February 2025
Visited with @MotionlessMike, we stopped in at Wade after exploring a nearby drain. It was my first time visiting, despite several failed attempts around 2015/16. The site had completely slipped my mind even though it's only a 20-minute drive from my house. I've just bought a new camera and wanted to test it out, particularly its handheld capabilities. We soon found our way inside. The building is looking rather dilapidated. Sadly, much of the decay seems to be due to vandalism rather than natural deterioration. Smashed pottery covers almost every inch of the floor.
History
Wade Ceramics began in Burslem in 1867. It started as several firms owned by the Wade family. In 1958, they united as Wade Potteries Limited. The first companies included Wade & Myatt. It later became George Wade & Son. They made industrial ceramics and Wade Whimsies since 1867. John Wade & Co. became Wade Heath & Co., also established in 1867. They produced decorative items, like Art Deco vases in the 1930s. J & W Wade later became AJ Wade Ltd in 1891. They made tiles, including those for the London Underground.
George Wade & Son acquired Henry Hallen in 1905. Hallen was a rival firm owned by a relative since 1810. Wade Ceramics claims its roots date back to 1810 through this takeover. Sir George Wade gained control of the Wade companies in the 1930s. His father and uncles had previously run them. He then created more Wade factories, such as Wade (Ulster) Ltd. Sir George Wade passed away in 1986, aged 94. His son Tony Wade died from leukaemia in 1987. Beauford Plc acquired the Wade potteries in 1998. It then became Wade Ceramics Ltd. The Irish factory was renamed Seagoe Ceramics in the early 1990s and later closed.
A management buyout took over Beauford PLC's factories in 1999. It became part of Wade Allied Holdings Ltd. Edward Duke, ex-CEO of Beauford, became Wade Allied's major shareholder. He was also Chairman of Wade Ceramics. His partner Paul Farmer became Managing Director. In 2009, Wade Allied Holdings invested £7.9m in a new factory. It used robots to make ceramic flagons for whisky. The last Burslem factory closed in 2010. It was sold for housing. The original factory which is the subject of this report still stands empty. Wade Ceramics operated from Etruria, as of 2011. The company went into administration in November 2022. It blamed tough economic times and rising energy costs. On December 2, 2022, Wade Ceramics entered administration, ending all jobs.
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Fujifilm X-T5, 10-24mm f4 R OIS WR
