Exporting Stoke and Beyond

Exporting Stoke and Beyond: Tiles and architectural ceramics in the world context

A one day conference on Saturday 12 November 2011 at the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent

Presented by the Tiles and Architectural Ceramics Society

During the mid 19th century Britain was not only the world’s leading imperial power, but was also its foremost exporter of architectural ceramics. The expansion of British territories led to the construction of many public and ecclesiastical buildings displaying the best of British design in ceramic terms.

The conference draws its inspiration from this export of British design and culture, and seeks to explore its consequences for the manufacturing industries of Stoke and beyond, for Britain, and for the former Empire.

The conference will be of interest to ceramic and cultural historians, archivists and curators, and to anyone with an interest in the histories of Stoke-on-Trent, the British tile industry, British manufacturing industry in general, and the British Empire.

Keynote Speakers

The three keynote speakers will be announced shortly.

Call for Papers

We welcome proposals (maximum 300 words) for papers of 20 minutes duration that address any aspect of British tile and architectural ceramic exports in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Suggested themes include – but are not restricted to – the following:

Tiles and architectural ceramics at international exhibitions

Studies of specific buildings

Effects of British design culture abroad

Stoke’s foreign heritage

Export of memorial tiles

Ceramic exports and the Empire

Please submit proposals to Dr Lynn Pearson by email on lynnpearson2@btinternet.com by 16 June 2011. Prospective speakers will be notified of the outcome by 1 August 2011.

Watch this space for further details of the conference, including how to book places, which will be posted early in 2011.

Go to www.tilesoc.org.uk for the TACS website and www.exportingstoke.org.uk for the Conference website