A few weeks ago we received an email inviting us behind the curtain at the Emma Bridgewater Factory in Stoke-on-Trent; obviously we jumped at the chance. The Bridgewater company is an important example of both British manufacturing and design, and we are huge fans of their products!
When we arrived the first thing we discovered was Bridgewater's gorgeous new kitchen. A relaxing and friendly room, the centrepiece is a beautiful spotted double Aga. I immediately suffered a case of Aga envy! After a relaxing cup of coffee, we met our fellow bloggers and their charming children: Rachael from Marathon Mummy & Tales from the Village, Josie from Sleep is for the Weak, Becky from English Mum, & Jen from The Madhouse.
We started our day with a tour of the Bridgewater Factory. The tour is very interesting and Jamie was an excellent tourguide, even keeping the attention of the many boys in our group. All Bridgewater pottery is made in Stoke-on-Trent, by skilled British craftsmen. While many of the processes have been tweaked and improved over the years; if Wedgewood himself were to walk these halls, he would recognise these traditional manufacturing processes. It's amazing how few people work in the factory. For example, Bill the Plate Maker makes every plate that Emma Bridgewater sells, from the small saucers to the large dinner plates. He makes an amazing 700 plates a day! There's also only two people that create the personalised pieces, one lady who can paint banding lines, and one lady who carves all the decorating sponges. It's this small community that gives Bridgewater Tableware its special charm and superb quality. An excellent example of British ingenuity and design, Bridgewater is a company that should be celebrated.
After the Factory Tour we were all treated to a delicious lunch, served on those fabulous Bridgewater plates. This was a brilliant way to get the creative juices flowing, as soon after we began painting our own Bridgewater mugs. Now I've painted plates at other cafes before, but the Bridgewater Decorating Studio was a much better experience. They have large containers filled with more sponges than you can imagine! With rabbits, dogs, chickens, letters, stars, orange slices, apples, footballs and even Daleks, you can create a personalised pattern even if you're not that artistic. We had so much fun, I've already made plans to take my girlfriend down when she visits in July!
Next we took the short walk to the Bridgewater Retrospective Exhibition at The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery. Inside the central gallery you can see original art work and classic Bridgewater pieces. The centrepiece of the exhibit is a large kitchen dresser filled with historic pieces. Whether produced by Bridgewater themselves or simply the inspiration for their iconic patterns, this dresser captures the essence of the Bridgewater brand. Standing in front of the dresser is a large kitchen table loaded with mismatched plates and flowers, recreating a pretty summer table. It's so inviting and cheerful that only the black cord barrier keeps you from sliding into the nearest chair.
When we returned to the Factory we were in for the biggest treat of all: a sneak peak at the design studio! This is the heart of the company, where all the patterns and collections are created. We got to see some of the beautiful and gorgeous items that will be released in the next few months. I'm afraid I can't spoil the surprise, but I can tell you I'm already writing my Christmas list!
And after all these wonderful activities we were finally let loose on the shops. For those of you who have been before, the small shop by the entrance is now the gift shop, while the larger room which used to house the cafe is now the factory shop. Walking down the ramp into the factory shop is nearly overwhelming, surrounded by so many gorgeous plates and charming cups you hardly know where to start! In the end I restrained myself and only bought a Small Polka Dot Platter and a 25th Anniversary Black Toast Mug which features platinum lettering. A brilliant reminder of this fantastic day, we're thrilled to have been a part of Bridgewater's 25th Anniversary celebrations!
Silver Toast 1/2 Pint Mug - £19.95
If you'd like to read more, you can find more articles written by our new friends on these blogs:
The Madhouse - Part One
The Madhouse - Part Two
Tales from the Village
Sleep is for the Weak
If you'd like to see the rest of our photos visit us over at Flickr.
