The Potteries, Stoke-on-Trent

Old pictures of the Pot Banks, the people & the smoke of Stoke-on-Trent UK.
Soundtrack 'Blue Day' written by Tony Stevenson
© The Zigatone Project

[@drewbobaggins5212]

Stoke would be a truly unique place if all these old buildings and kilns were still standing, Imagine converting a kiln into a home. Tragic loss really, stoke needs to fire up the kilns again and embrace it's heritage.

[@chrisparkes2179]

The whole country needs it's manufacturing back.

[@ericcooper1709]

As a child growing up in Abbey Hulton in the 50's I can remember pea soup smog, sitting on the back door step on bonfire night with the sky crimson from all the bonfires, playing football in Whitehouse Rd and only having to stop once every 20 minutes when the bus came down the road. Working as a dental technician in Shelton , getting off the bus in the morning and nearly retching at the stink from the gas works and Shelton bar, working overtime until 8.pm and the owner saying "I'll pay you in cash" and giving me half a crown (25p) Going to the Kings Hall on a Friday night to the "Mod balls" and walking home from Stoke to the Abbey at 1am in the morning. Buying my first record at Sherwins, Helen Shapiro "Walking back to Happiness" Seeing The Beatles at Trentham garden Going to the Place and meeting my wife there. Good luck to you all, hope this brings back memories for you

[@sandponics]

I can remember seeing 'The Animals' at the Place.

[@milels6917]

I remember getting off the train in Stoke passing through Etruria thinking as a little girl what a dirty hell hole Stoke was the buildings were black the smell of smoke every were I had been staying in Blackpool with relatives for convalescence Bronchitis almost took my life living in that smoke Grandma took me too live in Milton village then family had a new home in Abbey Hulton

[@sandponics]

I was born in 1946 in the Potteries and remember it well, although I now live in Perth, Western Australia. The difference between these two places is equal to the difference between the Sahara Desert and the North Pole, and yet the memory of The Potteries still draws me back even after all those years.

[@chrisparkes2179]

But do you still look for the maker's mark under your saucer?

[@ronscorey2731]

​@@chrisparkes2179 Every time.. Hampshire Stokie

[@ScottBizkit-ci4hq]

Them were better times than now. Seriously you seen Hanley nower day's it's gone to the dog's. I miss the good day's my mate. Bring back them day's were happier times honestly

[@zigatone2022]

Totally agree, I grew up in Cheadle, fantastic place to grow up in

[@carolewilkinson4989]

Aged 8, used visit great-gran/dad. Last time was 1962. They lived 96 n 98 years.

[@thomasrush7916]

I'm very proud to be a man from the potties

[@zigatone2022]

Me to

[@milels6917]

To think I was a baby in all that pollution but I’m still here to tell the story I asked my aunt why she moved to Blackpool to get away from the Poverty filthy place poor souls what ever comforts they have now they deserve it not many left now though ❤️👌

[@carolewilkinson4989]

We played on the spoil heaps, got cup/saucer 4 Mother's day . . .

[@sophierae536]

Wherever we may roam , Stoke is always our home ❤

[@zigatone2022]

Very true

[@Angelcynn_2001]

I am a Stokie ❤ well said

[@mickdowns4153]

The music isn't from the era, but it has a kind of epic power that gives the history more weight and seem more poignant.

[@monumentstosuffering2995]

A tragic loss.

[@fasthracing]

"I'm on the pots duck"

[@zigatone2022]

Excellent

[@johnfellows2867]

Being born in 1950, lots of these photo views I can relate to, unlike the multi culture toilet Stoke has now become !

[@tallslimguy]

So sad - All gone now - The smokeless zone act killed the potteries with owners unable to switch to gas fired bottle kilns Or newer electric kilns so I am told . So much history in the 6 towns.

[@zigatone2022]

It is sad 😔

[@chrisparkes2179]

The potteries were going strong into the eighties. I worked in recruit at the time and always wish I'd made a list of all the potteries I dealt with. They'd all moved to tunnel kilns by that time. What really finished them off was the combination of a strong pound and high interest rates. The government wanted a high pound, but that made exports virtually impossible. The firms took out loans, hoping that something would be done to encourage exports again. Nothing was done and interest rates were put up. Firms went into liquidation, got bought out by London finance companies who either asset stripped them and sent the work abroad, or introduced trendy ideas that fell flat. Mr Hirst of Wade's told me about his new manager deciding that everyone needed to learn everyone else's jobs. So he had decorators sent down to the clay end and were expected to do labouring and labourers were sent to paint flowers. He didn't last long. Somehow Wade's kept going though. Until recently that is.

[@jennr3850]

Where did you get the photos from please? As I'd love to know where each one is. I wish each photo had a name on it. But thank you, some I hadnt seen before.

[@zigatone2022]

I got them from a search on google photos, thank you.

[@Archiblog]

"Always Merry and Bright" - also used by Cedric Price here:- www.cca.qc.ca/en/search/details/collection/object//307573 Do you know where I might be able to obtain a copy?

[@Archiblog]

marshallcolman.blogspot.com/2012/03/old-postcard-of-stoke-on-trent.html

[@FoodFestTelevision]

Fantastic images but horrendous music... had to mute it... awful racket.

[@zigatone2022]

Yeah music does spoil it, I agree.

[@PhillRobinson]

Music does not fit

[@zigatone2022]

sorry it wasn't right for you

[@zigatone2022]

Yeah I think you are right but I can’t change it now.