Etruria Museum to close

Published: Monday, 06 December 2010

MANY boaters passing through Stoke Flight on the Trent & Mersey Canal have visited the Etruria Industrial Museum by the side of the locks, but not for much longer.

This museum, like many others, is facing closure, with its owner Stoke City Council having to make savings of £33 millions next year, Richard Hall tells us.

The museum is thought to house one of the oldest working steam engines in the country driving the steam powered potters' mill, that is  still working, and which is fired-up several times a year to give public demonstrations.

Campaigning

Fred Hughes, a local Stoke-on-Trent historian, is campaigning for the museum to stay open, believing that such a museum housing such an old working steam powered potters' mill, should remain open as it is part of the history of the potteries.

The machinery is 'in steam' several times a year when the 1903 boiler is fired-up and the mill can be seen working. It was fired up and working last weekend, but Fred is worried that this will be for the last time, remarking:

"The council should look elsewhere to make the savings. I understand the cuts have to be made, but really we shouldn't be losing our heritage like this."