Famous ceramics piece remade for 75th anniversary

A member of a well-known ceramics family in Stoke-on-Trent has brought back one of the city's most beloved creations.

George Wade's relatives founded Wade Ceramics, which ran for more than 200 years until it collapsed in 2022 under the strain of rising energy bills.

In 1951, for the Festival of Britain, the company created Ivy – a large pottery figure that became one of the most recognisable pieces to emerge from the city's ceramics industry.

To mark the creation's 75th anniversary, the newly-formed George Wade & Son Ltd has made 51 eight-inch replicas, which will be sold with all the profits going to charity.

"We always said we'd love to be able to create some more pieces in Stoke-on-Trent," Wade told BBC Radio Stoke.

"We're so proud of our heritage in the city – I was born in Stoke and we're big Stoke City fans. So any excuse to come back to Stoke is great for me.

"It feels very special to be coming back regularly now and seeing Ivy being made."

Wade Ceramics, also known as Wade Pottery, dates back to 1810 and the family ran the business until it was sold in the late 1980s.

Its last factory in Burslem was closed in 2010 and the firm moved production to an art production site in Etruria.

After its collapsed, the company was purchased in 2023 by RKW, which has continued to make Wade products.

Wade said his family initially thought the name was going to disappear and his father Jeremy, who died in 2025, had been "desperate" to rescue it before the firm entered administration.

"We couldn't make it happen then but I'm really pleased to be doing something now," he added.

The original Ivy was more than 1m tall and was created by sculptor Colin Melbourne in collaboration with Wade's grandfather Sir George Wade.

Its design divided opinion at first but it later became recognised a a representation of the spirit of the 1951 Festival of Britain and as a post-war symbol.

Wade said the limited run of the 51 smaller editions was a reference to the 1951 festival, adding that he hoped it could signal the start of him recreating more historical pieces.

"I'm incredibly proud and already it has been an amazing journey," he added. "We've met lots of great people and had so much support.

"It's been an absolute dream for me and I think my father would've been so proud."

Money raised through the sale of the sculptures, which have been made in Stoke-on-Trent, will be donated to The National Brain Appeal.

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