WHAT REMAINS OF THE POTTERIES TODAY?
You will have seen in other sections of this website that all the pottery sites have been redeveloped and there are now no visible signs
of pottery manufacture, with regards to the actual buildings.
However, there are constant reminders of the potteries with numerous sherds still to be found; in garden soil, in holes dug for services
and on the foreshore.
The foreshore holds the best glimpse into the past …………...
Above, seaweed-covered slag from Bridgeness Pottery’s kilns lies on the shore behind the pottery site
and pottery sherds embedded in the rock hard waste can be seen in the pictures below.
50+ years on, and kiln furniture and fragments of saggars can still be found lying on the foreshore.
The odd item of unglazed biscuit ware occasionally emerges from the muddy bay.
The pottery industry is still remembered by two of Bo’ness’ primary schools.
Kinneil School has named its 4 houses after former local occupations (Colliers, Salters, Mariners & Potters) and display them on its
banner:
Grange School’s motto Labore et Honore means Work and Honour and various industries associated with the town, in which many of its
former pupils undoubtedly worked, are depicted on its current banner:
as well as its previous banner:
The industry is also remembered in Bo'ness Town Hall with a small mural in the upper chamber (three rectangular windows in top right of
building).
The painting is very much a representation of the past industry, and not an actual scene, with throwing, decorating and finished items all
in the one room; a room that conveniently overlooks the kilns. Nevertheless, the industry employed hundreds of local people over its life
span and rightly deserves the recognition given to it by this mural.
