Stoke's Spode Factory: Can We Find the Ghosts of the Last Potters?

I visited Stoke's Spode Factory in June with agreement from the Spode Site Manager. Building 7 was the home of the casting and potting department. I want to find what remained of the last potters - some evidence of the people in hundreds of years of production. Some are still alive today but many are the ghosts of history.
Like Stoke-on-Trent and the Potteries? Discover more of its world heritage on the ‪@PotteriesAuthor‬ Channel. All the links to learn more at linktr.ee/auth...
Slip casting, or slipcasting, is a ceramic forming technique, and is widely used in industry and by craft potters to make ceramic forms. This technique typically used to form complicated shapes like figurative ceramics that would be difficult to be reproduced by hand or other forming techniques. The technique involves a clay body slip, usually prepared in a blunger, being poured into plaster moulds and allowed to form a layer, the cast, on the internal walls of the mould.
It is suited for the consistent and precise shaping of complex shapes. It is the standard shaping technique for sanitaryware, such as toilets and basins, and is commonly used for smaller pieces like figurines and teapots.
Information from modern slipcasting from Portmeirion's Factory in Stoke and the @by_spode Instagram account.
Meet Tony, Spode's Machine Caster. Tony has worked in our Stoke-on-Trent factory for 33 years and has been a caster all his working life. Casting is the process of filling moulds with liquid clay to form the piece of pottery, such as a Steccato teapot, sugar pot or cream jug.
Tony's job is to set the casting machine up, placing the moulds on the machine ready to be filled with slip clay. The filled moulds travel down the conveyor, drying, the excess clay is tipped out and the mould is placed back on the drier back to Tony. Once dry, Tony carefully removes the piece from the mould, removing any excess clay for recycling and ensuring the piece is perfectly formed. The piece is then put aside to dry before it is trimmed and sponged.
Depending on the piece, Tony can cast up to 1,000 pieces a day. It's also Tony's job to keep an eye on the quality of the used moulds - once they become rough on the inside, Tony puts them aside for recycling and starts on a new one.
Meet Paul, Spode's Handle Caster. Paul has worked at our Stoke-on-Trent factory for an extraordinary 36 years and is one of the makers behind Steccato's teacup and mug handles.
Making up to 5000 handles a day, Paul fills the handle moulds with liquid clay to form the perfect shape. Once dry, he removes the excess clay from the mould, putting aside for recycling, opens the mould and carefully takes each handle out one by one. Paul stacks the shaped handles ready for trimming, drying and applying to the cup body.
Thanks to the Spode Site Manager and City of Stoke on Trent and Transferware Collectors Club www.transferwa... for making this video possible
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[@PotteriesAuthor]

Do you know someone who worked at the Spode Factory? It is always great to get feedback.

[@AlanTweats]

Dad was a castor /figure maker at Spode in the 1960s and 70s I trained at Hammersley's in Longton Owned by Spode and the Royal Worcester group in the early 80s. Christmas parties at Spode for the workers children were Jelly and Ice cream and a trip to the theatre.

[@brettster3331]

Great video, I so hope this building can be saved.