To learn craft skills such as the ones needed to create Burleighware, the best way to acquire the various intricate skills required for the various tasks within a traditional factory is to undertake an apprenticeship.
Making Burleigh ware is a complex process and requires many skilled hands; in fact each piece of pottery can go through up to 11 hand processes. Apprenticeships continue to make up an important part of how we make pottery here at Middleport Pottery, with our most experienced workers helping newcomers along the way.
The Transferring Shop
The Transferring department, where we decorate our ceramics and adorn them with our iconic designs, has one of the most rigorous training programmes and can take years to perfect. There are various roles within the Transferring Shop consisting of the Printer, a team of Transferrers, Washers at the far end of the room, each has a specialist task within the process.
A Journey Woman
Once upon a time, an apprentice was labelled as a ‘Journey Woman’; as per its namesake, the job was traditionally carried out by women and the Journey Women were supported by more experience Transferrers to help on them on their quest to becoming experts in their craft too. Historically, there would have also been a ‘Mrs’ within the department, who in effect was a department manager. These Journey Women were so called as they were following a journey, learning how to become a Transferrer.
It would begin with brushing the decorated ware, a job of strength and determination, carried out to the side of the Transferrer; with the aim of observing all the while, they would also carry out tasks such as lighting stoves and carrying baskets of undecorated ware to the bench they worked at. Then maybe after a whole year the young girl who could be as young as 15 within our company, and even younger elsewhere, would move onto cutting, which requires delicacy and dexterity. Eventually after maybe another year the young recruit could start to actually apply print.
This was a mind-bending task of managing a two-dimensional sheet of sticky print onto a three-dimensional object, with no room for error, as the print can only be placed once and not removed for any second attempts. After a number of years, up to seven, you would have an individual with the skills and knowledge to carry out the full requirements and the ability to take on a Journey Woman of their own. This is how the room operated for many years.
Rolling into the present day, the technique remains unaltered. The room is split into a printer, then various Transferrers and the Washers at the end point but the journey of an apprenticeship has changed a little. As we realise the need for a more rounded approach, Apprentices learn all aspects of the job at the same time, making sure the worker remains interested in producing the best decoration possible.
We no longer require entire years of single elements but allow the recruit a more varied days work. Throughout the training regime, the worker who may be of any age, will be guided by a Transferrer who has not just experience but is also a willing teacher. Someone who can help and support and answer questions, someone like Jacqui.
Whilst it still takes many years to become a fully experienced Transferrer, they continue to collect print record books; saving scraps of print in a notebook as a guide to remember the layout of all the different shapes and patterns as they always have and they still learn each part of the task to ensure they understand the entirety of the job in hand.
However, we find this newer approach has a better rate of success in the long-term. Gone are the days when the city of Stoke-on-Trent boasted thousands of Transferrer. These are now precious and endangered skills carried out only within our walls, so it's important that as many Apprentices as possible find a long-term place of work with us.
Of course, the term Journey Woman would no longer be appropriate. We recognise that some traditions are best left in the past. The Transferring Shop was only occupied by ladies, with the printer always a man. Now we know that the job roles are best suited to those with the necessary skills, whomever they may be. If someone shows the right talent then our factory will find a way to enable this to flourish.
The Burleigh Apprentice
Burleigh can sometimes be thought of as a place of tradition, doing things the old way but others know that it is truer to say we embrace change when it makes a better piece of pottery. So we will continue to invest in our apprentice programmes, we recognise that they continue to play a very important role for Burleigh, just as they have for 173 years.
Mini Teapot Ornaments
Enjoy collecting these Mini Teapot Ornaments in three designs: Blue Calico, Blue Asiatic Pheasants and Blue Regal Peacock. Each one is decorated using waste tissue from our Transferring Shop, reducing our waste product from our factory based in Middleport Pottery and perfecting the next generation of Transferrers with every piece being decorated by our Transferrer in training; one of only 13 in the world!
Michael joined the business in the Spring of 2024 and says of his time so far: "The team have made me feel so welcome and I have loved learning about the history of Burleigh. Being given the task of making the collectors piece is super exciting and I'm happy to have my own piece of history within the Burleigh timeline."
Jacqui, his mentor, says "I've worked at Burleigh for 20 years and I'll be going into my 21st year in September. I think I was chosen to mentor Michael as I love to look after people and it has been great to support Michael on his journey to become a Transferrer, passing on such an important skill to the next generation."
If you're interested in applying for a Burleigh Pottery Apprenticeship or learning more, please email apprenticeships@burgessandleigh.co.uk.