Potteries Portrait

This is the first of a series of volumes featuring photographs by Robert Laynton of the five towns that make up Stoke-on-Trent - The Potteries - that were taken around the time of the Millennium. This personal 'Millennium Project' resulted in over 1500 images capturing a pedestrian's eye view 'snaphot' of the city, mainly over a period of about three years between 1998 and 2000. However, some volumes in this collection will feature images taken as far back as the 1960's. There was no attempt to take 'arty' architectural design photos here - rather, these images capture ordinary, everyday scenes that anyone walking through one of the 'Five Towns might have seen day-by-day or week-by-week. Neither are their any portraits of local dignitaries, entrepreneurs or gatherings of employees for various events. These images are about the city itself. Of course, as time goes by, more and more of these images become interesting and 'nostalgic' as familiar buildings are demolished to be replaced by new ones, and as with anywhere else, the Potteries goes through periods of change. So these images are not 'glamorous' - they capture the city 'warts and all'. But the fact remains that many Potteries folk have a love for their city. They might criticise it - but woe betide any 'outsiders' who presume to do so So this set of volumes is about 'the Potters' because it is dedicated to those Potters who retain a deep affection for and pride in their city, past and present, ugly and pretty. It is also for those who were children around the period of the Millennium - some of whom will begin to look at some of these images with a fond remembrance of their childhood - with nostalgia - for scenes and buildings that perhaps are no longer there.... Taken together, these images form a distinctive form of social snapshot and commentary of Stoke-on-Trent. But there little text here - no analysis, comments or critique - the images - the locations - are allowed simply to speak for themselves and sometimes they do so with a loud voice.