A bit of a calamity

 A really sad cake plate

A few weeks ago, I had a bit of a calamity. When I was getting out Grandma's three tier cake stand, I broke one of the three matching plates. Like many things we all keep as family heirlooms, it isn’t worth a great deal in £ but it's the sentimental value which is the hardest to bear.

The plate is decorative pottery from the 1930s. I did a bit of research about the Parrott mark on the back and discovered that Arthur William Parrott and his brother Charles Henry Parrott operated the Albert Street Pottery in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent from c.1921 to the 1960s.  I love to see cakes, teabreads and biscuits on old fashioned patterned plates, perfect for afternoon tea so love putting up the stand with cakes just like Grandma did.

Grandma’s glorious 3-tiered cake stand 

Fortunately, I found a ceramic restorer who has experience of conserving items by invisible restoration so that they can be displayed and enjoyed again.

I never imagined that I would see the plate appear as if it had not been damaged but Doreena did a brilliant job. Here's Grandma’s plate with Paradise Cake in all its glory on the front cover of Grandma Abson's Traditional Baking book.