Retired, volunteer at Aberdeen Art Gallery.

Areas of specialist interest:

• British ceramic history, from Victorian period onwards, particularly 20^th century industrial ceramics and changes in design.
• Art schools in relation to ceramics.
• Festival of Britain.
• Art pottery.
• Early British studio pottery.

Profile:

I am a retired professional librarian. In 2000 I successfully completed the MA History of Ceramics course at Staffordshire University. This was followed by working as an assistant in the ceramics department of the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery 2001-2004. From then on I was also a tutor for the Workers Educational Association in Staffordshire and Derbyshire, teaching classes and courses on ceramic design history.

Since moving to Scotland I have been giving talks on ceramics to local organisations such as WI and history groups. I currently volunteer at Aberdeen Art Gallery helping with their ceramics collection. I am a member of the Northern Ceramic Society, giving lectures at their conferences and study weekends and publishing in their journal. I am also a member of the Scottish Pottery Society. In 2003 I published a book – Bullers of Milton – about the Staffordshire electrical porcelain manufacturing company and their small art pottery studio which existed from c.1932-1952.

I have also written chapters for the Antique Collectors Club book Art Deco Ceramics in Britain. As a qualified librarian I am competent to carry out desk research into relevant topics using a range of historical publications and online databases. I have a wide experience of using resources such as the British Library and National Art Library.

Skills:

• Delivering talks and classes on ceramics and design history.
• Carrying out research.
• Writing about ceramics to publication standard.
• Specialist knowledge – 19th and 20th century British industrial ceramics, art pottery, early studio pottery and design history.