Photographer, artist, writer, historian, explorer, animal lover, and nonconformist
Beneath Victoria Hall lies one of Hanley’s most unusual surviving historic spaces, old holding cells once linked to the civic and judicial life of the Town Hall complex, now cleverly reused as dressing rooms.
facism
The language feels disturbingly familiar: a forgotten people, a broken system, and promises that only a strong leader can put things right. But this is not just a story about today. It is a warning from Stoke-on-Trent’s own past, when division, blame and extremism found a foothold in the Potteries.
leek
The skyline of Leek, Staffordshire, has changed forever following the catastrophic fire and subsequent demolition of its most iconic industrial landmark: The Big Mill. Built in 1857 during the peak of the Victorian industrial boom, this Grade II listed structure stood for nearly 170 years as a testament to Leek’
Researching Hagley Hall does not start in an archive. It starts on the ground. This walk through Rugeley follows the surviving traces of a medieval moated manor, a later demolished hall, and the wider landscape that once supported the estate.
Most people know the rhyme. Bonfires, fireworks, Guy Fawkes masks, and school lessons that start and end in London. But the Gunpowder Plot didn’t finish beneath Westminster. Its final moments happened here, in Staffordshire, at Holbeache House, on the Staffordshire-West Midlands border. And for something so closely tied
John Wedgwood, coal, and a mark left on the land
Today we took the dogs for a peaceful wander around Victoria Park and through the heart of Stafford, stopping to linger at places that so many people walk past every day without really seeing them. It was one of those days when the town feels calm, and you start noticing
We headed down to Queen's Park in Longton for the Winter Gathering 2025 by Urban Wilderness CIC, and it was genuinely lovely to see just how many people turned up for a free, local event that anyone could enjoy. The park was busy without being overwhelming, full of
Newcastle-under-Lyme as you may never have seen it. I came across this wonderful old film, which looks, judging by the cars and shopfronts, to be from the 1960s. If anyone can date it more accurately, please do let me know in the comments. We are so lucky that
Today I had the privilege of attending the launch of Fred Hughes’ new book, Stoke on Trent, The Story of a City 1925 to 2025, held at Stoke Minster as part of the city’s centenary. Fred invited me as his guest, and I recorded his speech so everyone who
The tragic demise of the Hill Works in Burslem is more than a local disaster; it is another profound failure of our current heritage protection system.
Today, we headed out to support one of Stoke-on-Trent’s most treasured traditions: the 47th Star Bikers Charity Toy Run. We began at the Britannia Stadium before heading over to Bentilee to watch the huge procession ride past, and I honestly don’t think I have ever seen
