Stories on the Mantlepiece: New Testament Staffordshire figures from the Duckworth Collection
In the 19th century the Staffordshire potters produced a multitude of colourful, sometimes naïve, figures of religious subjects. Some were depictions of biblical scenes drawn from the Old and New Testaments, others were figures of popular preachers or reflected contemporary concerns, such as the Temperance movement. They sold in their thousands and were displayed in […]
Talking Treasures: Hulton Abbey
Settle down with a cuppa and join Curator of Local History Joe Perry for a look at one of Stoke-on-Trent’s major historic sites – Hulton Abbey.
The Twelve Days of Christmas
On the first day of Christmas, the museum showed to me… …a Partridge. You are very unlikely to see a partridge in any sort of tree, let alone a pear tree, as they are definitely short grass ground loving birds. On the 2nd day of Christmas, the museum showed to me… …Turtle Doves Sadly Turtle […]
Minton Hollins mosaic: The Birth of the Virgin
When the new museum in Hanley opened in 1956, one of the most prominent features was the huge mosaic panel by the firm of Minton Hollins depicting the Birth of the Virgin which was installed, in pride of place on the main staircase. Since then the museum has had not one, but two, extensions but […]
The Potteries: The Clue is in the Crest.
Stoke-on-Trent is known far and wide as the ceramics capital of the world earning itself the title of ‘The Potteries’. To this day the name remains in use despite the huge changes in both the economy and landscape of the six towns that make up the City of Stoke-on-Trent. Few obvious signs of the locality’s […]
Helen’s Mini Museum
Hello, my name is Helen and this is my Mini Museum… I store my mini museum an old printer’s tray (a draw that was used to store individual letters for letterpress printing) and hangs on the wall in my lounge. My ‘museum’ is full of a mixture of items that mean something to me. This […]
The Pottery riots in Burslem, August 1842
In the ceramics collection here at PMAG there are three items closely connected with the riots of 1842, each given to one of the protagonists: the man in charge of the Burslem police force, George Ryles; Captain Thomas Powys who gave the order to fire on the rioters; and the Chartist orator, Thomas Cooper, who […]
Changing Fashions; Drinking and Dining
This blog post is the product of Molly Woodhouse, a third year Photojournalism student at Staffordshire University, who undertook her ‘Work placement and career development’ module here at The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery. The research, interpretation, photography and delivery of this virtual exhibition was undertaken by Molly over the course of three months. All of […]
Museum Treasures; Joseph Grimaldi Figure
Staffordshire potters have been making figures since the mid 18th century. While most were purely decorative, in the 19th century they began making figures showing the celebrities of the day. Many figures depicted royalty or politicians but some of the most popular showed the stars of the stage. One was Joseph Grimaldi (1779-1837). The original […]
Stoke Museums launches new Website
Noticed a few changes around here? Stoke-on-Trent Museums has just launched its new and improved website. The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery and Gladstone Pottery Museum each has a new dedicated site in which you can find information about all of our upcoming events, exhibitions and blog stories from behind-the-scenes. Please take the time to […]