WORD OF THE WEEK - 2 Feb 2015 - FUSSER

FUSSER Occupation. Potting department. Man or woman who works with and alongside a cup jolleyer. The fusser removes dried cups from the mould, inspects them and places them on a ware board prior to being carried away into the greenhouse.

WORD OF THE WEEK - 26 Jan 2015 - CHONG


Many thanks go to @pottrays for the idea!

WORD OF THE WEEK - 12 Jan 2015 - SCOURING

SCOURING Process. Biscuit warehouse. After pottery has been biscuit fired it is scoured (brushed) to remove loose sand, alumina, or pulverised flint particles. It is a brushing/cleaning process for biscuit ware before glazing. Scouring was a particularly dangerous occupation in the Potbank. People interviewed in 1856 for the inquiry undertaken by the General Board of Health reported that "the bad arrangements of the workshops (are a) frequent cause of bronchitis. The worst cases of this disease were found among young women employed in scouring china, who did not live many years after entering that employment."  More here>>

Early scouring machines introduced in an attempt
to reduce the health hazard


WORD OF THE WEEK - 1 Jan 2015 - BAG

BAG No, not a container for taking home the goodies from the January Sales! But, part of a bottle oven. A small firebrick chimney found directly above the firemouth on the inside of a potter's biscuit of glost bottle oven. Separates the combustion space from the stacked ware space. Prevents hots spots among the pots nearest the fire. The photo shows three bags.  In a 'usual' large bottle oven there would be eight bags.