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Local History

The collection is social and local history and includes industrial, transport, domestic, prints, drawings, photographs, postcards, and oral history items from 1650 ot present. In total there are 20,000 science and industry, mainly 2 large wheelwright and iron foundry collections but also industrial equipment, plumbing and ship building; 24,000 social history domestic appliances and furnishings, shop fittings, local government, local organisations, personal items, costume; 100 transport items include public service, in particular passenger transport from 1890-1955 and boats and an industrial locomotive; Comprehensive collection of 3000 tokens, badges, medals and decorations; Costume and textiles from 1787 -1997 with strengths in local territorial uniforms, women’s costume, from 1935- 1975 and small collection of banners; 3,700 photographs with a large topographical collection, local interest in portraits of local people and large collection by contemporary photographers including Danny Weinstein; Substantial collection of postcards of local views and subjects, mainly mid 20th century; paintings, drawings and prints are marine, topographical and portraits by local artists such as WA Jeffries, Edward King and WE Atkins with a substantial collection of shipping and harbour subjects from 1800-1900 including works by W L Wyllie and Rowlandson, Stansfield and Serres; A large collection of 900 oral history recordings in particular D Day and Dockyard interviews of 20th century. Also 500 maritime items.

Fine Art

A collection of 2,600 items of oils and watercolours from 17th century to present with strength in the Cole family of artists, St Ives School and Benjamin Haughton; there is a small collection of drawings and sculpture, large collection of artists prints including Old Master prints, but string in 20th century British works and a significant group of wood engravings.

Decorative Art

Good collections of ceramics with particular strengths in 19th century art pottery and 18th century tea wares; major collection of furniture particularly in architect-artist-designer from 18th century to present and work by local Betty Joel; good collection of contemporary crafts and small furnishing textiles of 1960 and 70s and metalwork. Also Harris Collection and Spyers Bequest. In total 5,000 Applied and Dec art and 650 costume and textiles items.

Military History

The collection covers D Day especially the Overlord embroidery in 34 applique panels 8 feet by 3 feet high, personal memorabilia as objects , photographs, letters, diaries, maps and oral history, Sherman and Churchill tanks, and American LCVP, amphibious DUKW, Jeep, Scout car, Beach armoured recovery vehicle specifically developed for the landings. Also the military heritage as a fortified garrison town including the extant fortifications of Round Tower, Square Tower, Southsea Castle and Hilsea Lines. Collection of ordnance at Southsea Castle and City Museum in Victorian barracks complex.

Natural Science

The collection is of the flora and fauna of the Portsmouth, south east Hampshire and West Sussex built up mainly since 1947 by staff collection, bequests, and donations, on a pre World War II residue, that includes the Guermonprez Collection of 100,000 specimens of flora and fauna of West Sussex and Hampshire. The zoology is British and Foreign birds, mammals and molluscs; British amphibians and reptiles, British fish, insects, butterflies and crustacea; small wet-preserved collection and small number of sets and specimens by local taxidermists. There is a large British Herbarium with early collected specimens and marine algae and bryophytes. Also a collection of fossils from southern England, rocks from the Hampshire Basina and other world-wide material. There is a significant collection of 19th century books, and important collection of Guermonprez watercolours and field notes and the specimens and papers of the Hayling Island Mosquito Project.

Archaeology

The bulk of the collection is from research and development digs within 15 mile radius of the Guildhall in the past 60 years and also stray finds and dredged material. Collection includes flint, pottery, ceramic building material, glass, leather, metalwork, wood, animal and human bones and molluscs from the Lower Palaeolithic to post Medieval. Major collections include Red Barns Lower-Middle Palaeolithic flint working site, Porchester excavated in 1970s; Rowlands Castle Roman Pottery Kiln with 40 boxes dating from late 1st to early 2nd century; Bevis Grave Anglo-Saxon cemetery with 88 skeletons and grave goods; Oyster Street on Portsea Island and Cypriot Pottery donated by individuals form Bronze Age to Late Classical. In total there are 200,000 items.

Archives

There are 300,000 archival records from a variety of sources across the City and include photographs, postcards, maps and printed and published and manuscript material. Includes the earliest surviving charter of 1313, but mainly civic records from 15th century to present and ecclesiastical records from 1538.

Source: Cornucopia

Date: Not known, but before 2015

Licence: CC BY-NC

Ceramics

The collection is dominated by the pottery, porcelain and other ceramics holdings, which are the largest and most comprehensive in the world within their field of Staffordshire ceramics. The 19th century ceramics collection is particularly strong, especially in figures, tiles, and porcelain tablewares. The 20th century material, industrial and studio, now forms the best collection of 20th century British ceramics in the world, particularly of pottery. The collection of 18th century earthenwares (pottery) and stonewares is also particularly strong. The collection moreover contains examples of ceramics from all around the world, from a vast range of countries and cultures, including Renaissance Italian maiolica, Islamic ceramics, Ancient Greek ceramics, and so on.

Commemorative Ceramics Collection

The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery has an extensive collection of commemorative ceramic ware including plates and mugs. The collection starts with 17th century slipware chargers, creamware teapots, and later earthenwares, porcelains, stonewares and bone chinas. We have a broad range of 20th century commemorative ceramics, particularly from all major Royal events.

Figurines

The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery’s figures collection includes figures from the 18th century onwards. Many of the figures commemorate famous people or events in history, although many do not. The collection contains figures depicting Classical mythological and theological subjects from the 18th century, famous and infamous people from the 19th century, early 20th century art pottery figures with naturalistic subjects, and the ever-popular 20th century figures from factories such as Royal Doulton.

The Keiller Collection of Cow Cream Jugs

This magnificent collection of 667 cow cream jugs built up over a period of 30 years was generously presented to the City of Stoke-on-Trent Museum & Art Gallery in 1962 by Mrs. Gabrielle M. Keiller of Kingston Hill, Surrey. The bulk of the cow cream jugs were manufactured in the second half of the 18th century and the first quarter of the 19th century when few earthenware potters were using an identifiable backstamp. This makes attribution almost impossible for the vast majority of cows, which were collected for their looks not origin. A condition of the gift stipulated that a minimum of two thirds of the Collection should be on permanent exhibition – the remainder available for study by appointment. The cow cream jugs are now one of the most popular displays at the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, and are displayed with The Davies Collection of Frog Mugs.

Davies Collection of Frog Mugs

The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery’s collection of 300 frog mugs was donated by Marjorie M Davies in 1987. The collection includes a wide range of pieces dating from the late 18th century to the late 20th century. Most types of pottery, porcelain and china are represented, with a wide range of decoration styles and techniques. The collection is mostly on display in the Ceramics Gallery, with the Keiller Collection of Cow Creamers.

Fine Art Collection

The paintings, drawings and sculpture collection covers mostly British art from the 19th. and 20th. C. There is also a good collection of British, Japanese and European prints from the 16th. C. to the present day. Local artists are well represented in all media. There are links with artists associated with the ceramics industry, and with the development of public art within the City. Designated There is a collection of architectural drawings by Sir Charles Barry and others of the Trentham Hall Estate, which is of National significance. The paintings, drawings and sculpture collection covers mostly British art from the 19th. and 20th. C. There are links with artists associated with the ceramics industry, and with the development of public art within the City. There is also a good collection of British, Japanese and European prints from the 16th. C. to the present day. Local artists are well represented in all media.

Costume and Textile Collection

The collection includes material from the 15th.C. to the present day, including flat textiles and a group of dolls. The latter include dolls in national costume and dolls illustrating the history of doll making from c.1800 to the present day. The collection includes material from the 15th.C. to the present day, including flat textiles and a group of dolls.

Science and Industry Collection

Machinery, tools and equipment relating to the pottery industry and associated trades have been collected, mainly in connection with the Gladstone Pottery Museum and the Etruria Museum, and primarily for display. Machinery, tools and equipment relating to the pottery industry and associated trades have been collected, mainly in connection with the Gladstone Pottery Museum and the Etruria Museum, and primarily for display.

Archaeology Collection

Prehistoric material includes finds from two major sites: Ossoms Cave (late upper palaeolithic) and Wetton Mill Minor (Mesolithic). Roman finds include the earliest evidence of pottery production in Stoke, and Anglo-Saxon sites include an Anglian settlement (Catholme) and a 10th.C. kiln in Stafford. Medieval material includes pottery from a 14th.C. Stoke kiln and from Hulton Abbey. The museum is the principal repository for the whole of the Staffordshire area, and has benefited in recent years from major transfers of material from the Staffordshire County Council, Stafford Borough Council and a private museum at Denstone College. Collections include prehistoric, Roman, Anglo-Saxon and Medieval material.

Subjects

Archaeological heritage; Archaeological sites; Archaeology; Viking; Archaeological objects; Roman Empire; Archaeological activities; Archaeological research

Biology Collection

The biology collection, now numbering about 120,000 objects, evolved from initial collections made by members of the North Staffordshire Field Club in the late 1800s. It focuses on the flora and fauna of Stoke-on-Trent and the Staffordshire County area. This policy to develop the regional significance of the collections means that the Museum has the most comprehensive collection of Staffordshire natural history material anywhere in the world. There are around 15,000 plant and fungi specimens. These include about 6,000 specimens from Eric Edees, the author of the 1972 ‘Flora of Staffordshire’. The animal specimens number over 100,000 items.

Subjects

Fauna; Natural history; Zoology; Fungi; Mineralogy; Geology; Palaeontology; Botany; Biology

Geology Collection

Approximately 12,000 rocks, minerals and fossils – most of which have a particular focus on the Carboniferous and Triassic horizons of the local area. Highlights of the collection include around 900 Carboniferous Coal Measure (mainly fish) fossils. The geology collection, now numbering about 20,000 objects, evolved from initial collections made by members of the North Staffordshire Field Club in the late 1800s. It focuses on the fossils, minerals and rocks of Stoke-on-Trent and the Staffordshire County area. This policy to develop the regional significance of the collections means that the Museum has the most comprehensive collection of Staffordshire natural history material anywhere in the world.

Subjects

Fossils; Geology; Palaeontology; Minerals

Source: Cornucopia

Date: Not known, but before 2015

Licence: CC BY-NC

Ancient Egyptian Collection

The museum holds 50 ancient Egyptian objects. Classes of objects represented in the collection include: animal remains (mummies); pottery; shabtis; stone figures(?). Objects are known to have come from the following location in Egypt (with the name of the excavator/sponsor and year of excavation given): Beni Hasan (Garstang – Liverpool University, 1902-1904).

Subjects

Ancient civilizations; Antiquities; Antiquity; Archaeological sites; Archaeological objects; Egyptology; Archaeological excavations

Source: Cornucopia

Date: Not known, but before 2015

Licence: CC BY-NC