THIRD INTERNATIONAL BELLEEK
CONVENTION
11 – 14th September,
1997
(followed by seven days
trip to Ireland)
Hosted by the UK Belleek
Collectors Group
Convention Venue...
Moat House Hotel
adjoining Etruria Hall,
former home of Josiah
Wedgwood.
Stoke on Trent
September 1997
Welcome to our 10th anniversary
year web page devoted to the Third Convention held at Stoke on Trent, England.
Work began early in 1993
and the venue was finally decided in 1994 following canvassing of overseas
Collectors : 212 questionnaire responses were received with a majority
expressing a preference for Stoke-on-Trent.
A UK Group stering
committee was formed and consisted of Marion Langham, Christine McCormack,
Eddie Renshaw and Jan Golaszewski.
Our committee then spent the next three years planning,writing, phoning, cajoling and fine tuning details to create a wonderful programme of events, entertainment and in true UK Group tradition, fine food at our three banquet dinners.
The convention opended on Thursday 11 September 1997 at 5.45 pm
The opening ceremony was officiated jointly by Angela Moore, President of the Belleek International Collectors Society and the Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent, Doug Brown...reproduced below is part of the Lord Mayor's welcome speech to delegates
'As Lord Mayor it gives me great pleasure to welcome you all to Stoke on Trent.
We are very proud and honoured to have the 1997 International Belleek Convention taking place here in the City. I am sure that during your stay you will experience the warmth and friendship that generates throughout the Potteries.
You have taken a major step this year by taking your Convention out of the USA for the first time. We hope that this trend will continue and through contacts made this year future friendship links and partnerships can be followed through'.
Councillor Doug Brown
Lord Mayor of the City
of Stoke on Trent.
The UK Group was very pleased to welcome every living past Honoree to this Convention.
Here are some of the programme highlights of the Convention.....
Thursday...registration
of delegates
John Caldwell Bloomfield,
David McBirney, Mr and Mrs Armstrong
who were portrayed by
members of the UK Group
greeted arriving delegates
in Hotel Reception
Official opening of Shopping
Mall and Exhibition 'Belleek in all its' Glory'
Friday 12 September 2007
Various talks in the Convention
Hall
Announcement of the 1997
Honoree, Katherine Gaertner
Talk on the Internet
and its' increasing importance by Bob Douglas
Delegates 'Bring and
Tell' Slide Show
Dinner with guest speaker
who was....
Eric Knowles from the
UK BBC Antiques Roadshow programme
Saturday 13 September 1997
Convention Group Photo
Tours to Gladstone Pottery
Museum,Wedgwood and Spode
Evening Dinner with Live
Show presented by the Solent Set Dancers from Portsmouth
Sunday 14 September 1997
Inter denominational Morning
Service
Delegates Slides
Talk on Earthenware by
UK member Neville Maguire
Talk on Tea Ware by UK
member Tony Fox
Victorian Tea Party play
Closing Address
Breaking of the UK 1997
Convention Plate mould
Fancy Dress Gala Dinner
Pictured here are scanned photographs from our convention archives
The fancy dress theme was 'Belleek
in all its' Glory'
There were some really ingenious and colourful
outfits
including Del Domke's Belleek Box and
Bev Marvells Neptune Cabaret Hat set.
'Belleek
Exhibition of over 2,000 antique wares
all from English
and Irish private collections
‘Belleek in all
its glory’.
During the convention,
the UK Group presented a magnificent display of Belleek
A display like this has
never been recreated since.
At the centre of the Exhibition was the Tea
Garden – a grotto filled with flowers and a wide selection of
Belleek Cabaret Tea sets with a back-drop of a large hand
painted cloth screen depicting the Belleek Pottery
.................................................................................................
Featured below are some of the actual exhibits from the exhibition
Rare Hand Painted Pheasant and Mallard
Ring Handle Set
Also featured in 'Belleek' by Marion,
Lady Langham 1993
'Mallard in flight'
Pheasants in detail on Ring Handle Pheasant Cup
Rare Victoria Milk Jug one of a very small representation of this elusive and rare pattern
Rare Victoria Sugar
All pieces entered into the exhibition
were given a unique 'Exhibitors Number'
This Victoria Sugar was loaned by exhibitor
'19'
Rare Butterscotch and gilt finish to Cone Cup and Saucer
Jan Golaszewski, our Chairman at that time and Convention Committee member reminisces..........
'I can recall as if it was yesterday, the preparations for the Exhibition Room. There were a total of 50 lit display cabinets (each 1m x 0.5m) assembled in the Earl Granville Room. Those Large glass cabinets had to be brought up from the ground floor and manouvered into place. Also, we borrowed large Antique furniture and cabinets to create a natural environment to show off the many Earthenware pieces that were brought along for display. Moving our exhibition display cabinets and furniture into position was a large and demanding task. Soon, members started arriving by car and rail from across the UK with their boxes of rare and fascinating Belleek to unpack and create the biggest ever display of Belleek. Helping with the unpacking and co-ordinating the whole exhibition were UK members Ray Parsons, Brian Scott and Marion Langham'.
'I can still feel that
energy and feeling of comradeship, anticipation and excitement as the cabinets
began to fill with their display items. Before the exhibition opened,
we all gathered to present Marion with some gifts and a toast to the success
of the Exhibition and Convention. A real 'family' gathering'.
......................................................................................
Here are a few images below lifted from the actual Belleek Exhibition Video produced as a souvenir of this event. There were cabinets filled with every conceivable Belleek design including Figurines, TeaWares, Armorials, Vases, Baskets and the 'Belleek Dejeuner Set Garden'.
Apologies for the poor quality of these pre-digital images.
During the convention, which was open to the general public, pieces of Belleek were brought in for valuation. These Belleek Terracotta Marble effect vases below created quite a stir when produced for appraisal.
Both were first period with impressed mark
Belleek Convention 1997
Some fascinating facts
o Displays of UK Members’
non-Belleek collections and interests.
o Belleek making demonstrations.
o Silent Auction consisting
of 200 pieces for sale of which 70% were successfully sold.
o Dealers’ Room with
Antique Belleek for sale.
o Souvenir Photography
in Period Dress.
o UK Members’ Board.
o UK Group’s History
Board.
o Wants & Swaps Board.
o Shopping Mall : including
Walkers Toffees, Sothebys Auction House, Aynsley wares, Belleek wares,
a book dealer, Mailpack Shippers, UK memorabilia sales.
o Birds Nest sculpture
display.
o Victorian Tea Party
short play.
o Talks given by Edward
Bramah (Tea production), Tony Fox (Belleek tea ware), Neville Maguire (Belleek
earthenware).
o Eric Knowles was the
after dinner speaker on 13th September,
followed by Irish Dancing
by the Solent Set Irish dance troupe.
o Dining room lavishly
decorated with a different theme for each evening setting. Printed menus.
o Gala Dinner held in
the Ball Room – Belleek fancy dress and a live band.
o Publications : Convention
and Exhibition catalogues.
Main sponsors included
the Northern Ireland Tourist Board and Sothebys Auction House (raised £3,550).
Donations from the Seattle
Convention, Northern Ireland Group and Dogwood Chapter (totalled £1,197).
Delegate’s Registration
fee was £145.
Group’s ‘Convention dress-rehearsal’
took place on 17th August, 1997.
258 paid up Convention
attendees from afar as USA, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, Ireland
and UK.
Total cost of the Convention
was £55,606.
shown above is the pre production Convention
plate design for 1997
The Convention logo depicted the Staffordshire Knot held by putties – one holding in the other hand a bunch of roses (England) and the other also holding shamrocks (Ireland). This symbolised the entwining of the two ceramics manufacturing communities. 700 individually numbered Convention souvenir plates were made by the Pottery with the logo being the main feature.
Following the convention, the UK group received many letters of appreciation.
Here are extracts from some received.
'Well done UK Group - the Convention was an outstanding success!!! We all had a great time and appreciate the massive amount of work that went into the planning. The meals and tours were excellent'.
Helen and Trevor Rankin
and the Northern Ireland
Belleek Collectors Group.
**************************************************************
'You did a fantastic job on the Convention, we enjoyed every minute'.
Bill and Evelyn Twiss
*************************
Three weeks ago today
we left the Moat House and we're still excited about the wonderful time
we had at the Belleek Convention. The decorating for each of the three
dinners was exceptional. How festive each night was.
We do cherish the Lotus
Blossom Vase we were awarded for our 'costumes'.
Most of all, we value
the new friends we made at the Convention, as well as renewing friendships
from previous Belleek fun times'.
Thanks and regards,
Jeanne Chartier
********************
'What a memorable experience it was to have been delegates to the 1997 Convention. We enjoyed every minute spent with old and new friends and surrounded by such a spectacular display of Belleek. Please accept our gratitude and a well deserved thank you'.
Suzanne and Gene Krach
*******************************
'To the UK group, applause, applause for a wonderful convention. You made it so interesting and so memorable. I loved the auction, the Potteries and the after-dinner speaker. Your exhition hall was gorgeous - thank you to all'.
Yours truly
Joan Crowe
**************
'Hi we want to pass on
our appreciation for such a great convention'.
We had such a great time
Max and Jean Norman
***************************
'It was great to meet all at the convention. We did enjoy ourselves very much and met so many nice people. We still talk about it'.
Dave and Phyllis Clark
***************************
'Thank you for all the long hours and hard work you did to make the 1997 Convention such a success. We all enjoyed it so much and think it was outstanding'.
Dorothy and Maurice Wheeler
**************************************
'Our deepest and heartfelt gratitude go out to all of you for the wonderful hospitality...this was our first trip to England and Ireland and will remain special to us'
Mike and Chris Smith
**************************
'Dear Lady Marion I want to congratulate you and the UK members on a wonderful convention. I'll never get over the lovely display of Belleek which was a once in a lifetime experience'
Delight Svacina
********************
'On behalf of the San Diego Chapter I would like to thank you, Marion, Jan and Christine as well as the entire UK team. It was an outstanding programme and the planning, co-ordination and very hard work was appreciated by San Diego members who attended'.
George Unzelman
**********************
And finally....
If you were there...Thank you for attending and making 1997 such a special year for the UK Group
The Uk Group would like to thank every
one involved with the Convention
there are too many names to mention
individually
but we would like to especially acknowledge
here the endless assistance,
good-will and support from the Stoke-on-Trent
City Council.