Tunstall, Staffordshire

Tunstall is one of the six towns that, along with Burslem, Longton, Fenton, Hanley and Stoke-upon-Trent, amalgamated to form the City of Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire, England. It was one of the original six towns that federated to form the city. Tunstall is the most northern, and fourth largest town of the Potteries. It is situated in the very northwest of the city borough, with its north and west boundaries being the city limit. It stands on a ridge of land between Fowlea Brook to the west and Scotia Brook to the east, surrounded by old tile-making and brick-making sites, some of which date back to the Middle Ages.

There is no independent record of Tunstall in the Domesday Book; it is believed to have formed part of the lands of Richard the forester, centred on Thursfield.^[2] However, Tunstall Manor quickly became powerful. Between 1212 and 1273, Tunstall, Bemersley, Burslem, Chatterley, Chell, Oldcott, and Thursfield, Whitfield and Bemersley are mentioned as distinct manors or vills; all but Chell had merged within the manor of Tunstall by the end of the 13th century. From the 16th century, Tunstall Manor covered an area which extended to the Cheshire border and included the following additional townships: Chell, Ravenscliffe, Sneyd, Brieryhurst, Stadmorslow and Wedgwood.^[3] Records mention that iron and coal were being mined and processed in the town as far back as 1282.^[4]

The appointment of a market-reeve by the manor court in 1525 is the earliest indication of a market in Tunstall manor. In 1816, a market square of nearly an acre (now Tower Square) was laid out on land called Stony Croft which was leased from the lord of the manor, and small-scale markets began to be held.

Tunstall remained a linear village until the industrial revolution. Tunstall's main make-up is now of rows of Victorian terraced houses, which were built during the pottery boom to house workers. There are a number of new estates that have been built in the area. Park Terrace consists of elegant Victorian and Edwardian townhouses and is a designated conservation area, as is the housing around Victoria Park.^[5]

Tunstall was historically a township and chapelry in the ancient parish of Wolstanton,^[6] on 31 December 1894 Tunstall became a civil parish. The town was also granted urban district status in 1894 and quickly set about expanding itself, acquiring amongst others Pitts Hill from Chell civil parish in 1899.^[7] On 1 April 1910, the UDC dissolved itself and the town was federated into the county borough of Stoke-on-Trent. On 1 April 1922 the parish was abolished and merged with Stoke on Trent.^[8] At the 1921 census (the last before the abolition of the parish), Tunstall had a population of 22,740.^[9] By 1925 the borough was granted city status. Tunstall has however, remained distinct and retained its own shopping and business district, adding to Stoke-on-Trent's polycentric nature.

On 27 November 1916, German ZeppelinLZ 61 (L21) bombed Tunstall during its return leg to Germany, dropping three bombs. However, it was shot down the following day before it could reach the coast at Lowestoft.^[10][11]

The village of Tunstall was described in 1795 as "the pleasantest village in the pottery".^[12]

„Tunstall und seine Umgebung sind das schönste Dorf in der Töpferei. Es liegt auf einer Anhöhe und bietet eine reizvolle Aussicht. Die dort ansässigen Manufakturen sind angesehen und florieren. Es gibt hier mehrere Ziegeleien und Dachziegelwerke; der Ton ist von hervorragender Qualität für solche Produkte, sodass die daraus hergestellten Ziegel bei guter Verarbeitung genauso gut aussehen wie gewöhnlicher Schiefer. Die Methodisten haben hier eine große, gepflegte Kapelle, die gut besucht ist. Sie haben vor Kurzem eine Sonntagsschule gegründet, die durch freiwillige Spenden finanziert wird, und die Lehrer unterrichten ehrenamtlich.“

„TUNSTALL ist ein stattliches Dorf innerhalb der Gemeinde Tunstall Court, einer Grafschaft in der Pfarrei Woolstanton, vier Meilen von Newcastle entfernt. Es liegt malerisch auf einer Anhöhe und leitet seinen Namen von den sächsischen Wörtern „tun“ oder „ton“ (Stadt) und „stall“ (erhöhter Ort, Sitz oder Rastplatz) ab.“ „In dieser Gemeinde gibt es reichlich Kohle, Eisenerz, Mergel und feine Steinkohle; und die Töpfereien sind hier sehr zahlreich.“

„Tunstall – Stadt mit Bahnhof, Gemeinde Wolstanton, Staffordshire, am Grand Trunk Canal, 2,5 Meilen nordöstlich und innerhalb der Parlamentsgrenzen von Newcastle-under-Lyme, 690 Acres, Einwohnerzahl 14.244; Postamt, Gemeindeverwaltung, 3 Banks. Tunstall profitiert von der Töpferindustrie. Es hat sich rasch von einem Dorf zu einer beträchtlichen Stadt entwickelt, mit einem schönen Rathaus im Zentrum eines geräumigen Marktplatzes.“

There is evidence of small-scale pottery manufacturing in Tunstall from the 14th century.^[13] However, Tunstall was one of the last of towns in the Potteries to begin large scale pottery manufacturing, with the main focus being on farming, and to a lesser extent, coal & iron mining and mills. Thus Tunstall was not affected by the 1842 Pottery Riots. However, Tunstall still has a rich industrial heritage. At the start of the 19th century there were 3 pottery works in the town, by the close of the century that number had risen to 13. Famous potters located in the town have been the Adams dynasty of potters founded by William Adams, as well as Alfred Meakin, Booths founded by Enoch Booth and Enoch Wedgwood, and W H Grindley founded in 1880 by William Harry Grindley. Robert Beswick, father of Beswick Pottery founder James Wright Beswick, began making pottery in Tunstall. Jabez Vodrey is a noted emigrant potter, the first English potter west of the Appalachian Mountains. Clarice Cliff (20 January 1899 – 23 October 1972) was an English ceramic industrial artist active from 1922 to 1963. Charles Shaw was a 19th-century potter whose in-depth autobiography has given some of the clearest insights into the Victorian Potteries, and provided Arnold Bennett with inspiration for his Clayhanger novels.^[14] Tunstall became widely known for its tiles, regarded to be as good as slate. Decorative ceramic tiles are still made in Tunstall by H and R Johnson-Richards Tiles.

Tunstall's industries were served by the Trent and Mersey Canal, constructed over 11 years from 1766. The canal was designed by James Brindley, a resident of Turnhurst Hall in nearby Chell. Just north of Tunstall lies one of Brindley's greatest achievements, the Harecastle Tunnel, which takes the Trent and Mersey Canal underneath Goldenhill. Barges were 'legged' through by men lying on their backs on top of the barges and pushing against the roof with their feet. This was physically demanding and slow, causing major delays, so in 1827 leading civil engineer Thomas Telford was commissioned to provide a second, and wider, parallel tunnel with a towpath. Today the Harecastle Tunnels are the fourth longest canal tunnels in the UK.

Tunstall was served by a railway station, which was opened by the North Staffordshire Railway on 1 December 1873. This closed under the Beeching Axe in 1965 with the removal of the Potteries Loop Line.^[15] Today Tunstall lies roughly equidistant between Longport and Kidsgrove railway stations on the Stafford to Manchester Line, a branch of the West Coast Main Line (Network Rail Route 18). There are also direct services to Crewe and Derby. It is also well served by buses provided by: Baker Coaches, Clowes Coaches, D&G Coaches, Wardle Transport and First Potteries, connecting Tunstall to all surrounding settlements.

The A50 is the main arterial route through Tunstall, running from Warrington to Leicester via Stoke and Derby. Tunstall is linked to the A500 "D-road", which passes just west of the town, by the new A527 linkway the town connecting Tunstall and the rest of Stoke-on-Trent to the M6 motorway. Slightly further east the A34 runs north–south, towards Manchester and Newcastle-under-Lyme respectively.

Climate in this area has mild differences between highs and lows, and there is adequate rainfall year-round. The Köppen Climate Classification subtype for this climate is "Cfb". (Marine West Coast Climate).^[16]

The outskirts of Tunstall became home to a new public art statue called Golden in 2015. The 69 ft (21 m) steel work of art by Wolfgang Buttress was privately funded with £180,000 Section 106 monies secured during the construction of the Blue Planet eco-warehouse.^[17]

The Phoenix Trust, an independent not-for-profit foundation, is campaigning to turn Tunstall and the wider North Staffordshire Coalfield into a World Heritage Site due to its historic economic significance, leading role in the industrial revolution and status as the birthplace of Primitive Methodism.^[18]

Tunstall has had a rise in well-known shops in recent years, notably with the construction of Alexandra Retail Park.^[19] These developments have, however, been felt to be to the detriment of Tunstall's traditional town centre shops and market. The town's shops got together in 2003–4 to buy a good amount of Christmas décor and now it is traditional to go and watch Tunstall lights have their grand switch on.

A recognisable Tunstall, renamed Turnhill, features in the novels of Arnold Bennett.^[20]

There are a number of Grade II listed buildings in Tunstall, notably: Tunstall Market Hall, Tunstall Town Hall, Christ Church, Church of the Sacred Heart, the world's first Primitive Methodist chapel, the clock tower in Tower Square, Tunstall library and public baths, Victoria Park and structures, and the lodge and canal portals at Harecastle Tunnel.^[21] There are also three conservation areas: Tower Square, Park Terrace and Victoria Park & surrounding housing.^[22]

Gegen Ende des 19. Jahrhunderts litten die meisten städtischen Gebiete Großbritanniens unter Umweltverschmutzung und schlechten Gesundheitsbedingungen. Um dem entgegenzuwirken, begann der Stadtbezirk Tunstall kurz nach seiner Gründung mit einer Reihe von Verbesserungsmaßnahmen, darunter die Eröffnung der Victoria Public Baths im Jahr 1897. Im selben Jahr begannen die Arbeiten am Victoria Park , auch bekannt als Tunstall Park. Der Park wurde vom Architekten des Stadtrats, Absalom Reade Wood (1851–1922), entworfen. Bis 1914 hatte der Park im Wesentlichen seine heutige Form angenommen und erstreckte sich über 8,5 Hektar. Er steht heute unter Denkmalschutz ( Grade II) . ^{[ 23 ]} Der Tunstall Victoria Park Trust, eine eingetragene Wohltätigkeitsorganisation, wurde 2009 gegründet, um die Öffentlichkeit einzubinden und mitzuentscheiden, wie die von der Reginald Johnson Foundation für die Verbesserung des Parks gespendeten Gelder verwendet werden sollen. ^{[ 24 ]}

Der Golden Torch in der Hose Street war ein bekannter Northern-Soul- Club, gegründet von Christopher Burton, einem Zeitgenossen von Ivor Abadi (Gründer des Twisted Wheel Clubs), und Russ Winstanley vom berühmten Wigan Casino . Er eröffnete am 30. Januar 1965 mit Billy J. Kramer und den Dakotas als Headliner . Ursprünglich ein Mod- Club, veranstaltete er erst ab 1969 regelmäßig Soul-Nächte. DJs wie Peter Stringfellow legten dort auf . Nach der Schließung des Twisted Wheel Soul-Clubs in Manchester im Jahr 1971 begann der Torch, eigene Soul-All-Nighters zu veranstalten. Er wurde jedoch Opfer seines eigenen Erfolgs: Regelmäßige Polizeieinsätze, Drogenkonsum und Überfüllung waren an der Tagesordnung. Als der Club am 16. März 1973 seine Lizenz verlängern wollte, verweigerte der Stadtrat von Stoke-on-Trent die Verlängerung. Ohne Lizenz verschwand der Club spurlos und ebnete so den Weg für das Wigan Casino . ^{[ 25 ]}

Die Tunstall Wakes fanden am ersten Sonntag nach dem Fest der heiligen Margareta (20. Juli) statt, der Heiligen, der die Kirche von Wolstanton geweiht ist. Die Wakes wurden 1879 abgeschafft, aber bald auf vielfachen Wunsch wieder eingeführt. ^{[ 26 ]}

In Tunstall befand sich die unabhängige Frink School of Figurative Sculpture , die bis etwa 2004 mehrere Jahre lang in einer schönen alten Fabrik (und dem ehemaligen Old Court) in der Roundwell Street untergebracht war. Die Frink School war nach der britischen Bildhauerin Elisabeth Frink benannt und eine kleine, familiäre Akademie mit einem spezifischen Studienkonzept, das eher einer Meister-Lehrling -Beziehung als einer klassischen Bildungseinrichtung ähnelte. Mittlerweile ist die Schule ins nahegelegene Leek umgezogen . ^{[ 27 ]}

Today, the area is served by many primary schools, and secondary schools include Co-op Academy Stoke-on-Trent, Ormiston Horizon Academy and St Margaret Ward Catholic Academy.

Dransfield created Jasper Square which is occupied by stores including Poundland, Argos and Matalan.^[28] The company later began construction on a project called Alexandra Park adjacent to the previous project. The final phase of development was completed in February 2014 and added Home Bargains, Iceland and Card Factory.^[28][29] The park contains "The Shard", a stainless steel sculpture celebrating the area's historic pottery industry. It was created by Robert Erskine.^[28] In 2014, long-term plans for another retail park and Morrisons supermarket were cancelled.^[30]

The landmark HSBC bank on the high street was bought over by digital marketing agency Netinspire and insolvency practitioner Dunion & Co. The 1920s period property was fully refurbished, while retaining the building's original exterior, to house Netinspire and Dunion & Co's modern offices.^[31][32] In 2020, the building was purchased by Gateway Psychology, a private psychological service for children, young people and families. Gateway Psychology are based on The Boulevard pedestrian walkway, adjacent to the old bank. The psychology service has undertaken an extensive renovation project, reusing and renovating as many original features as possible (like the original parquet blocks discovered under the carpeting). The old bank is currently used as office and therapy space for staff and clients, with a doorway to connect the bank to the therapeutic facility next door.

• William Adams (1746–1805) was a maker of fine jasperware.
• Hugh Bourne (1772–1852) was the joint founder of Primitive Methodism.
• Jabez Vodrey (1795–1861) first English potter west of the Appalachian Mountains.
• Enoch Wedgwood (1813–1879) English potter, founder in 1860 of the pottery firm Wedgwood & Co.
• Charles Shaw (1832–1906) potter whose autobiography provided insight into the Victorian Potteries and Tunstall.
• Jimmy Yates (1869–1922) English professional footballer, 163 appearances
• John "Jack" Farrell (1873–1947) professional footballer, 162 appearances
• William Harold Coltman (1891–1974), Träger des Victoria-Kreuzes , hochdekorierter britischer Soldat
• In der Stadt wurde Clarice Cliff (1899–1972), eine berühmte Keramikkünstlerin, geboren.
• Susie Cooper (1902–1995), Keramikkünstlerin und Designerin. ^{[ 33 ]}
• Henry „Harry“ O'Grady (1907–1990), englischer Fußballprofi, 99 Einsätze
• Muriel Pemberton (1909–1993), Modedesignerin, Malerin und Akademikerin, geboren in Tunstall ^{[ 34 ]}
• Wilfred Lewis Warren (1929–1994), Historiker des mittelalterlichen Englands.
• Leslie Hulme, bekannt als Ken Barrie (1933–2016), war die Stimme von Postbote Pat
• Selwyn Davies Whalley (1934–2008), ehemaliger englischer Fußballspieler, 178 Einsätze für Port Vale FC
• Robbie Williams (geb. 1974) ist ein berühmter Popstar, wuchs in Tunstall auf und besuchte die Schule im nahegelegenen Chell . ^{[ 35 ]}
• Martin Paterson (geb. 1987), ein professioneller Fußballspieler in den USA, wurde in der Stadt geboren.

• Tunstall – one of the Six Towns
• Breaking News for Tunstall from The Sentinel
• My Tunstall – Local community site for people living in Tunstall