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Gladstone Pottery Museum

Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs

Quick Guide
See below grid for details

Gladstone Pottery Museum is a complete Victorian pottery factory. It has a cobbled court yard, bottle kilns and you get to experience for yourself what conditions were like for the men, women and children who worked at the centre of the world’s pottery industry.

This is said to be the last complete Victorian Pottery factory in the country. The museum offers an  insight into the history of Stoke-on-Trent, famous the world over for the quality of its pottery.

They have a gallery devoted to the history of the toilet, covering the story of the WC from the time of Queen Elizabeth I through to the toilet of our future. The tile gallery features an impressive decorative tile collection in the country and celebrates the ways in which ceramic tiles have given beauty and colour to floors and walls over the centuries.  You get to find out how tiles were made and decorated and enjoy the 'art of the tile' from gothic revival to art deco.

Gladstone's bottle ovens are a legacy of Stoke-on-Trent's industrial past and are typical of hundreds that dominated the city's skyline in the 19th and early 20th centuries. You get to find out how these were prepared for a firing and the skills needed to ensure the ware emerged from the kiln in perfect condition. Explore the maze of original workshops that surround the ovens, see how the potters would have prepared, made and decorated pottery.

Bottle oven or Kiln

You can also make a souvenir yourself to take home. But there again you may be tempted to get your work of art from the gift shop.

You also get to sit in the doctors waiting room and discover many of the specific ailments suffered by the workforce, before exploring the doctors consulting room and his private kitchen. This provides an insight into the hazards of working in Staffordshire’s pottery and coal industries and the toll they took on workers’ health.

There are also special courses in pottery topics and events including 'haunted evenings', see their website or call them if these interest you.

Their website is a section of the council website and not ideal, you will need to use the browser back button and watch out for links on the left, but also on the right and amongst the text on pages to find information.

For a detailed history of the factory click here (from another part of the councils website, but not on the museums site).

There are a range of other museums run by the council including:

 

Model store

Location: Gladstone Pottery Museum, Stoke on Trent, Staffs

Grid Reference: SJ915431 Ceremonial County: Staffordshire

Map Link:   multimap

Aerial photo: multimap

Getting there: From M6 exit 15 or 16 take the A500 towards Stoke-on-Trent, then the A50 to Longton, then use map above. Being council owned there are probably plenty of signs for this museum. Don't get this site confused with the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery another museum run by the council.

Access: Free car and coach parking.
Website: Own
Other Useful Websites: Wiki 
Email: gladstone@stoke.gov.uk
Address: Gladstone Pottery Museum, Uttoxeter Road, Longton, Stoke-on-Trent.
Postcode: ST3 1PQ Telephone: 01782 237777
Opening Times: Open every day 10am-5pm

Charges:  Adults: £5.95; Children: £4.50 4-16 years inclusive (All children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult); Concessions: £4.95; Family Ticket: £18.00 - 2+2.

There is also a 12 month passport covering all their museums, and giving a 10% discount in some of their museum shops.  Adult £8.50;  Concessions £7.50; Family £20.50 (two adults and two children) Additional children £3 each .

Nearby Locations:

Potteries museum and art gallery

Ford Green Hall   (17th century timber black and white building)

Etrria Industrial museum   (last working steam powered potters mill). In steam several times a year, also has blacksmiths forge, 1940's style canal check office, canal warehouse, boat gauging dock. All included in passport tickets above.

Other Location Pages:

Living History Section

List of Living History Museums

Living history museums introduction

Notes:

Access for people who have difficulties is not bad, ramps and the like being in place, but the courtyard is cobbled. It is however an older property so some difficulties may be encountered. Click here for more information, or call them.

 


CIN Page Ref: gladstone_pottery_museum

Classification: Living History

Date Updated: 07/2008


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