Here are those strange, colourful and very special terms, such as saggar makers bottom knocker, wedging, and ginneter that were, at one time, very common in the Potteries potbanks. There's also the special dialect of the district. The dictionary is aimed at demystifying the language of the industry for future generations.
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| A wedger doing his job Wedging in the sliphouse |
The potbank dictionary was created in a simple note book way back in 1968 and parts of it were first published in print from by Gladstone Pottery Museum in The Friends Broadsheet Newsletter in January 1976.
Today, the dictionary is digitised and published online, still going strong, still being added to and still being tweaked.
Two tips on how to use it!
Scroll down each alphabetical page to find your particular word or
Search each page by using CTRL together with F
With almost nearly, but not quite 1,800 definitions, the Potbank Dictionary explains the peculiar language of the industry collected during a lifetime in potbanks. Some are specific to a particular factory, others are quite common in the district. Some are quite technical. Much of this language is disappearing as potbanks are closed, as skills are lost and as manufacturing methods change.
The film below, on YouTube, is a wonderful introduction to the area and how the language of the Potteries evolved. Incidentally, the guy in the image is not me but you will see him in the film.
The Potbank Dictionary is more than just a list of words; it’s a preservation of a unique 'Stokie' dialect that evolved inside the heat, dust, seat and tears of the pottery factories.
Compiled by Terry Woolliscroft This website, launched in May 2012, is archived for preservation by the British Library.