We started our weekend in Stoke on Trent at the Gladstone Pottery Museum and I'm so glad that we did.
It was the perfect way to start, because it really set the tone for our visit to the area.
The museum explores the fascinating history of the Staffordshire Potteries.
When we pulled into the parking lot and walked up to the entrance,
we were a little concerned. It's in a nondescript industrial area and there were only two other cars in the parking lot. It's nothing fancy. We paid our £7.50 each and took our map for the self-guided tour.
We were immediately drawn into the history of this place.
Since the 1600's this area has been known for the production of pottery and coal mining.
Royal Doulton, Wedgwood and other world renowned potteries were established in this area.
Several hundred years ago, thousands of these distinctive bottle kilns dotted the landscape pouring out black smoke. This is where the pottery was fired.
There are now only 47 of the kilns remaining and they are all listed.
The tour walks you through the whole process and shares the stories of the
men, women and children who worked in the potteries.
You can read all about it in this BBC article.
And I was able to fulfill a lifelong dream and mark this off of my bucket list.
I got to throw a pot! So amazing!
First Gary gave us a demonstration and then I handed over £3 and got to make my own. He's been doing this for 18 years and makes it look so easy. Then it was my turn. It's much harder than in looks. But I made a pot!!!
I got to bring it home in a little box. It's unfired so I can't really use it for anything.
But it was so much fun and now I want to do it again and again.
Then Rita gave us a demonstration on making flowers with bone china.
She started doing piece work for the factories when she was just sixteen.
Her hands moved so quickly and she chatted with us as she worked.
She can make these delicate flowers without even looking.
The young girls were paid by the piece so they became very quick.
We purchased one of the roses in the gift shop.
Gary and Rita were so interesting and friendly. They were happy to tell us about the potteries and the amazing history of the area.
I think a visit to the Gladstone Pottery Museum should be your very first stop when visiting Stoke on Trent.
It added a whole new dimension to our weekend and took our visit from
shopping bag tourism to a true exploration of the area and its history.
Have you been to Stoke on Trent? What did you think?
