The Linthorpe Pottery was established in 1879 and sat within a square formed by Burlam Road, Roman Road, Oxford Road and Thornfield Road, in Linthorpe.  At a time when many were out of work, it was a strong source of employment in the area, and took on both men and women, who worked in separate rooms.

The pottery produced thousands of items, from mantelpiece clocks to vases, often in a beautiful brightly coloured style.  It was the first pottery in the country to use gas-fired kilns which gave a freedom to experiment with glazes, meaning the colours of the pottery produced were unique to Linthorpe.

In 1884/5 Linthorpe Art Pottery won medals at two international exhibitions, as well as a gold medal and Diploma of Merit at an exhibition at Alexandra Palace, London, where Princess Alexandra purchased a turquoise Linthorpe Pottery vase, which vastly increased the popularity of the wares.

Despite this popularity, the Linthorpe Pottery only operated for approximately ten years.  Today the pieces are highly collectible, and Dorman Museum is proud to have amassed an impressive collection.

The gallery contains around 1,060 items, representing around 465 of the 2,350 different designs thought to have been produced during the pottery’s ten year history.