A surviving pay claim from 1914 provides a remarkable snapshot of the Armitage Pottery workforce on the eve of war. It records the wage dispute between employers and potters, identifies many of the men who signed the claim, and reveals how dramatically their lives were changed within a matter of months.
Tag: Armitage
Never goo to weddin’s
Never Goo to Weddins is a humorous Staffordshire dialect poem, but it also offers a fascinating glimpse into nineteenth-century village life. Through local speech, colourful characters and a wedding that descends into chaos, the poem captures the humour, customs and language of the Black Country and Staffordshire. This article explores its origins, meaning and enduring appeal as a piece of regional social history.
Samuel Morecroft 1850-1934 – a life lived in Armitage
Samuel Morecroft was a man of many parts – basket maker, cycle manufacturer, inventor, undertaker, postmaster and local preacher. Written by one of his descendants, this richly illustrated article traces the life of a remarkable Victorian entrepreneur whose energy and public spirit left a lasting mark on Armitage. It explores not only his many businesses but also his family, community service and the changing life of the village he called home.
The Long Shadow of the Great War
The First World War did not end for many survivors when they returned home. Through the lives of Percy Collop, Philip Bartlett, William Pedley and William Waltho, this article explores the lasting physical and emotional impact of the conflict on men from Armitage and Handsacre. Drawing on military records, newspapers and family histories, it reveals how service continued to shape their lives long after the guns fell silent in 1918.
Marriage Bonds
Family history often begins with a few names and dates, but sometimes it uncovers unexpected treasures. While tracing her Conway ancestors from Armitage, Sheila Cochrane discovered an eighteenth-century marriage bond carrying a remarkable £500 penalty. What at first seemed a mystery became the starting point for a fascinating journey through old records, family connections and the lives of her Staffordshire ancestors.
Assault and battery in the church
A peaceful Sunday service at St. John the Baptist Church erupted into violence when a dispute over a family pew ended with one worshipper being dragged from her seat in front of the entire congregation. The incident led to a remarkable court case that sheds light on church life, social status and the surprising value once attached to pew ownership.
Jack Whitehouse MM
Jack Whitehouse lied about his age to serve in the First World War and went on to earn the Military Medal for rescuing a wounded comrade under fire. Returning to Armitage, he spent the rest of his life working down the pit, serving as a parish councillor and becoming a leading figure in the British Legion. His story reflects both the courage of a decorated soldier and a lifetime of service to his community.
The Silver Fork Society
Armitage Park produced an unlikely literary celebrity. Born there in 1800, Thomas Henry Lister drew on his experience of fashionable Regency society to write novels filled with aristocrats, politicians, glittering balls and sharp social satire, becoming one of the leading voices of the Silver Fork movement.
The Croft School, Armitage
The Croft School opened in 1915 to relieve overcrowding at Armitage’s older schools and served generations of village children. Using the original managers’ minute books and school log, Roy Fallows traces its construction, early staff and the everyday events—from cess pits to Wembley trips—that brought the school to life.
Antoine Albena Mountsoy – an Armitage celebrity
Born in France during the eighteenth century, Antoine Albena Mountsoy survived capture during the Napoleonic Wars, served in the Royal Navy at the bombardment of Algiers and spent much of his life at sea before settling in rural Staffordshire. Researched by local historian Roy Fallows, this remarkable biography traces the adventures of a man whose extraordinary journey eventually brought him to Armitage, where he spent his final years.