A Birds eye view of the Potteries

This atmospheric photograph offers a striking bird’s-eye glimpse of Longton, one of the six towns that make up Stoke-on-Trent, at the very heart of England’s ceramics empire in the early 20th century. The iconic bottle-shaped kilns, puffing out smoke into the grey Midlands sky, dominate the scene — unmistakable symbols of the pottery industry that earned the region its global fame.

Rows of terraced workers’ houses are clustered tightly around the factories, forming a dense, industrious cityscape built on clay, coal and craftsmanship. From these rooftops, generations of skilled hands produced the fine china, tiles and earthenware that adorned homes across the British Empire and beyond.

This image captures not just a town, but a way of life — forged in fire and shaped by resilience.

🧱 “The Potteries” weren’t just factories. They were entire communities built around a shared trade and tough pride.

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