstrating how to make a pot

Bottle Kiln – Outside the Museum

To think, in those days there were any clear blue skies

Amazing heritage and history at Gladstone Pottery Museum in Stoke

Around the Museum

Watching a short film introducing the museum and the area.

Short film and introduction to the museum

Clocking In

Girls being told they would have been put to work and how to clock in.

Old enough to work in the Pottery factory

Clocking in machine – Very important if you want to get paid!

Difference between Earthenware and Bone China

Potter wheel, where a young child, usually a girl would spin the wheel. She would need to have experience of when to speed up and when to slow down.

Having a go at the Potter wheel, it was hard work

Inside the bottle kilns with all the saggars stacked up.

Always interested in women working. Wage gap then and still a wage gap now…

What a beautiful day and to see the bottle kilns with the backdrop if clear blue sky.

The whole bottle kiln was filled and then set to go. The kilns were in rotations, so one was being filled, while another was one etc. They took 3 days to make.

Bottle Chimney Kiln with bungs of saggars inside

Really was an art to get them all stacked up like this.

Kids ran around counting the coal fires.

Eight of these coal fires were set per bottle kiln.

Recommendation

I highly recommend a visit to Gladstone Pottery Museum. During the holidays and summer they have various events suitable for all the family.

Highlights

• Learning about the great history of Pottery making and how it helped develop the area into a thriving area of Pottery making.

• Seeing the coal chimneys and how they will have been used to make pottery was really fascinating and interesting.

• Making our vessals was a calming and creative part of the day!

Need to Know and Parking/Transport directions

There is a car park just beside the museum which is only a short walk away. Very easy to find and well sign posted too.

Any improvements

Nothing, would just love to visit again soon!

MORE INFORMATION / Opening times and Cost

Gladstone Pottery Museum

Address

Gladstone Pottery Museum
Uttoxeter Road
Longton
Stoke-on-Trent
ST3 1PQ

What 3 Words addresses –
Museum entrance – hidden.towers.span
Car Park – poster.pets.cherry