From 1949, until the end of the twentieth century, many considered that Hornsea Pottery had placed this small town firmly on the map.

Historically, Hornsea had long received visitors in relatively small numbers; they came to enjoy the beach and the sea, and when the railway was introduced to the town in 1864 their number increased accordingly.

Residents of Hornsea were then, as they are now, ambivalent regarding the disturbance the day trippers caused as against their benefit to the town’s prosperity. Over the years, as the popularity of the Pottery developed not just locally, but worldwide, there was no turning back.

It is a marvel that a pottery ever started at all in Hornsea considering that there was no locally sourced clay, no local fuel, nor indeed a sufficiently sized workforce to produce the goods.

On top of this, when the railway was eventually closed in 1964, the town had very poor connections with the rest of the country. However, despite all of these shortcomings, Hornsea Pottery achieved a great deal of success. This is the story of its development…