The Ashtead Potters book was published in 1990. Written and published privately by the late Edward Hallam, it is the only book that has been written specifically about the Ashtead Potters. I asked Joy Hallam how the book came about?
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"As a 70's ceramic collectors speaker I was asked "what do you know of Ashtead Pottery?" Replying "absolutely nothing", I learned it existed from the 1920's to the '30's giving work to '14-'18 war wounded men. Finding a tiny bowl bearing the "Ash tree" mark (a rebus on the name of "Ashtead") for 2d (pre-decimal), I stated "We are going to find out about this!" Three elderly gentlemen having lunch in an Ashtead pub answered our enquiries with ".. you go and see old 'so and so', He'll tell you all about it!" Thus the Pottery's intriguing tales - often most moving - emerged from local memories but, above all, from the late potters themselves and their families, who became our friends. Exchanging Christmas gifts and chats with the potters at their homes in Purcell Close were highlights - plus the pleasure in viewing their various collections! From a modest endeavour of only twelve years, unassuming but having the magic ingredient - "charm", bright and jolly for your breakfast table in the prevailing "Art Deco" style of the period, so the story of the Ashtead Potters came to be written. |
Sadly, due to the high costs of printing much material from the original project never made it into the book. The print run was fairly small and numbered only a couple of thousand copies. Ironically, the book in itself is now as collectable as the pottery!