Dates or Year letters:
This
is a rough representation of the logo incised onto the underneath (tummy,
base, or wherever) of the model, in addition to the words (if there
was room) of "Lenham Pottery Norwich". There are clear photos
of a large base in the Technical
details pages.
Z is the year letter for 1994.
I date the start of the business from 1969, the year we moved into 215
Wroxham Road, Norwich, which had the name, “Lenham House”.
We had nothing to do with Lenham in Kent, and didn’t even know
at the time that there was a village of that name. I had sufficient
capital from making Keeshond
models in Germany to buy a 1 cubic-foot top-loading electric kiln.
In this I made Keeshond dog models, from the moulds I brought with me.
The process of learning how to make my own moulds began with simple
two, then three part moulds. The standing dog required six parts, and
a one piece tail mould. I was then exhibiting a Keeshond in England,
and began selling models and reliefs at the dog shows.
When the business was registered in 1972, I began the practice
of writing my initials, AF, and the year letter. Where there was sufficient
space on the base or tummy, I inscribed the words “Lenham Pottery,
Norwich.”
To make it easier to remember, I used 1970 as the start date.
| yr1970 | yr1971 | yr1972 | yr1973 | yr1974 | yr1975 | yr1976 | yr1977 | yr1978 | yr1979 |
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | J | K |
| 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 |
| L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U |
| 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 |
| V | W | X | Y | Z | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 |
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | it would | be unwise | to expect | to go on for |
| MM | MMi | MM2 | MM3 | MM4 | MM5 | ever | and | ever | and... |
1994 was the year we moved to Miradouro and had to add the word “Models”
to Lenham Pottery to advise people that I do not make “Pots”.
I had not considered when I began what would happen at Z, so for 1995
I used 95, then 96, 97, 98, and 99. These letters also tell me that
the model is wholly my work, as I no longer employed people to help
me in the studio. 2000 was easy: MM, and 2001 was MMi. 2002 is MM2,
because Roman numerals get unwieldy after this, and 2003 is MM3. What
happens after 2005 is not given for me to know but I hope to go on for
a few more years.