AN EYE-CATCHING display of Satsuma ceramics is on display at Gallery Oldham to celebrate 150 years of links with Japan.
On April 17, 1865 nineteen students set sail from the tiny village of Hashima in the Satsuma province – now Kagoshima – bound for England.
Three were on a mission to learn about the textile industry here – then the cotton spinning capital of the world – and so began exchange visits between Oldham and Kagoshima.
In 1866 the students returned to Japan with machinery and four engineers from Platt Brothers, followed soon by three more.
Their job was to assist in the manufacturing and technical training of Japanese staff as well as installing the machinery.
The engineers were housed in the Foreigners’ House, which was built in 1866 especially for them. Today this house is a museum recording the story of these events.
The relationship continued long after the establishment of the factory in Kagoshima, with trade links continuing throughout the twentieth century.
Platt Brothers also helped to give birth to the world’s largest carmakers, Toyota. In 1929, the firm paid £100,000 for the patents to an automatic loom developed by the company.
It was the money from this sale that allowed Toyota – then called Toyoda – to diversify and begin its automobile manufacturing.
Earlier this year Gallery Oldham was approached by the Japanese Embassy to take part in their Satsuma 150 celebrations, a national event marking the links between Japan and the UK.
To mark the occasion a display of Gallery Oldham’s small collection of Satsuma ceramics has been created and will be on show until November 21.
Gallery Oldham is also interested in trying to find the relatives of any Platt Brothers workers who travelled to Japan. If you can help contact Rebecca Hill, Exhibitions and Collections Co-ordinator (Art) on rebecca.hill@oldham.gov.uk or call 0161 770 4632.
More information log on to Gallery Oldham’s website or the Japanese Embassy website.
You must be logged in to post a comment.