Derek Emms - Obituary

Roy · 27-11-2004, 17:56

Derek Emms
Potter and lecturer who established good training in functional pottery and later produced fine, widely exhibited ceramics
DEREK EMMS was an excellent potter who produced finely crafted studio ceramics very much in the tradition of Bernard Leach. He also established an influential ceramics course in Staffordshire.

He was born in 1929, in Accrington, Lancashire. It was a large family and he was the only one of eight children to receive higher education. Emms attended local primary and grammar schools and then applied for a scholarship to Accrington Art School. The teaching there was fairly basic and primarily concentrated on textile design — this area was near the centre of the cotton industry.

Emms had by now become inspired by Bernard Leach’s A Potter’s Book, yet the Accrington course, while giving him a basis in both craft and brushwork, could offer him little in the way of training in ceramics. He and a fellow student, Frank Hamer, transferred to Burnley School of Art which offered a pottery course leading to a National Diploma in Design. Emms went on to Leeds University where he qualified for teacher training.

In 1954, after completing his National Service in the Royal Air Force, Emms spent a year at the Leach Pottery in St Ives, Cornwall. Bernard Leach was travelling extensively in America and his eldest son, David, was also away a great deal leaving his younger son, Michael, in charge of the pottery for much of the time.

Here, Emms got his real ceramic education. Under Bill Marshall, the foreman, he polished all the skills necessary for making the Leach standard ware. He returned to the Leach Pottery every summer through to 1962 and married a local woman, Celia Tregorran.

Emms took the post of full-time lecturer in pottery at Longton School of Art (later to become 3D design as part of North Staffs Polytechnic). The course he took over was only barely operative and he had to overhaul it — installing a gas-fired kiln and powered wheels. He set up the training very much based on Leach ideas; it wasexpected that students make thrown, reduction-fired, individual functional pots. To set up such a course in the heartland of manufactured industrial ceramics was very bold and radical. Major potters who went through his course included Paul Astbury, David Frith and Geoffrey Swindell. Emms met his second wife, Irene Herbert, who was working there as a secretary. They married in 1976.

Emms made some pots while at Longton, but his full-time teaching commitments meant that he was not prolific. Most of his early pots are thrown and reduction fired and many were decorated with lively but, occasionally over-elaborate brushwork. After retiring from his teaching post in 1985, Emms moved to nearby Stone where he established a pottery and began making ceramics full time. Much of the new work was porcelain, though he also continued to use a light-coloured stoneware. The pots, all functional forms, were beautifully made and followed the characteristic Leach model of studio pottery based on Chinese Sung pottery. Emms was particularly good at giving life to very restrained pots. He is best known for his incised designs under a celadon glaze but, was also fond of tenmoku, chun and copper red glazes.

Derek Emms was a member of the Craftsmen Potters Association, the Red Rose Guild and of North Staffordshire’s Guild of Craftsmen. He was widely exhibited and greatly respected — especially by other functional potters. He was a quiet man with no great ambition to promote his own work. While there was almost no innovation in his pots and little to impress art critics, he was a fine craftsman who in almost any other Western country might well have been one of the leading domestic potters. In England, where there are dozens of exceptional post-Leach potters, he did not get the attention his pots merited.

Derek Emms, potter, was born on October 30, 1929. He died on October 17, 2004, aged 74.

Source: The Times Online - http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...376394,00.html

mez · 28-11-2004, 00:33

another accringtonion with the skill to please, gone un noticed , thanks roy

WillowTheWhisp · 28-11-2004, 08:40

I'm rather impressed by the fact that he taught David Frith (Brookhouse Pottery) whose creations alway seems to find favour with TV bargain hunters etc. (useful and decorative at the same time)

Thank you for bringing this to our attention Roy. As Mez says, yet another unsung hero.

garinda · 19-01-2010, 00:53

Just browsing came across another obituary, with a few more interesting details of this local born man.

Derek Emms - Obituaries, News - The Independent

Atarah · 19-01-2010, 22:18

I think the Haworth Art Gallery has some of his works.

Pudwoppa · 21-02-2011, 15:22

Derek was my Grandma's brother. I never knew him though.

I've found very little info on him when doing research - just the obituaries. Occasionally one of his pots pop up on eBay, and they're still very much in demand which is nice to see. Would love to hear more about him if anyone has info.

hedman2003 · 27-02-2011, 19:33

Emms was my Grandmothers maiden name (Florence Emms) and I think she was born 1908 ish

Anybody done any family history on the Emms Family?

Bob Dobson · 27-02-2011, 19:59

A few years ago I came across an Observer cutting ( cannot tell you the year) It told of the Emms family, who were in business as ironmongers I think, but might have been something employing more people. They had received a patent for something like a firegrate. It was going to make their fortune and they threw a big party to celebrate.I think the library will have details of the patent, and perhaps have the cutting.

Atarah · 27-02-2011, 21:58

Derek Emms, studio potter, was born at 32 Clarence Road, Fern Gore, Accrington, and he was one of a family of eight. He never had children, but his four brothers all had daughters, and his sisters had sons. He did have a nephew who was a teacher, living in the Lake District. In his early teens, the family went to live at 33 Avenue Parade, Accrington.

He went living in Staffordshire in 1955 taking a lecturing post at the College of Art. He eventually exhibited in London, Manchester, Stoke on Trent etc. Some of his pots were purchased by H.R.H. the Queen Mother in 1959. Should be some of his work in the permanent collection of Stoke on Trent Art Gallery and Museum.

Pudwoppa · 27-02-2011, 23:02

Hi hedman, the name Florence rings a bell. Might have been my grandma's sister (and Derek's too). I'll check this with my mum.

Thanks for that Bob - I'll try and make some time to go and find that.

Thanks Atarah - I have a few bits of info on the family itself passed on. I don't have any info on what he did or achieved in a professional capacity though, apart from very vague descriptions; in fact the info in your post is more than I knew.

I think I'm going to have to interrogate my mum. I'll try and make it coherent and post it here. There maybe a few photos that I can post too. I'll have a look.

Frank Sanderson · 26-03-2011, 12:12

Hello. re Derek Emms. 33 Avenue Parade. Before that on Abbey St in what were the old cottages with gardens to the road. At that time all flagged. A previouse owner of the end house was 'Bunny' a scrap dealer with a club foot. Eldest son George (I think) was a moulder by trade. Eldest daughter Doreen. Their father lost an eye whilst working on munitions during the war. Mother a very friendly soul. Derek and I shared classical music records. Remember Florence but can't bring to mind anymore. Frank

hedman2003 · 26-03-2011, 12:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frank Sanderson

Hello. re Derek Emms. 33 Avenue Parade. Before that on Abbey St in what were the old cottages with gardens to the road. At that time all flagged. A previouse owner of the end house was 'Bunny' a scrap dealer with a club foot. Eldest son George (I think) was a moulder by trade. Eldest daughter Doreen. Their father lost an eye whilst working on munitions during the war. Mother a very friendly soul. Derek and I shared classical music records. Remember Florence but can't bring to mind anymore. Frank

I know Florence (my grandma) was involved in singing in the music halls possibly entertaining the troops I think she was born around 1906 - 1910 and married John Ellwood, they had children John, Victor, George (my dad) and Iris

I know that my dad was born on Abbey Street ( the row that was demolished to create Eastgate)