About T.G. Green & Co Ltd
T.G.Green & Co Ltd originally operated from the village of Church Gresley, South Derbyshire between 1864 and 2007.
More famous for their blue and white striped 'Cornish Kitchen Ware' produced from the early 1920's (then known as 'E-Blue') the pottery produced many hundreds of patterns from Yellow wares, Victorian transfer prints, colourful hand painted Art Nouveau & vibrant enamelled Art Deco patterns, Wartime utility pottery, avant-garde Retro designs and many well known Brewery wares, employing up to 1,000 local staff at the height of production.
Now, sadly, the old pottery site lies in ruins, the land under private ownership, never likely to ever see production again, the last of the South Derbyshire potteries has gone, although as it nears its 100th anniversary the traditional Cornishware is still manufactured and sold through a new T.G.Green & Co Ltd.
About the Archivist
Dr Iain M Hambling is the Archivist & Historian for T.G.Green & Co Ltd and established the official Facebook Museum Archive page that now has well over 2,000 followers.
Originally a collector in 1991, acknowledged in both of BBC Antiques Roadshow expert Paul Atterbury's 'Cornishware' books of 1996 & 2001, Iain spent 2015 exhibiting and lecturing at nearby Sharpe's Pottery Museum in Swadlincote.
Thanks to a small Heritage Funding Grant in 2016, Iain now runs the company's archive office from the original 19th century village pharmacy where there is a fascinating museum display based on the principles of the Geffrye Museum in London, within the natural setting in Church Gresley itself, currently open to the public most afternoons or by invitation or appointment.
About the Archives
Digital: There are several links at the bottom of this page which include the daily updated virtual Catalogue of patterns hosted on Pinterest, the Archive Facebook page which is updated weekly with news and information about staff, pottery and the ongoing discoveries and the vibrant Instagram page with over 1100 followers.
Physical: By 2025 it is envisaged that there will be a fully supported visitors centre, shop and café on the old Church Gresley factory site, in the meantime Iain continually builds the existing archive and is attempting to preserve the Grade II* listed kilns which still remain on the Church Gresley site but are now on the English Heritage 'at risk' register whilst building and recording the oral history of the pottery's life through the last of the workers who live in the village.
Bringing the History to You
Iain offers tailor-made lectures and talks to groups and organisations throughout the UK, from a 45 minute introduction to the real History of Cornish Kitchen Ware to a relaxed 90 minutes charting the Complete Story of T.G.Green & Co Ltd.
Service recognised insurance valuations are available on request.
Contact Iain via telephone, email, or by post to:
T G Green & Co Archives
Church Gresley
Derbyshire
DE11 8FB
Event Dates:
2023:
Feb 17th: New Talk to Branston Golf Club Luncheon Club (Staffs)
March 8th: Rearranged Talk to Coalville Heritage Group (Leics)
April 13th: New Talk to Rough Hayes Community Club (Staffs)
July 6th: New Talk to Burton Friendship Club (Staffs)
July 12th: Cornishware Centenary Event - 100 Years of Cornish Kitchen Ware. Event hosted by SwadStyle magazine (Derbys)
August 7th: New Talk to Swadlincote TWG (Derbys)
Sept 12th: *HODs* Event to be announced by Visit South Derbyshire (Derbys)
Sept 14th: New Talk to Burton Breast Cancer Support (Staffs)
Archived Diary
2022:
Feb 18th: Rearranged Talk to Whitwick U3A (Leics)
March 1st: Return Talk to Blackfordby WI (Leics)
May 31st: Rearranged Talk to Ticknall History Soc (Derbys)
August 25th: Return Talk to Ashby U3A History Group (Leics)
Sept 12th: New Talk to Brizlincote WI (Staffs)
2021 (subject to COVID-19 regulations):
Cancelled: Talk to Whitwick U3A (Leics)
September 21st: Talk to Hanbury & Draycott WI (Staffs)
2020:
February 3rd: Talk to Rolleston on Dove WI (Staffs)
February 11th: Talk to Newton Solney WI (Derbys)
February 17th: Talk to Ravenstone & Snibston WI (Leics)
March 2nd: Talk to Swannington WI (Leics)
March 4th: Talk to Tutbury Civic Society (Staffs)
Cancelled: Talk to Ticknall Historical Society (Derbys)
Cancelled: Talk to Walton on Trent WI (Derbys)
Cancelled: Talk to Ashby U3A Group (Leics)
Cancelled: Talk to Hanbury & Draycott WI (Staffs)
Cancelled: Talk to Coalville Heritage Society (Leics)
Cancelled: Talk to Walton on Trent WI (Derbys)
2019:
January 9th: Talk to Newhall WI (Derbys)
January 21st: Talk to Bretby WI (Derbys)
February 21st: Talk to Burton Stroke Assoc (Staffs)
March 1st: Talk to Gresley MV Ladies Group (Derbys)
March 19th: Talk to Desford History Group (Leics)
March 28th: Talk to Hartshorne Ladies Club (Derbys)
April 16th: Talk to Hugglescote WI (Leics)
April 27th: Lecture to Northern Ceramic Society (Yorks)
May 11th: Talk to Gladstone Pottery Museum (Stoke)
May 18th & 19th: Moira Canal Festival Exhibition
June 27th: Talk to Ashby NFU Ladies (Leics)
July 17th: Talk to Ravenstone History Group (Leics)
August 21st: Talk to Etwall Coffee Club (Derbys)
November 21st: Talk to Smisby WI (Leics)
2018:
February 1st: Talk to Hilton & Marston History Group
February 6th: Talk to Blackfordby (Leics) WI
February 15th: Talk to Church Gresley After 8 Club
March 6th: Talk to Woodville (Derbys) WI
March 8th: Talk to Hugglescote Heritage Group
April 14th: Public talk at Swadlincote Town Hall*
May 8th: Charnwood Ladies Club (Leics)
May 19th & 20th: Moira Canal Festival Exhibition
May 21st: Talk to Ashby Coffee Pot Club (Leics)
Sept 8th: 'Hello Heritage' Exhibition
(Joint SDDC & NWL event)
- Moira Furnace (Leics)
Sept 15th & 16th Heritage Open Days**
Sept 19th: Talk to Oakland Village Hall (Derbys)***
Oct 11th: Talk to Etwall Ladies Group (Derbys)
* Swadlincote Town Hall, The Delph, Swadlincote DE11 0AH
Tickets via Eventbrite or Sharpe's Pottery Museum (01283 222600) from 26th March 2018
**10am - 4pm: Church Gresley Archives DE11 9NP
***Public Event - Open to all
2017:
February 10th: Talk to Coalville Retirement Forum
February 27th: Talk to Swadlincote 41 Club
March 2nd: Talk to Chaddesden History Society
April 5th: Talk to Osgathorpe (Leics) WI
May 8th: Talk to Ashby History Society
July 27th: Talk to Ashby U3A History Group
Sept 9th & 10th: Heritage Open Days*
Sept 16th: Moira Village Hall Heritage Day Display
October 12th: Talk to Burton upon Trent U3A Group
October 25th: Talk to Coalville Ladies Fellowship
*T.G.Green Archives, Church Street, Church Gresley DE11 9NP - More information at https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk
2016:
March 28th: Sorry. Archive Centre is now fully booked for visitors today.
April 29th: Talk to Derbyshire Archaeological Society
May 14th: Retired Gresley Employees Lunch & Talk
June 3rd: Lecture to University of Derby
*September 11th: Heritage Open Days - sadly due to the landowner unwilling to cooperate in 2016, the Archive Centre is open instead on an informal drop in basis for those visiting Sharpe's Pottery Museum and Bretby Art Pottery between 10am - 4pm. Please telephone for details.
October 11th: Talk to Ashby Civic Guild
October 15th: Talk to Derby International Porcelain Society
December 6th: Talk to the National Forest 'Black to Green' project
* The Kilns Cafe / Archive Centre, Market Street, Church Gresley DE11 9PN
2015:
August 1st - September 30th: Exhibition*
September 5th: The real story of Cornish Ware*
September 10th - 13th: Heritage Open Days**
November 12th: Talk to Rotary Club of Swadlincote
* Sharpe's Pottery Museum, West Street, Swadlincote DE11 9DG
** T.G.Green Pottery Site, John Street, Church Gresley DE11 8EF
