Belleek Meetings in the UK

Belleek International Collectors Society
United Kingdom Group

Meetings 2009 Christmas Party hosted by Eddie and Linda Murphy

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We all enjoyed visiting Bowman's antiques fair where we held our Christmas Party this year. Everyone brought some food and drink for an afternoon party in one of the showground's private rooms. After the fair, we went straight on to the Izaak Walton pub where we had drinks and an evening meal… we then drew the 2009 Raffle for pieces of Black Mark Belleek. Georgina Reece won first prize which is a pair of thorn candlesticks in blue and gilt, Simon Whitlock won second prize, a Low Celtic Bread plate and Elaine Ewings won third prize which was an Earthenware platter… Elaine also won fourth prize which was a plate donated by Olga Clarke with a picture of the pottery on the front. Please click on newsletter cover lower left for more news from our Christmas Party

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Bristol Meeting October 2009 hosted by Robin and Maureen Wooton

This was our first gathering in Bristol. A superb venue as it was so easy for members to travel to the 'capital' of the West of England.We all enjoyed coffee at Maureen and Robin's before exploring Bristol. Above right, at the SS Great Britain and top left Robin with Joanna and Chris. On Saturday The venue for the Saturday evening meal was the very smart and modern restaurant attached to our first rate hotel in the middle of the historic quayside area – this selection by Maureen and Robin was another very good choice.We assembled eagerly for the meeting on Sunday Morning. This was held at yet another smart hotel, this time on the outskirts of the city close to the M5. We settled down in anticipation for the first talk from BBC TV antique expert Kate Bliss… apart from Eddie and Chris that is, who had the task of getting Kate’s recalcitrant laptop computer to work… no pressure… it was touch and go for a while as they struggled to get the thing working! Above..show and tell, Joanna shares her good find from a charity auction

Kate (left) gave us a talk explaining how she got into the antiques business and how, being a female, she had the advantage when it came to the BBC choosing which auctioneer to feature at the auction rooms she worked at and how this kicked off her TV career. Here she is showing us the cover of a large oval basket which belonged to one of her friends who had asked her for a valuation. What better place to check than with a whole group of collectors under on roof! Image right, shows Eddie Murphy thanking take for her interesting talk and presenting her with one of our 1997 UK Convention Plates. For full details from our Autumn Meeting, please click on the Newsletter cover lower left.

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September 2009 Knockninny and Belleek Pottery hosted by Paddy and Tracey McKee

On Eileen and Bernard Burgham's visit to Northern Ireland for the combined meeting of the UK and Northern Ireland Groups, they spent a few days in County Down, staying in Newcastle where the ‘Mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea’. While in the area they went to Delamont Country Park on the edge of Strangford Lough and to theirr surprise the Vikings had landed. (Or could it have been Belleek collectors?!!) Moored in the Lough were two Viking long boats. They later found out it was not an invasion but a Viking festival held annually at the end of September. With Viking boat races and battle scenes to commemorate the invasion and eventual defeat of Magnus barelegs in 1103. Above, here is Knockninny Hotel bathing in strong sunlight. Venue for Saturday's events. Below right, Viking Longboats and Left, here we are admiring Olga's framed Knockninny Plate. A full article on the plates produced by Belleek for Knockninny can be found in our Newletter


Above, commemorative cake left and Knockninny plate, first black period right.... Below, members discussion taking place in the hotel



Saturday morning had started with the Fermanagh landscape shrouded in gentle mist but as the day progressed, brilliant sun took over. We had a most enjoyable and good natured get-together at the historic hotel. First image shows the Hotel, photographed from the quayside. Paddy, who had done so much work to arrange the meeting along with Tracy, was suffering that morning with a chest infection so he ended up missing most of the meeting – fortunately he had recovered sufficiently to take part in the events at the Pottery (above left) and the Carlton Hotel in Belleek the next day. Below, here we are gathered for a group photo at the hotel. More information on our first joint meeting can be found in our Newsletter below left

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Summer AGM Coventry 2009 hosted by Paul,Pat and Patrick Tubb

As is now becoming almost a custom, this year’s AGM and Summer Meeting was held in the environs of Coventry. On the Saturday morning and afternoon we visited the Tubb household for refreshment and reaquaintance with their interesting and varied Belleek collection… and in the evening we dined at the Greyhound Inn at Hawkesbury Junction, where the
Oxford Canal meets the Coventry Canal. Here are Pat, Maureen and Robin enjoying the warm summer evening by the lock before dinner.

Our Summer Meeting (Sunday) began with the Silent Auction. There then followed a talk by Chris Marvell on “The Birth of Belleek”– this was the talk which Chris had previously given at the New Jersey Convention – it covered the history of the early years of the Pottery…here is Chris below with slide discussing links between Royal Worcester and Belleek

A cake to celebrate 0ur 20th anniversary was brought to our meeting… Jan, as the Group’s founding Chairman, cut the cake… and finally five of the Group’s founder members David, Bev, Jan, Julia and Chris

Famous five go Belleeking

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Traditional Group Photo on the lawns at the Weston Hall Hotel…

Spring 2009 Meeting Canterbury Kent hosted by Joanna Urbanek

We all gathered in and around Canterbury for our Spring meeting. Joanna had really put together an action packed weekend of events for us. Some of us met up for lunch with other Belleekers at the Chaucer Hotel. This was the prelude to an afternoon exploring the famous and beautiful city of Canterbury, so after considerable conversation and a very nice relaxing lunch, a number of us walked into the centre of Canterbury to soak up the historic atmosphere


For a change, the group held the actual ‘business’ of the meeting on the Saturday evening. Above left, Dinner and right, Julia with Linda and Georgina right


During our meeting we held our usual 'bring and tell' with a theme of 'Faith,Hope and Charity'. There were many items brought and the winner was Jan Golaszewski with his earthenware plaque. He told us that he had Faith – a ‘Praise Ye the Lord’ Belleek first period plate. Hope – that this is the one from the Horace Manning Mann auction… …and Charity – Marion Langham took pity on him and sold it to him at an exceedingly good price!!… Following more business items, Eddie and Brian brought the meeting to a close.

After the meeting, Myra, Bob, Diana, Bev and Chris returned to their accommodation, which was the lovely Crown Inn shown above which, was apparently (according to the Landlord) a favourite haunt of Charles Dickens. The next day dawned with blue skies – a beautiful Spring day, so some of us took a quick trip to the nearby seaside at Birchington on Sea on our way to Quex Park for our Sunday treat…

So, here we are indoors at the famous Quex Park near Birchington in Kent. “Quex Park is a unique country Park of 250 acres on the Isle of Thanet set within an estate of 1800 acres around Birchington, Acol and Richborough. The Park is an oasis of parkland and trees in a Thanet landscape of open topography and urban development. The guides were most entertaining and informative and obliged us by taking group photos when asked! It was a most enjoyable day and I think it was generally agreed that the change to our normal meeting format had been a success. More news and details from this meeting can be found in our Newsletter. Please click on cover, lower left

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The UK Collectors Group is an officially recognised chapter of the Belleek Collectors' Intnl Society. Est 1989.
We are not a part of the Belleek Group of Companies.
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Belleek International Collectors Society United Kingdom Group

Belleek International Collectors Society
United Kingdom Group