History Stoke-on-Trent

1 history

1.1 toponymy , etymology
1.2 administration
1.3 industry

1.3.1 pottery
1.3.2 coal mining
1.3.3 steel
1.3.4 other

history
toponymy , etymology

the name stoke taken town of stoke-upon-trent, original ancient parish, other settlements being chapelries. stoke derives old english stoc, word @ first meant little more place, subsequently gained more specific – divergent – connotations. these variant meanings included dairy farm, secondary or dependent place or farm, summer pasture, crossing place, meeting place , place of worship. not known of these intended here, , plausible. suggested interpretations derive crossing point on roman road ran present-day derby chesterton or presence of church, said have been founded in 670 ad. because stoke such common name settlement, kind of distinguishing affix added later, in case name of river.

the motto of stoke-on-trent vis unita fortior can translated as: united strength stronger, or strength united more powerful, or united force stronger.

administration

longton town hall.

an proposal federation took place in 1888, when amendment raised local government bill have made 6 towns districts within county of staffordshire potteries . not until 1 april 1910 6 towns brought together. county borough of hanley, municipal boroughs of burslem, longton, , stoke, urban districts of tunstall , fenton formed single county borough of stoke-on-trent.

in 1919, borough proposed expand further , annex neighbouring borough of newcastle-under-lyme , wolstanton united urban district, both west of stoke. never took place, due strong objections newcastle corporation. further attempt made in 1930, promotion of stoke-on-trent extension bill. ultimately, wolstanton instead added newcastle-under-lyme in 1932. although attempts take newcastle, wolstanton , kidsgrove (north of tunstall) never successful, borough did expand in 1922, taking in smallthorne urban district , parts of other parishes stoke upon trent rural district. borough officially granted city status in 1925, lord mayor 1928. when county borough of stoke-on-trent applied city status in 1925, citing importance centre of pottery industry, refused home office had fewer 300,000 inhabitants. decision overturned, however, when direct approach made king george v, agreed borough ought city. public announcement of elevation city status made king during visit stoke on 4 june 1925.

the county borough abolished in 1974, , stoke became non-metropolitan district of staffordshire. status unitary authority restored on 1 april 1997, although remains part of ceremonial county of staffordshire. eurostat purposes nuts 3 region (code ukg23).

industry
pottery

restored bottle kilns, stoke-on-trent



colorado bouillons regina , teapots, vitrified tableware dudson brothers ltd.



porcelain teapot, 1830 henry , richard daniel

since 17th century, area has been exclusively known industrial-scale pottery manufacturing. companies such royal doulton, dudson ltd, spode (founded josiah spode), wedgwood (founded josiah wedgwood), minton (founded thomas minton) , baker & co. (founded william baker) established , based there. local abundance of coal , clay suitable earthenware production led (initially limited) development of local pottery industry. construction of trent , mersey canal (completed in 1777) enabled import of china clay cornwall other materials , facilitated production of creamware , bone china.

other production centres in britain, europe , worldwide had considerable lead in production of high quality wares. methodical , highly detailed research , experimentation, carried out on many years, nurtured development of artistic talent throughout local community , raised profile of staffordshire potteries. spearheaded 1 man, josiah wedgwood, cut first sod canal in 1766 , erected etruria works year. wedgwood built upon successes of earlier local potters such mentor thomas whieldon , along scientists , engineers, raised pottery business new level. josiah spode introduced bone china @ trent in 1796, , thomas minton opened manufactory. industry came large number of notable 20th-century ceramic artists including clarice cliff, susie cooper, charlotte rhead, frederick hurten rhead , jabez vodrey.

coal mining

chatterley whitfield colliery

north staffordshire centre coal mining. first reports of coal mining in area come 13th century. potteries coalfield (part of north staffordshire coalfield) covers 100 square miles (300 km).

striking coal miners in hanley , longton area ignited nationwide 1842 general strike , associated pottery riots.

when coal mining nationalised in 1947, 20,000 men worked in industry in stoke-on-trent. notable collieries included hanley deep pit, trentham superpit (formerly hem heath, stafford , florence collieries), fenton glebe, silverdale, victoria, mossfield, parkhall, norton, chatterley whitfield , wolstanton. industry developed greatly, , new investments in mining projects planned within city boundaries 1990s. however, 1994 saw last pit close trentham superpit shut.

the stoke mining industry set several national , international records. wolstanton colliery, when modernised, had deepest mining shafts in europe @ 3,197 ft. in 1933, chatterley whitfield colliery became first colliery in country mine 1 million tons of coal. in 1980s florence colliery in longton repeatedly set regional , national production records; in 1992 combined trentham superpit (hem heath , florence) first mine in europe produce 2.5 million saleable tonnes of coal.

today mines closed, though scars of mining still remain on landscape. slag heaps still visible on skyline, covered flora , fauna. chatterly whitfield site reopened museum 2 years after closure in 1976. museum closed in 1991 , site became local nature reserve. declared scheduled monument english heritage in 1993. abandoned subterranean mines inaccessible, though still add complications many building projects , cause minor tremors, detectable specialised equipment.

the phoenix trust, independent not-for-profit foundation, campaigning turn stoke-on-trent , wider north staffordshire coalfield world heritage site due historic economic significance, leading role in industrial revolution, , birthplace of primitive methodism.

steel

the iron , steel industries occupied important roles in development of city, both before , after federation. notable mills located in valley @ goldendale , shelton below hill towns of tunstall, burslem , hanley. shelton steelworks production of steel ended in 1978—instead of producing crude steel, concentrated on rolling steel billet transported scunthorpe rail. rolling plant closed in 2002. 1864 1927 stoke housed repair shops of north staffordshire railway , home of independent railway locomotive manufacturers kerr stuart & co. ltd. 1881 1930.

shelton steel works , mining operations heavily involved in world war ii industrial effort. central raf s success supermarine spitfire designed reginald mitchell who, whilst born @ 115 congleton road in nearby village of butt lane, had apprenticeship @ kerr stuart & co. ltd s railway works.

other

the michelin tyre company has presence in stoke-on-trent, , in 1920s built first uk plant in city. in 1980s 9,000 workers employed @ plant; in 2006 1,200 worked there.