Burslem school of art history

Channel 4's Time Team did a Burslem School of Art dig during the BSA refurbishment. They found evidence for pottery-making dating back to early medieval times.

Burslem's people have  ceramic skills that are ten generations deep!         

Those who trained here include:

Clarice Cliff
(Ceramicist, 1899 - 1972)
Charlotte Rhead
(Ceramicist, 1885 - 1947)
Charles Tomlinson, CBE
(Major poet & painter, born 1927)
Arnold Machin, OBE, RA
(Sculptor & graphic designer,
1911 - 1999)
Peggy Davies
(Ceramicist, 1920 - 1989)
Sidney Tushingham, ARE.
(Portraitist, 1884 - 1968)
Susie Cooper
(Ceramicist, 1902 - 1995)
William Bowyer, RA
(Major artist, born 1926)

Arthur Berry
(Artist & writer, 1925-1994)
Esther Barnish Turner
(Artist)
John Cooke
(Artist)
Derek Higginson
(Artist)

Arnold Machin trained for six years at the BSA, and later returned to as

Headmaster early in the Second World War.  He designed the classic 'plain' British

postage stamp - 180 billion printed so far - and the 50p & other coins. He

sculpted the Queen's head for both stamps & coins; and once said: "I found the

Queen to have a great sense of humour".

Colin Melbourne ('The Professor') is another well-remembered Headmaster. He made a

life-sized steel sculpture of a worker, during the struggle for Shelton Bar. The

statue was used as the 'mascot' during the steelworkers' marches.