Kiln quest inspires new potters

A novice potter who set himself the task of visiting all of Stoke-on-Trent's remaining bottle kilns and making a piece at each site is inspiring a new generation to get into pottery.

The last leg of the challenge for Thomas Carnes, from Stone in Staffordshire, was at Moorcroft in Cobridge, where a special event was held.

There he was greeted by staff who watched him throw his last work in a series of creations - miniature versions of the kilns he toured.

Among the workers was young potter Francesca Harthill who had been following Carnes's journey on social media, which she described as "lovely" due to "giving every [bottle kiln] their moment".

Stoke-on-Trent's skyline was once dominated by about 2,000 bottle kilns, which were used for firing pottery ware.

Only 47, which date from the late 18th and 19th centuries, are now preserved as listed buildings, with the kiln at Moorcroft deemed one of the best.

They are spread out across 27 sites, and the visits to them have allowed Carnes to meet all sorts of people who have lived and worked in the industry.

"It's a passion - it's in your blood, I think, pottery," was his main takeaway, he said.

"To be around Stoke-on-Trent and Stokies they will always have stories, friends, family that have been in the trade, that have worked in the factories, that remember sites that I've not been able to visit."

Harthill, 25, said that by sharing the story of the kilns, it helped to open people's minds to the work that went into making pottery.

"People just think it's a bit of clay, you model it, turn it and then that's it done, but there's all the little bits in between that people don't get to see," she explained.

Harthill started working in the industry in about 2021, during which time she saw many pot banks shut, which she described as a "tough" situation when starting out.

She landed on her feet at the Moorcroft site as one of the newest hires, working as a shape designer.

She said she had been sharing Carnes's journey with her friends, which had got them talking about the industry.

"There's an audience for ceramics - stuff like this and [TV show] The Throw Down has definitely helped get people interested."

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