Port Vale 1960-61

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The 1960 – 61 season was Port Vale’s second season in the Third division. Aiming for promotion, the club were disappointed with their eventual seventh-place finish. The Valiants tasted success however in the second and last Supporters’ Clubs’ Trophy series beating rivals Stoke City 1-0 at the Victoria Ground in a replay thanks to an own goal.

Vale Park was improved with the installation of yet more new drains to help ease the winter mud spots. Other highlights include Stan Steele’s 195 consecutive appearances coming to an end after he was rested against Notts County. He handed a transfer request afterwards and signed for West Bromwich Albion for £10,000.

It was in 1960 that Susan Williams-Ellis and her husband, Euan Cooper-Willis purchased a small pottery decorating company in Stoke-on-Trent called A.E.Gray Ltd. Susan had worked with A.E. Gray for some years, sending her designs there to be produced exclusively for the gift shop at the Portmeirion Village in North Wales, which had been created by her father, Sir Clough Williams-Ellis in 1925.

A second factory was used in 1961 called Kirkhams Ltd that focused on the pottery manufacturing combined with A.E.Gray Ltd’s decorating side of the business. Gray’s Pottery factory is based in the heart of Stoke-on-Trent off London Road in Stoke town Centre also called Stoke-upon-Trent.

The success of Portmeirion Potteries was only one facet of Susan’s life and work. She was an accomplished artist and author, drawing inspiration from the sea. Portmeirion Ltd became a market leader in high quality and innovatively designed tableware, cookware, giftware, tabletop accessories and home fragrance products.