Historical information

Albury Pottery was established in the late 1970s to supply pottery for the party plan company Cooperware, a spin-off from Faberware. Located in Hudson Crescent, Lavington, the pottery was managed by Rudolph Dybka until 1983, then by Ron Petch, who had previously worked as sales manager for Cooper Pottery, one of Cooperware's UK suppliers. By the mid-1980s, the pottery had four throwers and a further 5-6 employees, and was specialising in stoneware with distinctive ribbed forms and light blond glazes. In 1985, the pottery was sold to the NSW Government as a workers' cooperative, and Petch moved to Old Ballarat Pottery as production manager. In 1987, the Petch's bought back into the business with partners Pat and Ken Snape, moving to slip casting, doubling the operating area, opening a terracotta plant in a separate location and establishing a tourism presence in the Old Cheese factory between Albury and Wodonga. As the business grew it took on more partners and this proved problematic in a declining market for production pottery. The Petch's pulled out in 1991 and the pottery closed shortly afterwards. (CC BY NC SA Judith Pearce, accessed https://www.flickr.com/groups/1281707@N21/discuss/72157629392131982/, 15 October 2024.)

Physical description

A ceramic jug with a brown top, and an emu on a white ground.