Pam and Terry Woolliscroft
A husband-and-wife team known for their significant contributions to helping preserve the heritage of the Potteries of Stoke-on-Trent, England.
Terence (Terry) Woolliscroft
Terry was born in, Penkhull, Stoke-on-Trent, and has never left the area. He has 'slip' in his veins. If you don't know what slip is, look it up in the Potbank Dictionary! He enjoyed his entire career in the ceramics industry and he is former award-winning international public speaker and award winning painter.
He obtained a degree in ceramic technology and trained at Josiah Wedgwood & Sons Ltd. He developed a deep interest in bottle ovens during his youth as these structures disappeared from the skyline, photographing many before they were demolished.
In 1972, he joined Gladstone Pottery Museum as a volunteer and in 1978 played a key role in organising the historic Last Bottle Oven Firing, where he also shovelled coal and documented the event.
He has since created several websites dedicated to the history of bottle ovens, pottery and local culture, including The Potteries Bottle Oven and The Last Bottle Oven Firing, The History of Gladstone Pottery Museum, The Potbank Dictionary, The History of Twyfords Sanitaryware, and The History of the North Staffs Symphony Orchestra.
Pamela (Pam) Woolliscroft
From Lightwood near Longton, Pam had the surname of Bott before marrying Terry. She has a background in ceramic history and during her career worked in five museums across Stoke-on-Trent; including Gladstone Pottery Museum, Chatterley Whitfield Mining Museum, Ford Green Hall Museum, and the Spode Pottery FactoryMuseum.
She began her career as a volunteer at Gladstone Pottery Museum and progressed to becoming its curator under David Sekers, the Museum Director. She was a key member of the team that organised the 1978 Last Bottle Oven Firing, serving as the main liaison between museum staff and over 70 volunteers. She notably kindled the first firemouth of the event.
She has also created websites such as the Spode History and Spode ABC, and continues to volunteer at Stoke-on-Trent City Archives.
Together
Their multifaceted contributions highlight their deep connection to the cultural and industrial heritage of the Potteries, one of their highlights was their work on the 1978 bottle oven firing - a landmark event in museum history which helped safeguard vital knowledge about traditional pottery-making techniques. Another highlight was living at Ford Green Hall Museum, before it suffered a disastrous flood.
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More about Terry :
He has a passion for art and music. He began painting as a youth and has played in local brass bands and orchestras. He now paints, writes, and builds websites about Potteries culture. He knows about bottle ovens and kilns.
In 2025 Terry was surprised and delighted to learn that he had been selected for inclusion on the huge mural '100 Years 100 Faces'. The mural features 100 portraits to honour the people who have shaped the city's cultural identity.
More about Pam :
Pam has worked, for most of her career, in Stoke-on-Trent museums - Gladstone Pottery Museum, Chatterley Whitfield Mining Museum, Ford Green Hall Museum, and as curator of the Spode Museum. She is a specialist in Spode & Copeland pottery history.
She is a former presenter of specialist lectures and was catalogue consultant to ART UK. She now creates websites.
