Arguably the finest Potteries’ building from the Victorian-era can also be found in Burslem – the Wedgwood Memorial Institute on Queen Street.

The Wedgwood Memorial Institute

A glorious Venetian Gothic masterpiece, the Wedgwood Memorial Institute was built by George Benjamin Nichols, Robert Edgar, and John Lockwood Kipling on the site of Wedgwood’s former Brick House Pottery.

Intended as a permanent memorial to Josiah Wedgwood, the Institute opened in 1869 hosting a school of art and science, and a free public library. Whilst the building itself was open by 1869, the building’s spectacular faç�ade was not finished until 1871. 

All in all, including the completion of the faç�ade, the building took just over eight years to complete. In 1873, a statue of Wedgwood was added above the main entrance.

The faç�ade is the building’s most striking feature, and is one of the Potteries’ finest works of art. Key elements of the faç�ade include a beautiful tiled tympanum above the main entrance, a series of twelve terracotta panels along the upper storey illustrating the months of the year and signs of the Zodiac, and a series of ten terracotta panels between the storeys detailing processes involved in pottery manufacture.

Statue of Josiah Wedgwood above the Institute's main entrance

'August' Panel

Illustration of a Potworks Workshop

 

As with Middleport Pottery, the Wedgwood Memorial Institute is one of Stoke-on-Trent’s few Grade II* Listed Buildings, but is in a scandalously poor condition following years of neglect by the City Council. The building was home to Burslem’s library service until a few years ago: the building is now vacant, closed to the public due to the Institute’s terrible state. 

A project to refurbish and breathe new life into the building has been mooted for some time. However, progress has been slow, and a deathly silence has fallen on the proposal. Action is needed, and soon, to save what is possibly the Potteries’ most important building from terminal decline. You could argue that the deterioration of the Wedgwood Memorial Institute reflects that of the Mother Town, and that of the city as a whole. It is incredibly sad.

So what can Modern Stoke take from the Victorians? Are there lessons that we can learn in order to create a great Future Stoke?

As has been previously laboured, the principles that underpinned Victorian society are as relevant today as they were in nineteenth century Britain. Innovation and technology. Civic pride and leadership. People. Vital ingredients for great cities and big society. Vital ingredients for a new economic future. We have the people, but we need the pride. But do we have the innovators and leaders?

And what can we learn from our Victorian built heritage? Too often in the recent past, the Potteries has ‘made do and mend’. The Victorians didn’t make do and mend. They built great, enduring buildings, a good many of which are still around today, and still survive in spite of abuse and neglect. How many of our modern buildings will be around in 100+ years? How many will want around?

All involved in shaping Future Stoke can learn a great deal from our Victorian legacy. They will be lessons worth learning.

David Proudlove   September 2010