Enamelling and Glazing Works/Adamsez Works

Around 1840 a Mr Gibson started a brick and tile works at Scotswood on the site of a former paper mill, using local clay. In 1880 the works were taken over by the Adams twin brothers, who traded as Adams & Company, making sanitary ware with fireclay from a local clay pit. By 1890 the works had a drift mine in Denton Dene and the Enamel Works had opened. In 1904 Moses J. Adams began making 'Adamesk' art pottery garden ornaments, bird baths, plant pots, vases, cemetery urns and church baptismal fonts and smaller household items, using fireclay and decorated with leadless glazes. The glazes were invented by one of the employees, A.B. Searle, the colours obtained by adding metallic salts. The use of a muffle kiln instead of a quicker tunnel kiln, allowed a longer period of heat, and more subtle colours. The production of Adamesk pottery ceased for the duration of World War One. In 1912 Alan H. Adams joined his father's firm, becoming director in 1921. He designed many of the shapes of the sanitary ware and created Elan pottery, pressed with his private mark ‘AHA’. He also designed ornamental tiles, plaques and busts. In the 1970s the firm was taken over by American, Jim Lee, but it went into liquidation a year later. In 1977 Anderson Ceramics bought some of the equipment and moulds and the use of the name ‘Adamsez’. Adamsez (Anderson Ceramics Limited) now trade at Dukesway, Team Valley and still produce sanitary wares.