Bendigo Pottery: Celebrating 150 Years

Bendigo Pottery: Celebrating 150 Years was a free display on show in the Hall at the National Museum of Australia from 3 June to 22 July 2008.

Just some of the wares produced at Bendigo Pottery between 1872 and 1921. Photo: George Serras.

This display celebrated 150 years of Bendigo Pottery using objects from the Museum's William and Jeanette Derham family collection. William Derham's 15-year association with the pottery inspired a renaissance that saw the pottery regain a reputation for excellence and innovation.

Today, Bendigo Pottery is the oldest, and one of the best-known, potteries and tourist attractions in Australia.

'Here is the stuff to make pots with!'

George Duncan Guthrie abandoned his potter's wheel in Scotland to join the Australian gold rush of the 1850s. 'Here is the stuff to make pots with!' he cried as he stumbled upon a clay deposit perfectly suited to the production of ceramics. Guthrie transformed this lucky find into a business that grew to rival the great Staffordshire potteries of nineteenth century England.

George Duncan Guthrie (1828-1910). Photograph by Bartlett Bros about 1890.

A business is born

Before plastics came to dominate the market, ceramics were used for a much wider range of products. The population explosion created by the Australian gold rush resulted in an increased demand for all kinds of locally manufactured goods. As the market diversified so too did the pottery — from commercial packaging to utility kitchenwares. Domestic items were, however, always a sideline to the main business of serving the building trade.

Expanding enterprise

By 1903 Bendigo Pottery had expanded well beyond its humble beginnings and was filling a large number of orders across Australia. The success of the enterprise had much to do with Guthrie's fastidious management style and his enthusiasm for all aspects of the business.

In cafes and kitchens

Langley ware was the most popular range produced by the pottery. Launched in 1915, and continued well into the 1930s, these brown-coloured items were widely used in homes and cafes throughout Australia. Examples of Langley ware were exhibited at the 1925 British Empire Exhibition in Wembley, London, and received a bronze medal and certificate of merit.

Art Deco arrives

As the economy improved after the Great Depression, Bendigo Pottery returned to the production of fundamentally decorative items with a range of 'art pottery' known as Waverley ware. The line reflected Art Deco fashions and was characterised by brightly coloured glazes. Such items were thrown or created by 'slip casting', a mode of production that suited Art Deco motifs with their emphasis on curves, lines and angles.

Bill Derham standing in front of the Stables Gallery, which was fitted out under his direction during the 1970s.

A dynamic pottery

By 1949 the fortunes of Bendigo Pottery were in decline. The business struggled to survive as cheap ceramics from overseas flooded the market and competition from plastics meant many products were soon obsolete. Bill Derham began his 15-year association with Bendigo Pottery in 1968, and under his leadership the business was soon flourishing again. Derham's ambitious plan for expansion, which included a forceful publicity and marketing campaign, led to renewed interest in the pottery and its products.

The 1970s revival continues today under the direction of Rod and Sally Thomson, and in recent times, Bendigo Pottery has launched an interpretive museum and website. The Pottery has now been operating for 150 years, a milestone that cements its reputation as one of Australia's most distinctive and dynamic potteries.

> Discover more about some of the Bendigo Pottery objects