The Centenary Mace – designed by MA Ceramics students – was presented at a city council meeting on Thursday 4 December. It follows in the long tradition of civic maces, which evolved from the battle maces of medieval times.
Earlier this year, Fenton made history with the unveiling of its first-ever ceremonial mace, completing the city’s collection of civic regalia for the first time. Students from the BA (Hons) Product Furniture and Ceramics and MA Ceramics courses were invited to design a mace that honouring Fenton’s historic ties to the early development of the ceramics industry.
After a rigorous judging process, the panel found it impossible to select a single winner. Two standout teams were asked to collaborate on the Fenton Mace, while a third team were asked to develop their design as the Centenary Mace, sponsored by Ceramics UK.
The Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent, Councillor Steve Watkins, said: “This December it will once again be all about the mace as the Centenary Mace is presented to the city.
“It’s a fantastic design and an honour that this will join the city’s collection of civic regalia for centuries to come, commemorating our Centenary year.”
Neil Brownsword, Professor of Ceramics at University of Staffordshire, who has overseen the project, said: “MA Ceramics at University of Staffordshire is known for a ceramic design and manufacturing focus. However, in recent years the course has evolved to embrace cross-disciplinary perspectives that investigate ceramics as both material and subject, that inform fresh approaches from product design to sculpture and installation.
“This project has been an exciting challenge for our students which has pushed them to think and work collaboratively and outside their comfort zone. By bringing together traditional influences, contemporary concepts and techniques, their hard work has resulted in a mace that honours Stoke-on-Trent’s heritage while celebrating its future.”
MA Ceramics students Amy Swift, Matt Whiting, Lily Collins and Dr Jill Bunce designed and constructed the mace with materials donated by local companies including C J Skelhorne, KMF, Valentine Clays, Profab, Burleigh and AJ Phillpot & Sons.
Drawings of a five-pointed star – a symbol that represents the five fingers of the working man – by children from a local Scout troop feature on the mace.
Student Amy Swift explained: “As the mace represents the city and its people, we felt it was important to include them in the design at every opportunity. These stars are part of the decoration on the mace body itself, taking the future generations of Stoke-on-Trent with the mace's journey through time."
The team also worked with local materials consultancy Lucideon to incorporate a new ultra-high temperature ceramic material in the Centenary Mace.
It is the first time that a piece of this material - typically used in aerospace for the leading edges of hypersonic vehicles and re-entry spacecraft due to its thermal stability - has been produced in the UK at this scale.
Amy added: “The inclusion of this experimental material and a company focused wholly on the future of ceramics has meant that the mace now represents the past, present and future of ceramics in this city.”
The Centenary Mace and the Fenton Mace will go on display at Gladstone Pottery Museum in the new year.