The Potteries - Ian Lawley

The North Staffordshire Potteries are the only area in Britain to be so completely identified with one industry. The presence of the ceramics industry has played a dominant role in shaping both the economic life and the landscape of the area. The lives of local people have been played out against what Arnold Bennett described as 'a singular scenery of coal dust, potshards, flame and steam'. The photographs in this fascinating selection illuminate the everyday life of this remarkable area during the past one hundred years. As well as illustrating people at work and on the move, they give an idea of the sense of community felt by Potteries people. One section looks at the history of the area's parks - 'lungs for the people' as they were called; others explore subjects such as religion, sport, entertainment, holidays and popular celebrations. The photographs come from two main sources: the archives of the City Museum and Art Gallery and the collections of the Gladstone Working Pottery Museum. As well as describing the region's rich industrial and social heritage, they will be a source of nostalgic pleasure to those whose lives have been spent among the Potteries.