Context
The Potbank Dictionary is a specialist glossary of the vocabulary and dialect used in the pottery industry of Stoke-on-Trent. Terence (Terry) Woolliscroft created it in 1968 and first published it on paper in 1976 while volunteering at Gladstone Pottery Museum, Longton. It moved online in 2012 and is updated regularly.
The dictionary captures the technical jargon, slang, and local dialect used by workers in Stoke's 'potbanks'. It includes:
- Technical pottery terms - describing processes, equipment, and materials used in ceramic production.
- Job titles - such as the famous 'saggar maker's bottom knocker' - the one who made the bases for the protective clay boxes used in firing kilns.
- Local dialect - regional expressions and pronunciations unique to the Potteries area.
- Historical context - many of these terms relate to traditional pottery-making methods that are no longer in use.
The dictionary preserves the industrial heritage of an industry that was once a world centre of ceramic production, capturing everything from pottery faults and firing techniques to workplace slang.
Beware! This is not an academic work - it was never intended to be! It's a collection of those strange words, phrases and dialect found in the Potteries. Hopefully, it's a great way of introducing you to the peculiar language of the potbanks and people.
Contact
You can contact me here >
terry.wool (at) proton (dot) me
More about me and my other websites here >
Terry welcomes any potteries words or phrases missing from the dictionary (contributors get acknowledged) and appreciates corrections.
History
The Potbank Dictionary has grown from humble beginnings. It was launched in January 1976 as a regular column in The Friends of Gladstone Broadsheet and the first published word was ARK. What a great word to launch it! Gladstone Pottery Museum in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, had just been opened by the Duke of Gloucester. David Sekers was the Director and The Honourable Hugh Gibson was the Friends Chairman.
Terry started collecting Potteries words during his six-year Production Management traineeship at Josiah Wedgwood and Sons, Barlaston. He doesn't quite know why he did it. But it seemed the 'right thing to do' and it was a fun way of learning. Seeing the words and their definitions in print was very satisfying!.
And then having the Stokie dialect printed on a mug was even better! The mug was made by KilnCraft in two colours. Here's a flyer from about 1978.
The site was created in 2012. It is revised regularly with new definitions, more words and more images.
The site was created in 2012. It is revised regularly with new definitions, more words and more images.
Terry is delighted that the site has been archived for preservation by the British Library and is part of the following subjects: Education & Research - Dictionaries, Encyclopaedias, and Reference Works.
Dialect pronunciation? Here's a tip
Read phrases phonetically — "CYST WREN LOW" is Stokie for "sister in law," and "JO JO TELL" means George Hotel.
About the author
Born in Stoke-on-Trent, Terry never left. He has 'slip' in his veins! He spent his career in ceramics and also loves art and music. In 2025 he was chosen for the local '100 Years 100 Faces' mural honouring people who shaped the city's cultural identity.
Other Websites
Since the 1990s he's built several other Potteries heritage websites, all archived by the British Library:
* The Potbank Dictionary
* The Potteries Bottle Oven
* The Last Bottle Oven Firing 1978
* The Gladstone Pottery Museum Story
* The History of Twyford Bathrooms
* The History of the North Staffordshire Symphony Orchestra
* Ford Green Hall - its last residents
* Me and my other websites >
* Pam and Terry Woolliscroft - Who We Are and What We Do >
The UK Web Archive
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| This site is archived for preservation by the British Library and is part of the following subjects: Education & Research > Dictionaries, Encyclopaedias, and Reference Works The UK Web Archive is a consortium of the six UK legal deposit libraries which aims to collect all UK websites at least once each year |
Why Blogger?
Terry uses Blogger because it's free, works well, and will stay online after he's gone.
Copyright
The site was made purely for fun, to share knowledge, with no commercial aim. Content may be used for personal or educational purposes; Terry asks only for acknowledgement and a link back. Some material is assumed public domain - he'll correct this if told otherwise. No personal data is stored, and no marketing emails are sent to anyone in the EU/UK.
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