The Potteries Bottle Oven: Guest Page 2

Stuart Reed : Photographs

Over a period of two decades Stuart Reed photographed the decline of the north Staffordshire pottery industry and the remnants of potbanks and their bottle ovens and kilns. These photos are the result - a precious record. Many thanks go to Stuart for allowing their publication here.

Acme Marls, Bournes Bank, Burslem

January 2000

Unique in the Potteries, and very possibly the world, these are three Wilkinson-type downdraught bottle ovens. Originally built in about 1900, though present structures are 1937-47. More images and a short movie of one of these ovens being fired with oil in 1976 here>

All three Wilkinson-type downdraught ovens
January 2007

One of the three bottle ovens
On the roof

Inside the firing chamber. Bags

Looking up to the inside of the crown

Looking down through the crown damper

Quarter damper on the shoulder of the crown of the oven.
Used to control the direction of draught within the oven during firing.

Crown of the oven, covered in plastic sheet,
presumably to keep out rainwater

Prices Teapots, Top Bridge Works, Longport

October 2019

"Top Bridge works in full summer greenery"

This bottle oven is an updraught type, built about 1830
and last fired in the early 1960s.

Middleport Mill, Milvale Street, Middleport

May 2008

Former calcining works. Mainly early 19th Century. The kiln is rectangular square in section, with firing chambers and two flues separated only at the apex.

Middleport Mill. Exterior

Looking down into one of the firing chambers

Falcon Pottery (Weatherbys) Town Road, Hanley

May 2008 and February 2013

J. K. Weatherby & Sons Ltd., Town Road. The firm was founded in 1891 and the existing factory was built in 1906.

Bottle oven complete with hovel in 2008

Looking up at the firing chamber, inside the hovel. Bonts

One of 10 firemouths.
Complete with its cast iron fire doors

Firemouth and bonts

Bonts, buckle

The bottle ovens wicket (entrance to the firing chamber)

Bonts

Saggars, inside the firing chamber

'Oss - found in the attic

The oven in 2013, shortly after the hovel collapsed

Johnson Bros, Trent Sanitaryware Pottery, Hanley

January 2005

"Trent Bathrooms kilns just as the factory was coming down."

Two flint calcining kilns at the site of Johnson Bros., Trent Pottery sanitaryware factory, Hanley. Between Botteslow Street and Eastwood Road. Now surrounded by a housing estate. In 1975 there were 3 kilns. The factory closed in 2003.

Twyfords, Shelton New Road, Cliffe Vale

December 2003 and June 2006

"Cliffe Vale factory before and during the demolition at rear of the works."

Now part of a housing development.

Flint calcining kilns 2003

2006

Falcon Works, Sturgess Street, Stoke

January 2000 and March 2003

Falcon Works formerly Goss China. Two biscuit updraught, stack, hob-mouthed ovens. Free-standing and enclosed within a building.

Works exterior

Looking up to the crown inside the
firing chamber of one of the ovens

Looking up to the inside of the crown of the
firing chamber Notice the damper holes in the crown

Bags

The wicket of one of the ovens.
In very good condition in January 2000

Two firemouths - hob mouth type

Bonts

Saggar remnant

Dolby Mill, Lytton Street, Stoke

February 2007

Free standing flint calcining kiln, with square base, built about 1937.

Exterior of the the twin chamber calcining kiln

The top of top of the firing chambers

Looking down inside one of the firing chambers

Looking up to the exit from the kiln chimney

Loading doors to each of the kilns

Exterior

Phoenix Works, (also known as Albion Works) King Street, Longton

February 2007 and April 2008

Built in 1881 by Thomas Forester to satisfy the demand for Majolica Pottery Ware both at home and abroad. Two downdraught bottle ovens and associated exhaust chimney - Clement Robey Patent.