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Hanley Through Time
Longton Through Time
Mervyn Edwards
Two books containing fascinating selection
of photographs traces some of the many ways
in which Hanley and Longton have changed and developed over the last century.
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This colliery's private railway was opened in 1876. It was around 2.5 miles in length and linked with the North Staffordshire Railway's main line at Trentham. By 1914 the pit owned 750 wagons and three locomotives. Locos that saw service at Florence Colliery included Powerful, Bowood, Florence and one called Terrible!
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China Town is one of the more flattering titles that Longton has attracted over the years, and it is a name that recognises the town s splendid reputation for ceramic production. Big businesses such as Bridgwood, Aynsley, Webberley, Wild and Tams all flourished; the pottery firing process was aided by the so-called long-flame coals particular to the Longton collieries. Surviving photographs of yawning marlholes speak volumes about the town s industrial past and yet Longton also lays claim to the establishment of the Potteries first municipal park, in nearby Dresden. The Gladstone Pottery Museum has been hugely successful in interpreting Longton s rich history, and this book similarly celebrates numerous elements of the town's heyday.
Hanley Through Time: This fascinating collection of photographs illustrates life as it was in and around the rapidly developing pottery town of Hanley. Originally just a single farm, Hanley grew into the largest and most central town in the greater area of Stoke-on-Trent, blossoming in the early twentieth century with the development of heavy industry. This pictorial history reflects the town as it was at that time, at the height of its success, and includes modern versions of the old pictures in order to bring the story up to date. This nostalgic book provides an insight into the history and characters of Hanley, home of the famous Wedgwood pottery works and birthplace of legendary footballer Sir Stanley Matthews. Accompanied by informative captions, this book will delight all those who have lived and worked in this busy area and will be a useful reference for anyone exploring the history of The Potteries. Mervyn Edwards was born in Newcastle-under-Lyme in 1961 and became a Green Badge (Heart of England) tourist guide in 1989. He worked at the now-defunct Chatterley Whitfield Mining Museum for four years, becoming Assistant Education Officer, and later becoming a local history tutor for the Workers’ Educational Association and Project Officer for the Burslem Heritage Centre. He is a regular contributor to The Way We Were (published by the Staffordshire Sentinel newspaper) and has published nine books on North Staffordshire history prior to this one. Mervyn is a familiar voice on BBC Radio Stoke, Spokesman for the Potteries Pub Preservation Group and a leading member of Burslem History Club. He is also a successful artist and cartoonist and has completed 17 Potteries Marathons. |
