English Heritage gifts Made in China

by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

The Quango, for a charity it hardly is, whose supposed task it is to protect the English heritage does not do much for it itself, it would appear. The heritage of England is not just its old (and not so old) historic buildings but also its crafts.

Instead of, however, having the pottery (and other stuff they sell in their gift shops) made by English heritage craftsmen and -women they get the stuff made in the Far East. If that is not a kick in the teeth for English heritage then I do not know.

The picture shows the bottom of a piece of English Heritage pottery on sale in the organization's gift shops and it is not made in England at all but in China as is quite obvious from the “stamp”.

Maybe someone needs to tell English Heritage that the heritage of the country is not just some of its old buildings but it is also and especially the old crafts that are still being carried out, though by fewer and fewer craftsmen and -women today. It is those crafts that are the country's heritage and more so than buildings whether old castles, manor houses or certain more modern buildings.

Rather than having “traditional” items made in China those should be made, according to tradition and heritage, in the country, in England, or at least Britain. But then again that would not give as much in the way of profits from the sales to English Heritage with which to fill its coffers.

It would, however, appear that English Heritage has absolutely no interest whatsoever in doing anything towards protecting the crafts heritage in England and Britain and to promote it; none at all. Instead they have their traditional English things that they wish to sell made in the Far East where it is cheaper and where, more likely, the workers who make them are exploited at the same time.

© 2015