At Easter, Stephen Duckworth reveals some early pieces of Staffordshire from his collection, depicting the crucifixion of Jesus and celebrating his supernatural resurrection from the dead.

In 1836, Scottish philosopher and writer Thomas Carlyle wrote: “A dandy is a clothes-wearing Man, a Man whose trade, office and existence consists in the wearing of Clothes. Every faculty of his soul, spirit, purse, and person is heroically consecrated to this one object, the wearing of Clothes wisely and well: so that the others dress to live, he lives to dress.” Win and Pat Hock celebrate these most stylish of Staffordshire figures.

On 6 February 1837, the scientist-potter-entrepreneur-designer-inventor Ralph Wedgwood died in London. Pat Halfpenny introduces the man and the significant contribution he made to Burslem’s figure production during a very busy ten years.

Despite being a popular subject in Western art, the Staffordshire potters did not produce a nativity scene. Stephen Duckworth offers some alternative Victorian figures for a festive mantelpiece.

John Howard celebrates the enduring financial advice of the Reverend John Wesley, born 28 June 1703, a man who travelled 4000 miles a year on horseback, gave over 40,000 sermons and by the end of his life in 1791, was “the best-loved man in England”.

Winand (Win) Hock lets his “smalls” speak for themselves…