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Dedicated to the study of British and International ceramics.

03/12/2025

London Ceramic Circle Lecture Reminder:
Friday December 5th at 7:00 p.m. at Morley College

Speakers:
Neil Smith will be speaking on "Leigh Pottery: A Big Business for a Little Village"

And

John Beetwell on "A Desvres Porcelain Coffee Can with Australian Inscription"

A synopsis of Neil Smith's talk in his own words 'Since childhood, I have collected many things, starting with tea cards and postcards, and like so many others, went through a phase of accumulating 19th and early 20th century bottles! It came as a great surprise to be shown an example of a ginger beer bottle, with the impressed mark 'GALLICHAN & CO., LEIGH, ESSEX'; a town close to my home, but with no trace of a pottery! This sparked many years of searching to find information about the pottery, and to track down examples of its products!

The illustrated presentation will cover the development of this substantial business, in what had been just a small fishing village on the north side of the Thames Estuary, between the 1830s, and its closure in 1899, and will also look at examples of their wares!' See images 1 & 2.

A synopsis of John Beetwell's talk - Desvres Pottery situated in the Boulonnais Hills, which are approximately 19km east of Boulogne-Sur-Mer and 60km south of Calais. Johh explores an intriguing Australian reference on a particular coffee cup. See image 3.

This is a live lecture presented in person by both LCC members at Morley College, 61 Westminster Bridge Rd, London SE1 7HT on Friday December 5th at 7:00 p.m.

Morley College is a short walk from the Lambeth North tube station on the Bakerloo Line.

Meetings start at 7 p.m. promptly and are usually held in Room B13. Details of any changes are given on the printed list of room allocations by the Reception desk in the College Foyer. Any queries, ask at Reception.

Non-members are welcome to come to two meetings. If you do so, please make yourself known to the Chairman, James Sewell, or any other Committee member. New members should also identify themselves at their first attendance.

The London Ceramic Circle is looking to grow its social media presence in 2025 as a way of publicising events and growing its membership. Please like and follow this page to ensure you stay up to date regarding our future presentations at Morely College. Please also consider sharing a link to this page with other interested persons.

If you want to become a London Ceramic Circle member - you can do so via our website https://www.londonceramiccircle.com/joining.htm

04/11/2025

London Ceramic Circle Lecture this Friday

Title: The Vezzi family factory in Venice 1720-1727

Location: Friday 7th November 2025 at 7:00 p.m. - Morley College

Presentation by Patrick Hagglund, fellow London Ceramic Circle member.

The Vezzi family factory in Venice 1720-1727

The story of the Vezzi family and the great porcelain factory that Giovanni Vezzi founded in 1720 with his father’s money is one of artistic drive, family intrigue, misunderstandings, greed, and all the good and bad traits of human nature in the early 18th-century society of the Venetian Republic, La Serenissima. The real star of its story is of course the porcelain. However, just when things were starting to look more rosy than it had been, they took a dramatic turn for the worse ….. All will be revealed on Friday evening in Room B13, Morley College.

This is a live lecture presented in person by Patrick Hagglund at Morley College, 61 Westminster Bridge Rd, London SE1 7HT on Friday 7th of November 2025 at 7:00 p.m.

Morley College is a short walk from the Lambeth North tube station on the Bakerloo Line.

Meetings start at 7 p.m. promptly and are usually held in Room B13. Details of any changes are given on the printed list of room allocations by the Reception desk in the College Foyer. Any queries, ask at Reception.

Non-members are welcome to come to two meetings. If you do so, please make yourself known to the Chairman, James Sewell, or any other Committee member. New members should also identify themselves at their first attendance.

The London Ceramic Circle is looking to grow its social media presence in 2025 as a way of publicising events and growing its membership. Please like and follow this page to ensure you stay up to date regarding our future presentations at Morely College. Please also consider sharing a link to this page with other interested persons.

If you want to become a London Ceramic Circle member - you can do so via our website https://www.londonceramiccircle.com/joining.htm

25/10/2025

London Ceramic Circle Autumn 2025 Lecture Dates

02/10/2025

Further details of the
London Ceramic Circle Seminar

Saturday 18th October 2025

10.00 a.m.
John Sandon - LCC President
Welcome & Introduction

10.10 a.m.
Jacqui Pearce
The Minnie Holdaway Lecture -
Ceramic manufacture in London from Medieval to Victorian times. An archaeological perspective on multiple influences

11.10 a.m. Refreshments

11. 45 a.m.
John Sandon
The Three Manifestations of Rococo – and what came next. A look at the Rococo style ceramics in the 18th century, the 1830s and the 1890s

12.45 p.m. LUNCH (included in event price)

14.00 p.m.
Alexandra Aguilar
Aesthetic, Encyclopaedic & Theatrical: Charting the Evolution of Japanese Collections in Britain 1880-1910 through connoisseurs - William Cleverley Alexander,
Michael Tomkinson, and Sir Merton & Lady Annie Russell-Cotes

15.00 p.m. Break for refreshments

15.45 p.m.
Raphael Machiels
Layer by Layer: Uncovering the Influences, Market and Manufactories of Pâte-sur-Pâte 1865-1900

16.45 p.m.
John Sandon - Closing Address

17.00 p.m. EXIT

The seminar will be taking place at the wonderful St Columba's Upper Hall at Pont Street, Knightsbridge - commencing at 10 a.m. Details provided by the Church of the nearest Underground Stations and the routes to Pont Street can be found via their website at https://www.stcolumbas.org.uk/contact/

The cost is £50 per person, to include the lectures, tea/coffee, and a buffet lunch. Outstanding value! There will be a Book Stall also available for bargain purchases during breaks.

Please contact John Beetwell, LCC Treasurer directly on [email protected] to book your place and also to advise if you have a dietary requirement.

Please get your booking in as soon as possible if you wish to attend! Please do share our post with interested colleagues and friends.

22/09/2025

Announcement of the London Ceramic Circle Annual Seminar
on Saturday October 18th 2025

The London Ceramic Circle are pleased to advise that we are re-instating our Annual Seminar, albeit away from Morley College.

The theme is "Influences on Ceramics: Changing tastes through the centuries".

Our seminar lecturers are;
- Alexandra Aguilar
- Raphael Machiels
- Jacqui Pearce
- John Sandon

The subjects will cover;
An archaeological perspective on ceramic manufacture in London from medieval to Victorian times by Jacqui Pearce.

The Rococo style at three periods in the 18th and 19th centuries by John Sandon.

Uncovering the influences, market and manufactories of Pâte-sur-Pâte by Raphael Machiels.

Influences from the Orient (subject awaiting confimation) by Alexandra Aguilar.

More details on the timetable, speakers profiles and their lecture summaries will be available shortly.

The seminar will be taking place at the wonderful St Columba's Upper Hall at Pont Street, Knightsbridge - commencing at 10 a.m. Details provided by the Church of the nearest Underground Stations and the routes to Pont Street can be found via their website at https://www.stcolumbas.org.uk/contact/

Lectures will begin at 10 a.m. with the day finishing around 5 p.m. The cost is £50 per person, to include the lectures, tea/coffee, and a buffet lunch. Outstanding value! There will be a Book Stall also available for bargain purchases during breaks.

Please contact John Beetwell, LCC Treasurer directly on [email protected] to book your place and also to advise if you have a dietary requirement.

Please get your booking in as soon as possible if you wish to attend!

Address

Morley College, 61 Westminster Bridge Road
London
SE17HT

Website

https://www.londonceramiccircle.com/

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