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News

(Updated 21/03/21)

New Slideshow - Springtime
Our latest slideshow is entitled 'Springtime'. More splendid Shelley and Wileman pieces on which to feast your eyes. The show will automatically run when you visit the Home page or you may click on the links
to view.

New Members' Studies
Just like London buses there is a long wait for one then four come at once! This month brings four new Members Studies to our website:

Regent Patterns - compiled by Bruce Till - 365 pictures of different patterns on this popular shape.

Queen Anne Patterns - another compilation by Bruce based on an original study by Gary Hoare (ASCCI) - 250 patterns here.

Jelly Moulds - compiled by Brian Hill from early catalogues and members collections.
Eric Slater - 'Ladies' - Compiled by Bruce Till again - 60 pictures of this subject on varying items.

If you have further information or photographs to add to these studies please send details to information@shelley.co.uk.

Zooming Along
In view of the uncertainty regarding the Covid 19 pandemic we have regretably decided that we should not hold the Annual Shelley Weekend again this year. We are however planning a Shelley Weekend Zoom meeting in the Autumn and hope that smaller regional meetings will be possible in the second half of the year.
There have been highly successful Zoom virtual meetings held by the Shelley Group and Australasians and the excellent American two day Conference. To build on the achievements of these events we have scheduled further meetings to take place at 8.00pm UK time, on the third Friday of each month. These will generally feature a Powerpoint presentation on a variety of Shelley and Wileman subjects with Q&A time and the opportunity for members to show related items in the form of a Show and Tell. The next two meetings will be:

19 March - Carole Lockyer on 'Lucy Dawson - Dogs and

16 April - Brian Hill on 'Dainty - The Shape's All White'

If you have not ventured onto a Zoom session we do encourage you to try one. It is very simple to join a meeting using the invitation address emailed to all internet users in advance. It is entirely free and the instructions are simple. There is no pressure to speak - just come along and watch using desktop*, laptop, tablet, iPad or Smart mobile. (*Desktop users should have a webcam and audio speakers). So make sure we have your current email address - please contact your regional representative or the Membership Secretary if you have not received an invitation. We really do wish to see you soon.
Upcoming presentations are listed in the Diary)

Community Projects - Student Update
Good news is especially welcome and we were delighted to hear of the success of our 2019 Student Award joint winners, Loh Lik Kian and his wife Debbie Ng. The couple had some 15 years self taught experience in Singapore before coming to the UK to enrol on an MA course at Staffordshire University, Stoke on Trent. On completion of their course they returned to Singapore and have achieved remarkable success designing and producing bespoke tableware for fine dining restaurants. More of their story can be obtained from two recent interviews with 'Tatler' and 'CNA Lifestyle'.
Each year the Shelley Group makes an annual award (The Ray Reynolds Memorial Award) in the form of a Bursary for £500, to a student of ceramics at the University of Staffordshire. We are proud to be able to assist students in this way and to share in enjoying their efforts. Details of this year's winner can be found on our Community Projects page.

Join the Show
Visitors to this site will know that our Home page features a slide show illustrating some of the wonderful Shelley and Wileman wares. The selection of these images is usually made by our webmaster. In the coming months we plan to involve members and invite you to submit your photos from your collections to be included. We aim to offer a varied slideshow every few weeks to appeal to a wide audience so it doesn't matter if your collection is based on jelly moulds or Intarsio - if you like it then send it in. Multiple photos may be submitted but may be separated and used over several months to meet our aim.

Photos should be sharp and preferably taken against a plain background so that we can easily change the background if required. Chintz on a 'busy' background is not ideal! The source of all photos will remain completely anonymous. Please send your entries to webmaster@shelley.co.uk - Thank you.

Exhibition (Updated 08/03/21)
More good news regarding the exhibition at the Potterirs Museum and Art Gallery, Stoke on Trent. The exhibition was closed in the latest lockdown but now is scheduled to re-open on 17 May in line with latest Government Roadmap. It will contine until early September - precise date not yet confirmed. All this of course is dependent on continued progress in tackling the Covid19 virus. When the exhibition does re-open, please note the following:-

The exhibition is located on the first floor and entry is by prior reservation only. When booking, please make it clear that you wish to visit the exhibition on the first floor Ceramics Department. Reservations may be made by telephone - 01782 232323. Allocations are on a first come first served basis and are released each Monday morning for the remainder of the week. Restrictions prevent us providing a brochure at the museum however visitors will be able to access additional detailed notes of the exhibits through their mobile phone/tablet via a QR Code attached to each of the cabinets. A QR reader app. is needed and can be downloaded free of charge from the internet. The code only needs to be used once to obtain details for all cabinets.
The QR code looks like this:
If you are unable to visit in person you may view the same notes at www.shelley.co.uk/exhibition2020.pdf (Updated 23/10/20).
Stoke-on-Trent Museum and Art Gallery have also released a video which may be previewed via the link below:
https://youtu.be/SES_-9mH3JU

Shelley Group - Annual Weekend & AGM
Regrettably despite some easing of restrictions outlined in the Government Roadmap, the Covid 19 virus continues to restrict our movements and we have found it necessary to cancel again our Annual Weekend. (See note above - 'Zooming Along')

Pattern Book Index
Now that the final Pattern Books have received conservation work, an on-line index has been prepared listing the contents of each book. This will assist members in locating the pattern book relevant to their enquiry and also provide more information on dating individual patterns. This may be accessed from the Pattern Books page or directly from this link.