Making London Porcelain—A Multidisciplinary Project Connecting Local Communities with the Technological and Innovation Histories of London’s Early Porcelain Manufacturers

Abstract

This collaborative multidisciplinary pilot project involving the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), the Ashmolean Museum, and Newham Borough of London, examined the composition of a selection of eighteenth-century porcelain objects by two of London’s first porcelain manufacturers, Bow and Chelsea. As the first science-based public engagement project to be piloted by the V&A, it succeeded in bringing together young Londoners and their communities to investigate local histories of scientific and artistic innovation through the analysis and remaking of eighteenth-century porcelain. Scientific object analysis informed activities with local sixth-form students, revealing the intimate link between art and science, and showcasing the V&A Science Lab as a national hub for heritage science. Public outreach activities, including an exhibition at Stratford Library and workshops for Newham Heritage Month also provided hands-on learning, including curatorial and object-handling experience, and the embodied practices of remaking. Ultimately, this project stimulated new ways of engaging with ceramics collections and explored how the creativity and ingenuity of eighteenth-century ceramics pioneers can provide inspiration for the next generation of makers.

Keywords

• English porcelain
• Chelsea
• Bow
• public engagement
• scientific analysis
• ceramic heritage