Jackie Hawes-Wilson, with the acknowledgement to Carol Cashmore and her book: The Potteries of Rye 1793 onwards, remembers the life and work of one of Rye’s important potters.
Dennis was born in 1933 at Winchelsea, one of seven children. He left school at the age of 14 but wasn’t sure what he wanted to do so he went to the local labour exchange in Rye where he was interviewed by Miss Gafford. She asked him what sort of job he would like and Dennis replied: “Something creative.” Miss Gafford asked Wally Cole if he would take on a second apprentice and after undertaking a test for Wally and Jack (before they were willing to employ him) he was accepted at Rye Pottery and the rest is history!
Dennis, with the help of his wife Maureen, started Iden Pottery in 1959, his father-in-law gave him some financial help and Dennis built a shed next to his house in Iden and for three years the pottery operated from the shed. His first kiln was a 13 cubic foot Cromarty (and to the uninitiated amongst us, namely me, it sounds like something from the fishing forecast).
In 1962 as the business established itself Dennis moved the pottery to his father-in-law’s garage as he was unable to get planning permission to extend the shed. In 1966 the pottery moved again to Conduit Hill. In 1972 Dennis took over a big warehouse at the bottom of Mermaid Street which enabled the business to expand but still kept the premises in Conduit Hill because this was a good trading post and had good footfall. Iden Pottery finally closed its doors in 2002 although Dennis continued to make pots under his own name. Two examples are shown below. We sadly say goodbye to a well-respected local Rye potter.
Jim Fuggle on working with Dennis Townsend
Potter Jim Fuggle worked at Iden Pottery from 1970 to 1987.
As a young sixteen-year-old I started making pots on a Saturday morning with Dennis teaching me how to throw on a small kick wheel. This was on the Strand in the warehouse building, the new manufacturing base for Iden Pottery, as the Conduit Hill site was now the showroom.
I was offered an apprenticeship with Dennis starting on my 17th birthday in August 1970. In the first place Dennis was overseeing me but later David Smeed taught me. Dennis worked with us for a couple of years then he went downstairs to concentrate on glazing.
Apart from normal production work we used to make a large amount of studio ware and were given freedom with the shapes we made. Iden was well known for its experimental work. Dennis was a talented thrower and potter, lately more on the decorating and painting side. He went back to more throwing in later years.
I was very lucky to be trained as an apprentice and taught so well, and I am still making pots over 50 years later.
Dennis was a great friend of my Uncle, Graham Fuggle, and he made two beautiful vases for my parents’ wedding and a beer mug for my Grandad, Edgar J Fuggle (Jim) which I treasure.
I visited Dennis latterly and we had a really good chat about the early days.
Thank you, Dennis for my training.
Once you get clay under your fingertips the magic begins.
Image Credits: Jackie Hawes-Wilson , Tony and Sue Bidgood. .