As part of Etruria Canals Festival, the Society orgainsed an 2-and-a-half-mile walk, exploring the origins of the Caldon Canal, the people who built it and the challenges they faced. A group of seventeen people, mostly PHS members, set off from the busy festival at 3pm on Saturday 1st June for the two and a half mile walk. The first port of call was Etruria Junction and the summit level of the Trent & Mersey Canal, looking at development in the eighteenth century, responding to the needs of the emerging pottery industry. Stopping briefly at Shirley's Bone and Flint Mill to consider the transport of the bulk materials used in making pottery, they headed down the locks on the main line to look at the anatomy of the narrow lock and to introduce pioneers like Hugh Henshall who stepped up at the time of James Brindley's death in 1772.
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We were very sad to hear that Elaine passed away on the morning of Saturday 6th April at the age of 91.
Elaine was one of our founder members and was made an honorary member in 2020 in recognition of her support for the Society. She was a former Treasurer, a dedicated environmental campaigner and spent many hours scouring the local media on our behalf.
Elaine had a fall in the night in mid-December last year, and was being looked after at home by her son, Tom, but never fully recovered.
Our thoughts are with Cathie, Mary and Tom and all the family, as well as her close friends among our members.
The Society has received numerous messages of condolence from our members and friends.
Former PHS Chair, Barbara Andrew and her husband Joe said "Thanks for letting us know this sad news. We certainly hope to attend Elaine's funeral" and Christine Warren added "Very sad news about Elaine, she was a lovely lady and will be missed by everyone at the Society.”
In order to inform the emerging Local Plan, Stoke-on-Trent City Council is in the process of reviewing all of the city's conservation areas (CAs). This involves reviewing the boundaries of the original 23 areas, as well as the rights owners have over changes they can make to their properties.
Boundary changes have already been adopted for 20 areas, which include amalgamating the former Victoria Place and Hitchman Street CAs in Fenton into one new area to be know as the Victoria Road Conservation Area. The two remaining areas, Albert Square in Fenton and Winton Square by Stoke Station, are currently under review.
Much of the work on the review was undertaken by Conservation Officer Jane Corfield before she left the authority in August last year, so was based on an unparalleled understanding of the heritage of the city. Surprisingly few buildings found themselves now inside the expanded areas, as in most cases the changes sought to encompass under-developed, derelict or greenspaces in order to create a buffer to protect the areas from unsympathetic development. This is particularly the case for the canal corridors of the Caldon and Trent & Mersey Canals, where several allotment gardens have been incorporate within the conservation area boundaries.
As part of their commitment to find new and innovative ways of using the city's iconic structures, The Potteries Bottle Oven Owners Club hosted a concert inside the oven at Heron Cross Pottery on 30th November. The event was also a way of promoting the Club and celebrating the city's unique heritage.
Local singer and songwriter Samantha Lloyd performed a set of her own compositions and covers for the invited owners, friends and supporters, and site owners Ian and Julia Godfrey provided nibbles and refreshments for around 40 guests.
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Potteries Heritage Society has been working with Gladstone Pottery Museum and Stoke-on-Trent City Council on plans for this year's Potteries Bottle Oven Day. One exciting initiative aims to get the artistic juices flowing at a difficult time.
Terry Woolliscroft, who initiated the special day and came up withthe idea says "The new Bottle Oven Art Clubwas launched during lockdown. It encourages artists (whether amateur or professional, young or not so young) to create art featuring the iconic Potteries bottle oven."
Artists may then enter photographs of up to three of their pieces to the Club, for free, by email. A panel of judges will select just 50 of them to appear in an online exhibition. All digital and virtual.
But later, when restrictions have eased, their physical artwork will be displayed in an exhibition, in real life, at Gladstone Pottery Museum.
Winning entries will be announced on Potteries Bottle Oven Day, 29 August 2020.
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