Pottery Ladies. Miss Cooper, Miss Cliff, Miss Rhead and all the forgotten girls...... (Clarice Cliff) - ACE155.2

Paintress who had worked for Susie Cooper, talking about the fashion for "brown curtains" and persuading her mother to buy something brighter. Paintress’s VO over example of flower decoration, saying that Susie Cooper made her "appreciate colour". Paintress says that Cooper made a vast difference to the pottery trade, bringing in light and life. Susie Cooper, OBE, demonstrating how to load brush with paint and make particular patterns, adapting earlier techniques to produce new results. Paintress talking about brushes wearing to suit particular patterns, and regretting the need to break in new ones. Cooper painting rose. Paintress demonstrating paint technique and describing the "little black dots" representing pollen grains. Details of pattern showing such features; bowl and mug. Paintress’s VO talking about the kinds of colours Cooper liked. Gordon Elliot – a ceramic historian, explains that different factories were associated with different types of ware, and that innovations were usually made by smaller or less well known manufacturers. Jug with chrysanthemum pattern. Elliot says that Cooper and Clarice Cliff introduced inexpensive pottery. VO over candlestick, pitcher, and teapot. Clarice Cliff’s sister Ethel talking about her two sisters who were gilders, adding only gold lines to patterns, and describes how Clarice, "the arty one", painted their bedroom chest of drawers orange and black. Elliot talking about Cliff. VO over photograph of Cliff as a young woman, saying that she was exceptional, achieving the status of a designer in "a relatively short period". Bowl and jug in "Sunray" pattern; "Luxor" plate. Ethel Cliff remembers wondering how her sister "was able to think of such ideas". Elliot suggests it would have been difficult for anyone "to move through the ranks". VO continues over photograph of factory owner Colley Shorter. Elliot. Gerald Pearson – sales manager, talks about Shorter’s support of Cliff, saying he would spend an hour or two each day going through her designs and ideas. It was through Shorter that Cliff "got on". Pearson’s VO continues over magazine article on Cliff and her "Cheerful China". Elliot over another photograph of Shorter. Elliot says there is no-one like Shorter in the modern pottery industry. VO continues over newspaper articles (front page of the Daily Sketch, etc.). Photographs of Cliff and Shorter, with Pearson’s VO saying that they were very close. Photograph of Shorter. Paintress’s VO saying the same thing. Paintress talking about Shorter bringing them and Cliff flowers. Peggy Davies – pottery sculptor, describes Shorter as "a real eccentric", and relates an anecdote about him, Cliff and other careering around drunkenly in a car. VO continues over photograph of Cliff, whom she describes as "severe" at work. Davies. Pearson talking about Shorter turning up for work in peculiar clothes. Paintress talking about going with Cliff, Nellie Harrison and Florrie Winkle, to demonstrate their craft at the Home Making Exhibition at Waring & Gillow’s department store (August 1928). VO continues over photographs of them during the exhibition, describing how Shorter wrapped the articles she had painted in cotton wool to take home, and wanted to send her to the Royal College of Art to study design. Photograph of College pottery room. She explains that she didn’t go because, she believes, Cliff "didn’t like the idea".