University of Staffordshire students to create ceremonial mace for Fenton
Students will create a new ceremonial mace for Fenton as part of Stoke-on-Trent’s Centenary celebrations.
The mace will form part of the civic regalia of the city during a packed programme of events to mark its 100th year.
Fenton is the only one of Stoke-on-Trent’s towns that lacks a ceremonial mace as none came into the council when the six towns united as the Stoke-on-Trent Federation in 1910. The Stoke-on-Trent Federation was the forerunner of Stoke-on-Trent being granted city status in 1925.
Students from the University of Staffordshire were given the unique opportunity to design a mace for Fenton as part of the Centenary celebrations.
The students – from the BA (Hons) Product Furniture and Ceramics and MA Ceramics courses – were asked to reinterpret the traditional format of the ceremonial mace to reflect Fenton’s historic ties with the early development of the ceramic industry in the city.
Working in teams, students considered how ceramics could play a part in the fabrication of the mace.
Neil Brownsword, Professor of Ceramics at University of Staffordshire, created the project brief and has been guiding the students throughout the process. He also enlisted an expert panel chaired by Hannah Ault, Managing Director of Valentine Clays, to choose a winning design.
Students recently presented their concepts to the judging panel, which included:
- Professor Martin Jones, Vice Chancellor, University of Staffordshire
- Ben Miller, Senior Curator, Potteries Museum and Art Gallery
- Ian Dudson, Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire
- Lyn Sharpe, Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent
- Gareth Higgins, Director KMF
Keith Brymer Jones, a master potter and star of The Great Pottery Throw Down, provided feedback on the designs.
The judges included Cllr Lyn Sharpe Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent
Hannah Ault said: “The students have done exceptionally well and all of the judges were blown away by each and every group.
“It was really difficult to choose an ultimate winner. One group’s conceptual design was excellent and the engineering expertise of another group really impressed the panel. So the judges have asked these two teams to join forces to create the ultimate Fenton mace.”
Councillor Lyn Sharpe, the Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent and a proud Fentonian said: “I have been moved to tears by the students’ designs – they all took on the task of designing the mace in such a wonderful way. Elements of all the designs relate to Fenton and I’m proud of all the students’ work.”
The two winning teams will now collaborate on constructing the mace for Fenton before it is unveiled at a ceremony on 5 April 2025. The ceremony will start at Fenton Town Hall before proceeding to Stoke Town Hall.
The judges were also impressed by the mace concept of a team of MA Ceramics students which focussed on Stoke-on-Trent’s ceramic industry. This team has been asked to create a Centenary city mace that can be exhibited by Ceramics UK and will be officially used in the civic service on 14 December 2025 to bring the Centenary year to a close as a symbol of unity for the city.
Materials and expertise are being provided for the maces by sponsors including Valentines Clay, KMF, AJ Philpott and CJ Skelhorne Jewellers.
One of the successful students, Hannah Cosnet, said: “We’ve put in a lot of work and are very proud to have been chosen. It is exciting that we’ll be working with the other team to incorporate our designs together. I think it will be really fun!”
Fellow Product Furniture and Ceramics student Paul Chidlow said: “To be chosen to go on to create the Fenton mace is special. As our design depicts, this is about longevity. The mace is going to be around for generations to come and it is great to be a part of.”
