WORD OF THE WEEK - 22 Dec 2014 - CAKE

CAKE No, not Christmas cake! But on a Potbank, one of several slabs of clay found in a filter press after the pressing cycle finishes. The filter press removes water from slip to produce plastic clay ready for wedging or pugging before balling up.

Early sliphouse with filter press and sliphouse men removing clay cakes
after the pressing cycle has finished. 

WORD OF THE WEEK - 8 Dec 2014 - THOB

THOB Potteries dialect word. Part of a bottle oven. The Hob. Just above the glut arch. "Put thee lobby on thob fur cape eat ot, duck."  But note that it is not where you would cook breakfast.  This was done directly on the fire, in the blazing mouth of the oven, using a British Standard No.8 Square Mouth shovel!

At the Last Bottle Oven Firing in The Potteries, August 1978.
Organised by Gladstone Pottery Museum, Stoke-on-Trent,
with its team of volunteers.
Here is Les Dennis with his bacon (and, of course, oatcakes)