Misplaced Pages

#46953

58-638: There is also a similarly named building in Burslem , the Wedgwood Institute , which is sometimes called the "Wedgwood Memorial Institute". This is a completely separate institution. The college, a member of the Adult Residential Colleges Association , offered short courses in literature and languages (French, German and Esperanto); political science and history; and art, art history and architectural history. Wedgwood Memorial College had

116-543: A Grade II listed building dating from 1879, lying between the market place and Queen Street, was in use until 2003, closing after its condition was judged unsafe. At Spring 2002 unemployment was 4.1% or 1,526 people in the Stoke-on-Trent North constituency; almost the same rate as the West Midlands as a whole. In Burslem at 2001 unemployment was 3.2% and declining. In 2005, the building of business park units in

174-420: A community based radio station. In 2007 a social enterprise newspaper, Local Edition , become one of the first newspapers to cover the area regularly. The newspaper covered Burslem, as well as surrounding areas including Tunstall, Middleport and Cobridge, giving a voice to the people in the community. The newspaper ceased publication in 2008 and its archive is online. The Leopard public house, also known as

232-445: A day. The train's leader commonly wore a bell to warn of its approach, since contemporary accounts emphasised the risk packhorse trains presented to others. They were particularly useful as roads were muddy and often impassable by wagon or cart, and there were no bridges over some major rivers in the north of England. About 1000 packhorses a day passed through Clitheroe before 1750, and "commonly 200 to 300 laden horses every day over

290-468: A few decades of the 19th Century, enormous pack trains carried goods on the Old Spanish Trail from Santa Fe, New Mexico , west to California . On current United States Geological Survey maps, many such trails continue to be labeled pack trail . Packhorses are used worldwide to convey many products. In feudal Japan riding in a saddle (kura) was reserved for the samurai class until the end of

348-584: A formal ceremony. Professional darts player Phil Taylor is from Burslem. Burslem is the site of one of the two campuses of Stoke-on-Trent College ; the College states that it is the largest Further Education college in Stoke and North Staffordshire. The campus specialises in media-production and drama. Stoke Studio College, a studio school for 13- to 19-year-olds opened at the college campus in September 2013. Within

406-579: A market held for a long period by custom, and subsequently sanctioned by an act of parliament, is about three miles from Newcastle and two from Hanley, entitled to the precedence of other towns in this district, as claiming to be the mother, as it is the metropolis, of the Staffordshire Potteries ." "In the Doomsday Survey – for even in that early date Burslem was a place of some importance – the town appears, as "Burwardeslyn;" and frequent mention

464-520: A non-circulating library with 15,000 volumes available for research and private study. The buildings were also rented out for weddings, parties and small conferences, with eight rooms available that accommodated from ten to 40 people per room. One of these rooms is the Montagu C. Butler Library , located in Esperanto House on the grounds of the college. The Barlaston estate was acquired by Wedgwood in

522-523: A pay-grade up and a step above a breaker boy in the society of the times. As the nation expanded west, packhorses, singly or in a pack train of several animals, were used by early surveyors and explorers, most notably by fur trappers , " mountain men ", and gold prospectors who covered great distances by themselves or in small groups. Packhorses were used by Native American people when traveling from place to place, and were also used by traders to carry goods to both Indian and White settlements. During

580-484: A six-mile radius from Burslem there are three universities; Staffordshire at Shelton, Keele University , and Manchester Metropolitan 's large Art & Design campus at Alsager . The town is elevated and is not prone to flooding. The town's municipal park , designed by the landscape architect Thomas Hayton Mawson , was opened in 1894. It is protected by a Grade II* designation on the Register of Parks and Gardens . It

638-766: A small stream would have steep banks in normal terrains. By the 1790s the Lehigh Coal & Navigation Company was shipping anthracite coal from Summit Hill, Pennsylvania , to cargo boats on the Lehigh River using pack trains in what may be the earliest commercial mining company in North America. Afterwards in 1818−1827 its new management built first the Lehigh Canal , then the Mauch Chunk & Summit Hill Railroad , North America's second oldest which used mule trains to return

SECTION 10

#1732875718047

696-569: A weekend residential course in Esperanto language every October. The Esperanto Association of Britain offers a partial subsidy to Esperanto learners attending the Wedgwood Memorial College programme and who have first completed such an introductory course. 52°56′34″N 2°09′57″W  /  52.9429°N 2.1657°W  / 52.9429; -2.1657 Burslem Burslem ( / ˈ b ɜːr z l ə m / BURZ -ləm )

754-619: Is a common public house name throughout England. During the 19th century, horses that transported officers' baggage during military campaigns were referred to as "bathorses" from the French bat , meaning packsaddle. The packhorse, mule or donkey was a critical tool in the development of the Americas . In colonial America, Spanish, French, Dutch and English traders made use of pack horses to carry goods to remote Native Americans and to carry hides back to colonial market centers. They had little choice,

812-700: Is a traditional Friday street market, and street carnivals in May and December. The major football club Port Vale is based in Burslem at Vale Park . The team currently plays in League Two, England's fourth division. Near to the town is Burslem Golf Club, a 9-hole course which once had singer Robbie Williams as a Junior Captain. It was opened on 28 September 1907 by vaudeville entertainer and golfer Sir Harry Lauder . On 29 September 2007 his great-nephew Gregory Lauder-Frost as guest-of-honour rededicated it for another century in

870-601: Is about 60 minutes away by train. Burslem railway station which was opened by the North Staffordshire Railway opened on 1 November 1873 on the Potteries Loop Line . It closed in the 1960s and the site and trackbed are now a greenway. Burslem's most famous sons include the potter Josiah Wedgwood , the watercolour painter James Holland (1800–1870), Ian " Lemmy " Kilmister, the founder, bassist and lead singer of Motörhead , and Robbie Williams , who

928-527: Is currently based in the School of Art, after the Venetian Gothic Wedgwood Institute closed for safety reasons early in 2009. Ceramica was a new award-winning ceramics family attraction, based in the imposing old Town Hall and funded by Millennium Lottery money but due to the loss of council funding has been closed. The Queen's Theatre has regular concerts and an annual pantomime. There

986-435: Is emerging as a centre for small, freelance creative businesses working in sectors such as fine art, animation and crafts as well as pottery. The number of shops in the town centre have markedly declined, hit by the impact of nearby out-of-town retail parks that offer free parking. However, the evening economy is still active with a wide range of bars and restaurants mainly serving English and Indian food. The Market Hall ,

1044-528: Is likely that the pack horse routes were established from that time. Most packhorses were Galloways , small, stocky horses named after the Scottish district where they were first bred. Those employed in the lime-carriage trade were known as "limegals". Each pony could carry about 240 pounds (110 kg) in weight, spread between two panniers. Typically a train of ponies would number between 12 and 20, but sometimes up to 40. They averaged about 25 miles (40 km)

1102-536: Is made of it in ancient documents during the Middle Ages." At the 1991 census count, the population of Burslem was 21,400. A study by consultants Atkins, working from the United Kingdom Census 2001 data, showed that the Burslem population is steady and has not declined despite a manufacturing decline during the 1980s and '90s. Traditional Victorian architecture and Edwardian period terraced houses dominate

1160-513: Is one of the six towns that along with Hanley , Tunstall , Fenton , Longton and Stoke-upon-Trent form part of the city of Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire, England . It is often referred to as the "mother town" of Stoke on Trent. The population of the town was included under the Burslem Central ward and had a population of 6,490 in the 2021 Census. Burslem is on the eastern ridge of

1218-553: Is the setting for one of his most famous works, the Clayhanger trilogy. Burslem's centre benefits from having an almost-intact medieval street-plan and countless fine old buildings, and a townscape which almost-totally escaped re-development during the 1960s and 1970s. After being under-used for years, the Burslem School of Art has been refurbished at a cost of £2.1m and offers several large free art galleries. The free Public Library

SECTION 20

#1732875718047

1276-745: The Long Causeway ; others were named after landmarks, such as the Reddyshore Scoutgate ("gate" is Old English for a road or way) and the Rapes Highway (after Rapes Hill). The medieval paths were marked by wayside crosses along their routes. Mount Cross, above the hamlet of Shore in the Cliviger Gorge , shows signs of Viking influence. As the Vikings moved eastwards from the Irish Sea in about 950 AD, it

1334-649: The National Cycle Network . The Trent and Mersey canal is said to see over 10,000 narrowboats a year using it. The former Burslem Canal was constructed in 1805 and remained open until 1961 when it was breached. The Burslem Canal was a branch of the Trent and Mersey Canal running from the junction near to Newport Lane (opposite the old steel works) through to the Furlong Lane area of Middleport. The nearest international airports are Manchester and Birmingham ; each

1392-534: The River Calder (at a ford) called Fennysford in the King's Highway between Clitheroe and Whalley " The importance of packhorse routes was reflected in jingles and rhymes, often aide-memoires of the routes. As the need for cross-Pennine transportation increased, the main routes were improved, often by laying stone setts parallel to the horse track, at a distance of a cartwheel. They remained difficult in poor weather,

1450-406: The samurai era (1868); lower classes would ride on a pack saddle ( ni-gura or konida-gura ) or bareback. Pack horses ( ni-uma or konida-uma ) carried a variety of merchandise and the baggage of travelers using a pack saddle that ranged from a basic wooden frame to the elaborate pack saddles used for the semi-annual processions ( sankin kotai ) of Daimyō. Pack horses also carried

1508-410: The 1930s to the 1980s is evoked by the paintings and plays of Arthur Berry . Burslem contains Britain's last real working industrial district (i.e. where people live within walking distance of the factories of a single heavy industry, in this case, the potteries) and thus much of the nineteenth-century industrial heritage, buildings and character have survived intact. "Burslem, an ancient town, with

1566-641: The 1930s, and the college opened in February 1945 in Barlaston Hall , a country house. The building was endangered by coal mining operations and a geological fault , which caused major diagonal cracks in the walls. The college moved from Barlaston Hall to Victorian and Edwardian buildings in Barlaston village. Esperanto House, the headquarters of the Esperanto Association of Britain has its main office on

1624-478: The 2011 census, Burslem Central and Burslem Park. At the 2011 census the ethnic demographics of the Burslem Central ward were: At the 2011 census the ethnic demographics of the Burslem Park ward were: Industrial scale pottery production has drastically declined since the 1970s; but specialist makers ( Steelite ) and smaller producers of high-value ceramics ( Burleigh , Wade , Moorcroft ) are thriving. Burslem

1682-452: The 21st century it became a live music venue and was extensively renovated, but it did not reopen after the COVID lockdown . In January 2021 it was sold to a development company who proposed redeveloping the rear into luxury apartments while retaining the pub; in February 2021 Stoke-on-Trent City Council declared it an Asset of Community Value. The following January, an illegal cannabis grow

1740-559: The Americas had virtually no improved waterways before the 1820s and roads in times before the automobile were only improved locally around a municipality, and only rarely in between. This meant cities and towns were connected by roads which carts and wagons could navigate only with difficulty, for virtually every eastern hill or mountain with a shallow gradient was flanked by valleys with stream cut gullies and ravines in their bottoms, as well as Cut bank formations, including escarpments. Even

1798-571: The Estoril site of Wedgwood Memorial College. Between 1960 and 2011, the last opportunity prior to its 2012 closure, Wedgwood Memorial College offered a week-long Esperanto summer school every August. This came about partly through the influence of Horace Barks , the Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent, who was an advocate of Esperanto. The college offered a weekend course in Esperanto theatre every January and

Wedgwood Memorial College - Misplaced Pages Continue

1856-693: The Fowlea Valley, the Fowlea being one of the main early tributaries of the River Trent . Burslem embraces the areas of Middleport , Dalehall, Longport, Westport, Trubshaw Cross, and Brownhills. The Trent & Mersey Canal cuts through, to the west and south of the town centre. A little further west, the West Coast Main Line railway and the A500 road run in parallel, forming a distinct boundary between Burslem and

1914-566: The George Hotel in the 1860s before murdering his wife Jane at his father's house in Boston, Lincolnshire . Despite pleas for clemency he was hanged at Lincoln Castle on 1 April 1872 and his body interred with other executed felons in the interior of the Castle's Lucy Tower, where it can still be seen. William Clowes , one of the founders of Primitive Methodism , was born in Burslem as was John Bennett

1972-557: The Leopard Inn, dates to the late 18th century. The building was refronted about 1830 and expanded in the 1870s with the addition of more than 50 bedrooms in the rear. In 1765 it was the location of the first meeting between Josiah Wedgwood , Thomas Bentley , Erasmus Darwin and James Brindley to discuss the building of what became the Trent and Mersey Canal ; as The Tiger, it appears in several of Arnold Bennett 's "Five Towns" novels. It

2030-574: The Old English personal name Burgweard and the former Forest of Lyme (reflected in the nearby town of Newcastle-under-Lyme ). As far back as the late 12th century, a thriving pottery industry existed, based on the fine and abundant local clays . After the Black Death , Burslem emerges in the records as a medieval town – St John the Baptist's Church on Cross Hill, with a stone tower dating from 1536,

2088-683: The Reddyshore Scoutgate was "notoriously difficult", and became insufficient for a developing commercial and industrial economy. In the 18th century, canals started to be built in England and, following the Turnpike Act 1773, metalled roads. They made the ancient packhorse routes obsolete. Away from main routes, their use persisted into the 19th century leaving a legacy of paths across wilderness areas called packhorse routes, roads or trails and distinctive narrow, low sided stone arched packhorse bridges for example, at Marsden near Huddersfield. The Packhorse

2146-543: The Woodall Memorial Congregational Church, in memory of William Woodall MP . In 1910, the town was federated into the county borough of Stoke-on-Trent , and the borough was granted city status in 1925. The new town hall was built in 1911 on Wedgwood Place, in neo-classical style, designed by Russell and Cooper. Many of the novels of Arnold Bennett evoke Victorian Burslem, with its many potteries, mines, and working canal barges. The Burslem of

2204-458: The absence of roads prevents the use of wheeled vehicles. Use of packhorses dates from the Neolithic period to the present day. Today, westernized nations primarily use packhorses for recreational pursuits, but they are still an important part of everyday transportation of goods throughout much of the developing world and have some military uses in rugged regions. Packhorses have been used since

2262-604: The abutting town of Newcastle-under-Lyme . To the south is Grange Park and Festival Park, reclaimed by the Stoke-on-Trent Garden Festival . The Domesday Book shows Burslem (listed as Bacardeslim ) as a small farming hamlet, strategically sited above a ford at Longport , part of the major pack horse track out of the Peak District and Staffordshire Moorlands to the Liverpool /London road. The name refers to

2320-468: The costs of maintenance and repair. The ashes of the novelist Arnold Bennett were interred in his family tomb in the cemetery, following his death in 1931. The nearby A500 gives access to the M6 motorway . Longport railway station offers direct connections south into Stoke, east to Derby and Nottingham , and north to Crewe and Manchester . The town is straddled by two major off-road cycle paths, part of

2378-684: The earliest period of domestication of the horse . They were invaluable throughout antiquity, through the Middle Ages , and into modern times where roads are nonexistent or poorly maintained. Packhorses were heavily used to transport goods and minerals in England from medieval times until the construction of the first turnpike roads and canals in the 18th century. Many routes crossed the Pennines between Lancashire and Yorkshire, enabling salt, limestone, coal, fleeces and cloth to be transported. Some routes had self-describing names, such as Limersgate and

Wedgwood Memorial College - Misplaced Pages Continue

2436-559: The equipment and food for samurai warriors during military campaigns. In North America and Australia, in areas such the Bicentennial National Trail , the packhorse plays a major role in recreational pursuits, particularly to transport goods and supplies into wilderness areas and where motor vehicles are either prohibited or impracticable. They are used by mounted outfitters , hunters , campers , stockmen and cowboys to carry tools and equipment that cannot be carried with

2494-412: The five ton coal cars the four hour climb the nine miles back to the upper terminus. Mules rode the roller-coaster precursor on the down trip to the docks, stables and paddocks below. The same company, as did its many competitors made extensive use of sure footed pack mules and donkeys in coal mines, including in some cases measures to stable the animals below ground. These were often managed by 'mule boys',

2552-478: The number of repeat visits; around 80 per cent of visitors have previously been here. Burslem has a variety of strong tourist attractions; Burleigh, Moorcroft, Festival Park, its many pubs , and the Trent & Mersey Canal. The Old Town Hall is one of the largest buildings in Burslem. It also has the legacy of novelist Arnold Bennett , who refers to the town and many of its streets with thinly disguised names: e.g. Burslem/"Bursley", Swan (Square and Pub)/"Duck". It

2610-427: The packhorse is similar to that of a riding horse. Many but not all packhorses are also trained to be ridden. In addition, a packhorse is required to have additional skills that may not be required of a riding horse. A pack horse is required to be tolerant of close proximity to other animals in the packstring, both to the front and to the rear. The horse must also be tolerant of breeching , long ropes, noisy loads, and

2668-663: The potter. Sarah Benett (1850–1924), the Suffragette , member of the WSPU and social reformer lived in Burslem from 1894. William Boulton 's Providence Works and Foundry was based in Burslem, which designed and made the machinery that revolutionised the pottery industry in the second half of the 19th century. Pack horse A packhorse , pack horse , or sumpter refers to a horse , mule , donkey , or pony used to carry goods on its back, usually in sidebags or panniers . Typically packhorses are used to cross difficult terrain, where

2726-631: The rider. They are used by guest ranches to transport materials to remote locations to set up campsites for tourists and guests. They are used by the United States Forest Service and the National Park Service to carry in supplies to maintain trails, cabins and bring in commercial goods to backcountry tourist lodges and other remote, permanent residences. Additionally, packhorses have also been used by drug trafficking organizations to transport narcotics across wilderness areas. In

2784-496: The shifting of the load during transit. Patience and tolerance are crucial; for example, there are many ways to put pack horses into a pack string, but one method incorporates tying the halter lead of one animal to the tail of the animal in front of it, an act that often provokes kicking or bolting in untrained animals. Loading of a packhorse requires care. Weight carried is the first factor to consider. The average horse can carry up to approximately 30% of its body weight. Thus,

2842-473: The site of the Shelton Bar steelworks . The Peak District National Park begins just ten miles north-east of Burslem. The cemetery, to the east of Sneyd Hill Park, was laid out in 1879 as a combined burial ground and recreational park. It covers 11.4 acres, and comprised walks, rides, lodges and a chapel, situated at the centre. The chapel was demolished by the council in 2008 on the basis of lack of use and

2900-470: The six towns that make up the city. Hill Top Methodist Church and Sunday School opened on Westport Road in 1836. The railway station opened in 1848. The Burslem School of Art was founded in 1853. A new town hall was built in the market place in 1854, designed by G. T. Robinson of Leamington in elaborate baroque style. In 1906, the United Reformed Church was opened on Moorland Road, initially named

2958-462: The third world, packhorses and donkeys to an even greater extent, still haul goods to market, carry supplies for workers, and many other of the same jobs that have been performed for millennia. In modern warfare , pack mules are used to bring supplies to areas where roads are poor and fuel supply is uncertain. For example, they are a critical part of the supply chain for all sides of the conflict in remote parts of Afghanistan. Foundation training of

SECTION 50

#1732875718047

3016-736: The town. Further business parks are planned for 2006/7 just to the north in Chatterley Valley, and the south in Etruria Valley. In 2019 it was reported that the town's last bank had closed, leaving the town without any free to use cash machines , making it the first large town in the UK without one. Local television services is provided by BBC Midlands Today and ITV News Central . Local radio stations are BBC Radio Stoke , Hits Radio Staffordshire & Cheshire , Greatest Hits Radio Staffordshire & Cheshire , 6 Towns Radio and HitMix Radio ,

3074-543: The town. New housing developments are underway on the Sadlers Factory site and around Woodbank Street. Heavy industrial employment (mines, steel and pots) has left a legacy of ill-health among many older people, but there is the Haywood Hospital (High Lane, Burslem) and the new £300-million University Hospital of North Staffordshire is just three miles away by road. There were two electoral wards covering Burslem at

3132-494: Was a coaching inn and after the rear extension, a major commercial hotel, but reduced demand for rooms led to the extension being closed off in 1956. The rediscovery of this section of the building in 2007 led to tales of hauntings and ghost tours. Bass Breweries bought The Leopard in 1965 and renovated the restaurant, which they named the Arnold Bennett Suite. The building was Grade II listed on 18 April 1972. In

3190-455: Was a major shareholder in Port Vale and whose family are still resident in the area. Darts legend and 16-time world champion Phil Taylor was born, raised and also worked in the town. In the 17th century, Molly Leigh was resident of the town, she was accused of being a witch before her death in 1748. Painter James Astbury Hammersley also came from Burslem. William Frederick Horry owned

3248-539: Was discovered inside the vacant building, and it was then badly damaged in a suspected arson fire. The city council announced the formation of a Heritage Congress to protect historic properties in Stoke-on-Trent. In June 2024, the owners submitted a proposal to convert the building to a shop and 17 one-bedroom assisted living flats. Around 5 million tourists visit Stoke-on-Trent each year, supporting around 4,400 direct jobs. Stoke shows its popularity through

3306-432: Was extended in the 18th century, and is still standing and in use. Until the mid-1760s Burslem was relatively cut off from the rest of England: it had no navigable river nearby, and there were no good and reliable roads. By 1777 the Trent and Mersey Canal was nearing completion, and the roads had markedly improved. The town boomed on the back of fine pottery production and canals , and became known as The Mother Town of

3364-468: Was laid out on derelict land next to the Potteries Loop Line . Mawson also used reclaimed land as the site of Hanley Park , which he designed around the same time. Both parks include water features. There are also later examples of reclaimed green space near Burslem, such as the Westport Lake , a 1970s project, and the legacy of the 1986 National Garden Festival , which imaginatively reclaimed part of

#46953