Paul Williams
@paulwilliams207.bsky.social
Academic with a passion for culture, crafts, heritage, tourism, football and all things place. Also potty about ceramics and plate-turning to check out backstamps!
Nil Satis Nisi Optimum 💙
Nil Satis Nisi Optimum 💙
An insightful first day at the Legacy and Continuity Ceramics Symposium with an eclectic series of speakers from around the world exploring the global reach and significance of Stoke-on-Trent’s renowned ceramics history and heritage from an archeological perspective.
#WorldCraftCity #SoT100
#WorldCraftCity #SoT100
November 22, 2025 at 5:20 PM
An insightful first day at the Legacy and Continuity Ceramics Symposium with an eclectic series of speakers from around the world exploring the global reach and significance of Stoke-on-Trent’s renowned ceramics history and heritage from an archeological perspective.
#WorldCraftCity #SoT100
#WorldCraftCity #SoT100
Over 250 years on, the curriculum review is once again cementing Josiah Wedgwood’s place in Stoke-on-Trent’s schools by reconnecting art, creativity and technology with inventiveness, imagination and innovation.
November 15, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Over 250 years on, the curriculum review is once again cementing Josiah Wedgwood’s place in Stoke-on-Trent’s schools by reconnecting art, creativity and technology with inventiveness, imagination and innovation.
Despite Arnold Machin’s lasting legacy, the intriguing story of how a young Trentham school teacher became the ‘Queen for a day’ without knowing it and came to be featured on the most iconic, reproduced image of all time has been rarely told.
October 18, 2025 at 7:36 AM
Despite Arnold Machin’s lasting legacy, the intriguing story of how a young Trentham school teacher became the ‘Queen for a day’ without knowing it and came to be featured on the most iconic, reproduced image of all time has been rarely told.
My latest column focuses on the unveiling of the #100Years100Faces centenary mural and why its most enduring legacy will be how it can inspire the next generation of young place-makers to pick up the baton and shape the next chapter in Stoke-on-Trent’s illustrious place story.
September 20, 2025 at 5:32 PM
My latest column focuses on the unveiling of the #100Years100Faces centenary mural and why its most enduring legacy will be how it can inspire the next generation of young place-makers to pick up the baton and shape the next chapter in Stoke-on-Trent’s illustrious place story.
An accessible, aesthetic work of art, the #100Years100Faces mural is a living to tribute to the inspirational individuals who have left their mark on our world craft city.
The publicly nominated people depicted will provide a hundred conversation themes and serve as an enduring #SoT100 legacy.
The publicly nominated people depicted will provide a hundred conversation themes and serve as an enduring #SoT100 legacy.
September 15, 2025 at 9:58 AM
An accessible, aesthetic work of art, the #100Years100Faces mural is a living to tribute to the inspirational individuals who have left their mark on our world craft city.
The publicly nominated people depicted will provide a hundred conversation themes and serve as an enduring #SoT100 legacy.
The publicly nominated people depicted will provide a hundred conversation themes and serve as an enduring #SoT100 legacy.
Bottle Oven Day is a chance to share the Magnificent 47 again!
@ianrpearsall.bsky.social
@ianrpearsall.bsky.social
August 29, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Bottle Oven Day is a chance to share the Magnificent 47 again!
@ianrpearsall.bsky.social
@ianrpearsall.bsky.social
Priestley continued: ‘unless you are prepared to take a deep and lasting interest on what happens inside those ovens, it would be better for you to take the first train anywhere’.
Bottle ovens featured prominently in our application to become a designated World Craft City.
Bottle ovens featured prominently in our application to become a designated World Craft City.
August 29, 2025 at 1:29 PM
Priestley continued: ‘unless you are prepared to take a deep and lasting interest on what happens inside those ovens, it would be better for you to take the first train anywhere’.
Bottle ovens featured prominently in our application to become a designated World Craft City.
Bottle ovens featured prominently in our application to become a designated World Craft City.
It’s August 29th. It’s Potteries Bottle Oven Day. And it’s the day to recall how J. B. Priestley on his English journey in 1933 proclaimed: ‘the pottery kilns and ovens ... without these great bottles of heat, there would be no Potteries. They represent the very heart and soul of the district.’
August 29, 2025 at 1:26 PM
It’s August 29th. It’s Potteries Bottle Oven Day. And it’s the day to recall how J. B. Priestley on his English journey in 1933 proclaimed: ‘the pottery kilns and ovens ... without these great bottles of heat, there would be no Potteries. They represent the very heart and soul of the district.’
Our small but mighty city’s unique identity, global renown as a centre of ceramics excellence, creative ecosystem, entrepreneurial endeavours, and acclaimed universities’ research impacts means Stoke-on-Trent punches above its soft power weight.
August 23, 2025 at 7:36 AM
Our small but mighty city’s unique identity, global renown as a centre of ceramics excellence, creative ecosystem, entrepreneurial endeavours, and acclaimed universities’ research impacts means Stoke-on-Trent punches above its soft power weight.
As the Ceramics (Country of Origin Marking) Bill continues to progress through the House of Commons it’s worth reiterating that Rishi Sunak also enjoyed a brew in a made in Stoke-on-Trent #EmmaBridgewater mug with the previous US President Joe Biden in the Downing Street gardens.
August 15, 2025 at 9:14 PM
As the Ceramics (Country of Origin Marking) Bill continues to progress through the House of Commons it’s worth reiterating that Rishi Sunak also enjoyed a brew in a made in Stoke-on-Trent #EmmaBridgewater mug with the previous US President Joe Biden in the Downing Street gardens.
Have oatcakes ever not been great?
It’s Friday. It’s August 8th. It’s officially #OatcakeDay - a celebration of the food of the Gods, the epitome of culinary cultural capital.
‘The famous Staffordshire oatcake is nothing less than a food hero - it has achieved iconic status.’
It’s Friday. It’s August 8th. It’s officially #OatcakeDay - a celebration of the food of the Gods, the epitome of culinary cultural capital.
‘The famous Staffordshire oatcake is nothing less than a food hero - it has achieved iconic status.’
August 8, 2025 at 6:17 AM
Have oatcakes ever not been great?
It’s Friday. It’s August 8th. It’s officially #OatcakeDay - a celebration of the food of the Gods, the epitome of culinary cultural capital.
‘The famous Staffordshire oatcake is nothing less than a food hero - it has achieved iconic status.’
It’s Friday. It’s August 8th. It’s officially #OatcakeDay - a celebration of the food of the Gods, the epitome of culinary cultural capital.
‘The famous Staffordshire oatcake is nothing less than a food hero - it has achieved iconic status.’
It’s Oatcake Day eve so it’s time once again for a little oatcake-inspired poetry from the acclaimed poet and North Staffordshire Polytechnic alumnus Ian McMillan.
August 7, 2025 at 6:44 PM
It’s Oatcake Day eve so it’s time once again for a little oatcake-inspired poetry from the acclaimed poet and North Staffordshire Polytechnic alumnus Ian McMillan.
Eerily beautiful and sad in equal measure, the dilapidated ruins ofVarosha inevitably bring up difficult questions about the future of the former crown jewel of Cyprus’s tourism industry.
#DarkTourism
#Varosha
#DarkTourism
#Varosha
August 1, 2025 at 2:39 PM
Eerily beautiful and sad in equal measure, the dilapidated ruins ofVarosha inevitably bring up difficult questions about the future of the former crown jewel of Cyprus’s tourism industry.
#DarkTourism
#Varosha
#DarkTourism
#Varosha
A poignant day out from Protaras. Crossing the border into Turkish-occupied Northern Cyprus to visit Famagusta & the former resort town of Varosha, once considered the jewel of the Mediterranean, which became a derelict, fabled ghost town overnight following the 1974 Turkish invasion of the island.
August 1, 2025 at 2:20 PM
A poignant day out from Protaras. Crossing the border into Turkish-occupied Northern Cyprus to visit Famagusta & the former resort town of Varosha, once considered the jewel of the Mediterranean, which became a derelict, fabled ghost town overnight following the 1974 Turkish invasion of the island.
Throughout the past four decades efforts to embrace and cultivate a ‘made in Stoke-on-Trent’ sense of place have been prominent in Titanic Brewery’s marketing and product development accentuating local landmarks and symbols, historical events and stories, indigenous people and civic pride.
July 26, 2025 at 6:53 AM
Throughout the past four decades efforts to embrace and cultivate a ‘made in Stoke-on-Trent’ sense of place have been prominent in Titanic Brewery’s marketing and product development accentuating local landmarks and symbols, historical events and stories, indigenous people and civic pride.
Having been presented in the House of Commons on March 5 and its second reading initially scheduled for April 25, then July 11, I hope the Ceramics (Country of Origin Marking) Bill will finally pass through the deferred second reading stage on September 12 before proceeding through Parliament.
July 18, 2025 at 8:35 AM
Having been presented in the House of Commons on March 5 and its second reading initially scheduled for April 25, then July 11, I hope the Ceramics (Country of Origin Marking) Bill will finally pass through the deferred second reading stage on September 12 before proceeding through Parliament.
Officially, brew-tifully amazing! Stoke- on- Trent is now a Guinness World Record holder in its centenary year of celebration!
www.stoke.gov.uk/news/article...
www.stoke.gov.uk/news/article...
July 8, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Officially, brew-tifully amazing! Stoke- on- Trent is now a Guinness World Record holder in its centenary year of celebration!
www.stoke.gov.uk/news/article...
www.stoke.gov.uk/news/article...
It’s a brew-tiful day for a Guinness World Record in the spiritual home of British ceramics, a city fuelled by creativity, self-expression, humour and lots of tea served in ‘Made in Stoke-on-Trent’ backstamped cups.
#SoT100
#SoT100
July 8, 2025 at 11:34 AM
It’s a brew-tiful day for a Guinness World Record in the spiritual home of British ceramics, a city fuelled by creativity, self-expression, humour and lots of tea served in ‘Made in Stoke-on-Trent’ backstamped cups.
#SoT100
#SoT100
Guinness World Records may not be everybody’s cup of tea, but in the spiritual home of British ceramics, a city fuelled by creativity, self-expression, humour and lots of tea served in ‘Made in Stoke-on-Trent’ backstamped cups, we’re all up for it in our centenary year of celebration!
July 4, 2025 at 8:05 AM
Guinness World Records may not be everybody’s cup of tea, but in the spiritual home of British ceramics, a city fuelled by creativity, self-expression, humour and lots of tea served in ‘Made in Stoke-on-Trent’ backstamped cups, we’re all up for it in our centenary year of celebration!
Commissioned as part of Stoke-on-Trent’s centenary celebrations, Willow Pattern Ceramics and Stories of ‘Other’ explores the enduring legacy of the Willow pattern - one of North Staffordshire’s most iconic and globally recognised ceramic designs.
#WorldCraftCity #SoT100
#WorldCraftCity #SoT100
July 3, 2025 at 10:08 PM
Commissioned as part of Stoke-on-Trent’s centenary celebrations, Willow Pattern Ceramics and Stories of ‘Other’ explores the enduring legacy of the Willow pattern - one of North Staffordshire’s most iconic and globally recognised ceramic designs.
#WorldCraftCity #SoT100
#WorldCraftCity #SoT100
Andy Edwards is a hugely talented sculptor. His meticulous research into the stories behind each of his evocative ‘moments of history’ creations ensures they become places of ritual for people to come together. As a lifelong Lemmy fan, this was particularly special for him.
#LemmyForever
#Burslemmy
#LemmyForever
#Burslemmy
July 3, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Andy Edwards is a hugely talented sculptor. His meticulous research into the stories behind each of his evocative ‘moments of history’ creations ensures they become places of ritual for people to come together. As a lifelong Lemmy fan, this was particularly special for him.
#LemmyForever
#Burslemmy
#LemmyForever
#Burslemmy
The #LemmyEncore fans gathering will look to bring the crowds back to Burslem’s Market Square in August.
#LemmyForever
#LemmyPlaza
#Burslemmy
#LemmyForever
#LemmyPlaza
#Burslemmy
July 3, 2025 at 7:53 AM
The #LemmyEncore fans gathering will look to bring the crowds back to Burslem’s Market Square in August.
#LemmyForever
#LemmyPlaza
#Burslemmy
#LemmyForever
#LemmyPlaza
#Burslemmy
A revitalised Burslem needs a cultural soul. Why it’s important to capitalise on Lemmy-centric development opportunities as a post-centenary legacy.
June 28, 2025 at 7:10 AM
A revitalised Burslem needs a cultural soul. Why it’s important to capitalise on Lemmy-centric development opportunities as a post-centenary legacy.
A packed King’s Hall for last evening’s concert. The talented @joehearson.bsky.social has worked incredibly hard to make this a special first event for the City of Stoke-on-Trent Symphony Orchestra as they add a new string to the city’s classical bow in its centenary year.
June 14, 2025 at 8:57 AM
A packed King’s Hall for last evening’s concert. The talented @joehearson.bsky.social has worked incredibly hard to make this a special first event for the City of Stoke-on-Trent Symphony Orchestra as they add a new string to the city’s classical bow in its centenary year.
In this centenary year of celebration, my reflections since first arriving as a student 40 years ago in the city that owed its globally renowned success to a mix of geographical good fortune and home grown entrepreneurial nous.
June 13, 2025 at 7:36 AM
In this centenary year of celebration, my reflections since first arriving as a student 40 years ago in the city that owed its globally renowned success to a mix of geographical good fortune and home grown entrepreneurial nous.