Inspired by The Great Pottery Throw Down and Keith's tears my sister and I drove to Middleport Pottery for my birthday earlier this month.
The pottery was built in 1888 and is remarkable in being the first to use a production line system, with clay delivered by barge at one end of the factory and ceramics shipped out by barge at the other.
Middleport pottery has been the Home of Burleigh since 1889, Burleigh is the only remaining UK pottery continuing to use traditional methods from the Victorian era. The factory tour was fascinating - viewing the whole production line, the specialist skills of the craftspeople and how each stage of the process fitted together - a very well oiled 'machine'. Got a birthday kiss from a kind woman who was cleaning up saucers! Have deep respect for the ingenuity that goes into creating the ceramics.
Ware boards
Ready for first firing
Discarded clay
