Editing Stoke-on-Trent (section)

== History ==
=== Toponymy and etymology ===
The name ''Stoke'' is taken from the town of [[Stoke-upon-Trent]], the original [[civil parish|ancient parish]], with other settlements being [[Chapelry|chapelries]].<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2835945.stm Mayor backs Stoke name change] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090111204844/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2835945.stm |date=11 January 2009 }}, BBC News, 10 March 2003</ref> ''Stoke'' derives from the [[Old English]] ''stoc'', a word that at first meant little more than ''place'', but which subsequently gained more specific – but divergent – connotations. These variant meanings included ''dairy farm'', ''secondary or dependent place or farm'', ''summer pasture'', ''crossing place'', ''meeting place'' and ''place of worship''. It is unknown which of these was intended here, and all are plausible. 

The most frequently suggested interpretations derive from a crossing point on the [[Roman roads|Roman road]] that ran from present-day [[Derby]] to [[Chesterton, Staffordshire|Chesterton]] or the early presence of a [[Stoke Minster|church]], said to have been founded in 670 AD. Because ''Stoke'' was such a common name for a settlement, some kind of distinguishing [[affix]] was usually added later, in this case, the name of the [[River Trent|river]].

The motto of Stoke-on-Trent is ''Vis Unita Fortior'' which can be translated as: United Strength is Stronger, or Strength United is the More Powerful, or A United Force is Stronger.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thepotteries.org/sot/index.htm|title=Facts and figures about Stoke-on-Trent|access-date=10 September 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080922015728/http://www.thepotteries.org/sot/index.htm|archive-date=22 September 2008|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Administration ===
{{See also|Federation of Stoke-on-Trent}}
An early proposal for a federation took place in 1888 when an amendment was raised to the [[Local Government Act 1888|Local Government Bill]] which would have made the six towns into districts within a county of "Staffordshire Potteries". On 1 April 1910 the "Six Towns" were brought together. The [[county borough]] of Hanley, the [[municipal borough]]s of Burslem, Longton, and Stoke, together with the [[Urban district (England and Wales)|urban districts]] of Tunstall and Fenton now formed a single county borough of Stoke-on-Trent.<ref>{{cite news |title=A New County Borough |work=The Times |location=UK |date=21 March 1910}}</ref>

In 1919, the borough proposed to expand further and annex the neighbouring borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme and the [[Wolstanton United Urban District]], both to the west of Stoke. This never took place, due to strong objections from Newcastle Corporation.<ref>{{cite news |title="Greater Potteries" Scheme: Extension of Stoke-on-Trent |work=The Times |location=UK |date=25 April 1919}}</ref> A further attempt was made in 1930, with the promotion of the Stoke-on-Trent Extension Bill.<ref>{{cite news |title=Stoke-on-Trent Bill: Extension of the City |work=The Times |location=UK |date=2 May 1930}}</ref> Ultimately, Wolstanton was instead added to Newcastle-under-Lyme in 1932. Although attempts to merge Newcastle, Wolstanton and [[Kidsgrove]] (north of Tunstall) were never successful, the borough expanded in 1922, taking in [[Smallthorne Urban District]] and parts of other parishes from [[Stoke upon Trent Rural District]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Beckett |first1=J. V. |title=City status in the British Isles, 1830–2002 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jqqSSOyjBEoC |year=2005 |publisher=Ashgate |isbn=978-0-7546-5067-6 }}</ref>

The borough was granted [[city status in the United Kingdom|city status]] in 1925, with a [[lord mayor]] from 1928. When the county borough of Stoke-on-Trent initially applied for city status in 1925, citing its importance as the centre of the pottery industry, it was refused by the [[Home Office]] as it had fewer than 300,000 inhabitants. The decision was overturned, when a direct approach was made to [[George V|King George V]], who agreed that the borough ought to be a city. The public announcement of the elevation to city status was made by the king during a visit to Stoke in June 1925.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Beckett |first1=J. V. |title=City status in the British Isles, 1830–2002 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jqqSSOyjBEoC |year=2005 |publisher=Ashgate |isbn=978-0-7546-5067-6 }}</ref>

The county borough was abolished in 1974. Stoke became a [[non-metropolitan district]] of Staffordshire. Its status as a unitary authority was restored in April 1997. It remains part of the [[Ceremonial counties of England|ceremonial county]] of Staffordshire. For [[Eurostat]] purposes it is a [[International Territorial Level|ITL 3 region]] (code TLG31).

=== Industry ===
==== Pottery ====
[[File:Restored bottle kilns, Stoke-on-Trent - geograph.org.uk - 1578523.jpg|thumb|left|Restored bottle kilns, Stoke-on-Trent]]
[[File:Dudson Ware.jpg|thumb|''Colorado Bouillons Regina'' and teapots, vitrified tableware by Dudson Brothers Ltd.]]
[[File:Porcelain teapot, Walker Art Gallery (1).jpg|thumb|Porcelain teapot by Henry and Richard Daniel, 1830]]
Since the 17th century, the area has been almost exclusively known for its industrial-scale pottery manufacturing.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thepotteries.org/sot/five.htm|title=all about Stoke-on-Trent in 5 minutes...|access-date=10 September 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080915190319/http://www.thepotteries.org/sot/five.htm|archive-date=15 September 2008|url-status=live}}</ref> Companies such as [[Royal Doulton]], [[Dudson]], [[Spode]] (founded by [[Josiah Spode]]), [[Wedgwood]] (founded by [[Josiah Wedgwood]]), [[Mintons|Minton]] (founded by [[Thomas Minton]]) and Baker & Co. (founded by William Baker) were established and based there. The local abundance of coal and clay suitable for earthenware production led to the early (initially limited) development of the local pottery industry. The construction of the [[Trent and Mersey Canal]] (completed in 1777) enabled the import of [[Kaolinite|china clay]] from [[Cornwall]] together with other materials and facilitated the production of [[creamware]] and [[bone china]].

Other production centres in Britain, Europe and worldwide had a considerable lead in the production of high-quality wares. Methodical and highly detailed research and experimentation, carried out over many years, nurtured the development of artistic talent throughout the local community and raised the profile of [[Staffordshire Potteries]]. This was spearheaded by one man, [[Josiah Wedgwood]], who cut the first sod for the canal in 1766 and erected his [[Etruria Works]] that year. 

Wedgwood built upon the successes of earlier local potters such as his mentor [[Thomas Whieldon]] and along with scientists and engineers, raised the pottery business to a new level. [[Josiah Spode]] introduced [[bone china]] at Trent in 1796, and [[Thomas Minton]] opened his manufactory. With the industry came a large number of notable 20th-century ceramic artists including [[Clarice Cliff]], [[Susie Cooper]], [[Charlotte Rhead]], [[Frederick Hurten Rhead]] and [[Jabez Vodrey]].

==== Coal mining ====
[[File:Film Photo Whitfield Colliery.jpg|thumb|Chatterley Whitfield Colliery]]
North Staffordshire was a centre for coal mining. The first reports of coal mining in the area come from the 13th century.<ref name=staffspasttrack/> The Potteries Coalfield (part of the North Staffordshire Coalfield) covers {{convert|100|sqmi|km2|-2}}.<ref name=staffspasttrack>{{cite web |url=http://www.staffspasttrack.org.uk/exhibit/coal/historical%20overview/historicaloverview.htm |title=Coal Mining in North Staffordshire |publisher=Staffordshire County Council, Keele University, Staffordshire Learning Net |work=Staffordshire Past Track |access-date=20 May 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070531060704/http://www.staffspasttrack.org.uk/exhibit/coal/historical%20overview/historicaloverview.htm |archive-date=31 May 2007 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Striking coal miners in the [[Hanley, Staffordshire|Hanley]] and [[Longton, Staffordshire|Longton]] area ignited the nationwide [[1842 general strike]] and its associated [[1842 Pottery Riots|Pottery Riots]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Fyson |first=R |editor1-first=Epstein |editor1-last=J |editor2-last=Thompson |editor2-first=D |title=The Chartist Experience: Studies in Working-Class Radicalism and Culture, 1830–1860 |publisher=Macmillan |location=London |year=1982 |chapter=The Crisis of 1842: Chartism, the Colliers' Strike and the Outbreak in the Potteries |pages=[https://archive.org/details/chartistexperien0000unse/page/194 194–195, 214–216] |isbn=978-0-333-32972-6 |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/chartistexperien0000unse/page/194 }}</ref>

When coal mining was [[National Coal Board|nationalised]] in 1947, about 20,000 men worked in the industry in Stoke-on-Trent. Notable collieries included Hanley Deep Pit, Trentham Superpit (formerly Hem Heath, Stafford and Florence Collieries), Fenton Glebe, [[Silverdale, Staffordshire#Silverdale Colliery|Silverdale]], Victoria, Mossfield, Parkhall, Norton, [[Chatterley Whitfield]] and [[Wolstanton]].<ref name=staffspasttrack/> The industry developed greatly, and new investments in mining projects were planned within the City boundaries as recently as the 1990s.<ref>[http://www.stokecoll.ac.uk/NSCFWEB/Sentinel/1991.htm stokecoll.ac.uk] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081229144432/http://www.stokecoll.ac.uk/NSCFWeb/Sentinel/1991.htm |date=29 December 2008 }} Evening Sentinel (28 March 1991) Page 22 Co.</ref> However, 1994 saw the last pit to close as the Trentham Superpit was shut.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.urbed.com/cgi-bin/main.cgi?org_code=fffgggretyuiopef57&option=article&doc_id=44 |title=Trentham Lakes – Successful URBED strategy |access-date=20 May 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928060150/http://www.urbed.com/cgi-bin/main.cgi?org_code=fffgggretyuiopef57&option=article&doc_id=44 |archive-date=28 September 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The Stoke mining industry set several national and international records. [[Wolstanton]] Colliery, when modernised, had the deepest mining shafts in Europe at 3,197&nbsp;ft.<ref>{{ISBN|978-0-19-955129-3}} The Riches Beneath our Feet: How Mining Shaped Britain by Geoff Coyle (2010)</ref> In 1933, Chatterley Whitfield Colliery became the first Colliery in the country to mine one million tons of coal. In the 1980s Florence Colliery in [[Longton, Staffordshire|Longton]] repeatedly set regional and national production records; in 1992 the combined Trentham Superpit (Hem Heath and Florence) was the first mine in Europe to produce 2.5&nbsp;million saleable tonnes of coal.

Today the mines are all closed, though the scars of mining remain on the landscape. Slag heaps are still visible on the skyline, now covered with flora and fauna. The [[Chatterley Whitfield]] site reopened as a museum two years after its closure in 1976. The museum closed in 1991 and the site became a [[Local Nature Reserve]]. It was declared a [[scheduled monument]] by [[English Heritage]] in 1993.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.lnr.naturalengland.org.uk/Special/lnr/lnr_details.asp?C=0&N=&ID=508 |title=Local Nature Reserves – Whitfield Valley<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=20 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131020222247/http://www.lnr.naturalengland.org.uk/Special/lnr/lnr_details.asp?C=0&N=&ID=508 |archive-date=20 October 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.chatwhitfriends.org.uk/ |title=The Friends of Chatterley Whitfield<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=20 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120216080920/http://www.chatwhitfriends.org.uk/ |archive-date=16 February 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> The abandoned subterranean mines are inaccessible, though they still add complications to many building projects and occasionally cause minor tremors, detectable only by specialised equipment.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/staffordshire/8486316.stm|title=Mine works cause tremors in Stoke-on-Trent |date=28 January 2010|work=BBC News |access-date=29 January 2010}}</ref>

==== Steel ====
The iron and steel industries occupied important roles in the development of the city, both before and after the federation. Especially notable were those mills located in the valley at Goldendale and [[Shelton, Staffordshire|Shelton]] below the hill towns of [[Tunstall, Staffordshire|Tunstall]], Burslem and Hanley. [[Shelton Bar|Shelton Steelworks]]' production of steel ended in 1978—instead of producing crude steel, they concentrated on rolling steel billet which was transported from [[Scunthorpe]] by rail. The rolling plant finally closed in 2002.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.search.exploringthepotteries.org.uk/engine/resource/default.asp?theme=451&originator=%2Fengine%2Ftheme%2Fdefault%2Easp&page=&records=&direction=&pointer=2191&text=1&resource=553 |title=Blast furnace demolition at Shelton Bar Steel Works |access-date=20 May 2007 |publisher=Stoke-on-Trent museum |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928043758/http://www.search.exploringthepotteries.org.uk/engine/resource/default.asp?theme=451&originator=%2Fengine%2Ftheme%2Fdefault.asp&page=&records=&direction=&pointer=2191&text=1&resource=553 |archive-date=28 September 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref> From 1864 to 1927 Stoke housed the [[Stoke railway works|repair shops]] of the [[North Staffordshire Railway]]<ref>{{cite book |last1=Larkin |first1=Edgar J |last2=Larkin |first2=John G |year=1988 |title=The Railway Workshops of Great Britain 1823–1986 |publisher=Macmillan Press |isbn=978-0-333-39431-1}}</ref> and was the home of independent railway locomotive manufacturers [[Kerr, Stuart and Company]] from 1881 to 1930.<ref>{{cite journal |title=The Kerr Stuart Wren Class |last=Horsman |first=Geoffrey |journal=The Industrial Railway Record |issue=5 & 6 |pages=85–99 |date=December 1964 |url=http://www.irsociety.co.uk/Archives/5+6/KS_Wren.htm |access-date=20 May 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070629072457/http://www.irsociety.co.uk/Archives/5+6/KS_Wren.htm |archive-date=29 June 2007 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Shelton Steel Works and the mining operations were heavily involved in the [[World War II]] industrial effort. Central to the [[Royal Air Force|RAF]]'s success was the [[Supermarine Spitfire]] designed by [[R. J. Mitchell|Reginald Mitchell]] who, whilst born at 115 Congleton Road in the nearby village of [[Butt Lane]], had his [[apprenticeship]] at Kerr, Stuart and Company's railway works.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/stoke/local_heroes/g_m/mitchell.shtml |title=Hugh Bourne, the religious reformer who also promoted social change |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |work=BBC Stoke & Staffordshire |year=2002 |access-date=20 May 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070821005731/http://www.bbc.co.uk/stoke/local_heroes/g_m/mitchell.shtml |archive-date=21 August 2007 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==== Other ====
The [[Michelin]] tyre company has a presence in Stoke-on-Trent, and in the 1920s built their first UK plant in the city. In the 1980s nearly 9,000 workers were employed at the plant. In 2006 about 1,200 worked there.<ref>{{cite web|title=EMCC: Managing large-scale restructuring: Michelin Stoke-on-Trent|url=http://www.emcc.eurofound.europa.eu/publications/2006/ef0548enC8.pdf|website=eurofound.europa.eu/|access-date=8 August 2014|year=2006}}{{Dead link|date=November 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> [[RAF Meir]] was located on the outskirts of the city.