Above shown is the Collectors Plaque produced by the Pottery as an introductory gift to members of the Society.. The plaque was a miniature version of the plaque at the entrance to the Pottery representing the familiar symbols of the Belleek trademark; The Irish Wolfhound, Round Tower and Harp all sitting on an island which could represent Ireland but equally represent Rose Isle, the island on the River Erne where the Pottery was sited. (The island no longer exists due to river works in the 1950s)

(1)  To identify the very many collectors and potential collectors of Belleek throughout the World.

(2) To provide them with the means by which they can readily develop their interest in Belleek and a forum by which they can communicate and exchange ideas not only with the Pottery itself but with one another.

(3) To provide each member of the society  with opportunities to purchase certain limited edition pieces, which is the intention of the Pottery to provide solely for the members of the Society.

(4) To publish an official journal of the Society, which will convey not only news and views of the Pottery and its people but also news and views of the collectors and friends of Belleek throughout the World.

In the years since then, with the rise of the internet and the availability of online information has made the continued publication and distribution of a Newsletter both an expense and un-necessary, The membership of the Society is free of charge and those wishing to join can do so by contacting a group near them through Facebook page or through their website. 

Above group picture of some of the members of the San Diego Chapter taken circa 1995. Below picture of some members of the chapter taken on the 17th March 2018. 

Below a picture of Dorothy Wheeler who was the Honouree in 2003.

Attendees at the First Belleek            Collectors Tour May 1982

Pictured below are members of the Belleek Collectors Society, photographed outside the Pottery. This first Collectors trip to Belleek Pottery took place on Saturday 22nd June 1982. Over sixty people made the trip mainly from the United States and Canada.

The Collectors Society,  formed in 1979 with the objective to bring the story and produce of  Belleek Pottery to a wider audience.   The tour not only took in the delights of  Belleek Pottery but  involved the week-long visit  to all the  main tourist destinations in Ireland. 

The climax of the tour was a gala dinner held in the Carlton Hotel in Belleek with various presentations. The society members formed a bond which would lead to many collector groups being formed in subsequent years.

The following people attended the 1982 Collectors trip to Ireland and the Pottery, listed in alphabetic order:

Mrs. Clare Adamson, Ontario. Mrs. Angela Bannon D.C. Miss Kathleen Bannon D.C. Mrs. Nancy K. Barton, KS. Mrs. R. Clarke Benkendorf, IL. Dr. J. William Bohley OH. Mrs. Gwen Bohely, OH. Mrs. Kathleen Bonham, IL. Mr. Jack Brennan, N.Y. Mrs. Genevieve K. Brophy, TX. Mr. Horace D. Brown, CA. Mrs. Mariellen Brown, CA.  Mrs. Colleen Bryan, Mr. Oscar Burlin, CA. Mrs. Regina Burlin, CA. Mrs. Faye Buvens, NM. Miss Aline Buvens, NM.  Ms. Moira Caldwell, CA. Ms. Maureen Caldwell, CA. Mrs Elizabeth A. Clinton, CA. Ms. Carol Cooper, NV. Mr. Al. Corriveau, NH. Mrs. Josephine Corriveau, NH.  Mr Kenneth M. Dempsey, CA. Mrs. Donna B. Dempsey, CA. Mr. James S. Denton, AL. Mrs. Mary E. Denton, AL. Mrs. Marie A. Dowling, NY. Mr Richard C. Fleming MS, Mrs. Barbara Fleming, MS, Cdr, Fred Gary, CA, Mrs. Elizabeth Gary, CA, Mrs. Mary E. Greene MI, Mr Robert E. Gregg, CO, Ms. Cissie Guie, PA, Miss Rita A. Haley, NY, Mr Joseph V. Haley, NY,  Ms. Frances Z. Hughes, CA, Mrs. Fran Jacobson, OK, Mrs. A.E. Jones, KS, Ms. Patricia A. Kaczynski, CN, Mrs. Claribel E. Kaleva, CA, Mrs. Mary Kolb, IL, Mrs. Julie H. Larson, IL. Ms Beth Leonard, MA, Ms  Patricia Leonard, MA, Mr. .James D. Leonard, MA, Mr. Bertil O. Lundh, WA, Mrs. Jarene Lundh, WA. Mr. E. Gordon Mankins, TX, Mrs. Margaret A. Mankins, TX, Mr. Tom Martin, NY, Mrs. Bess Martin, NY, Ms. Patricia McNamara, MI, Mrs Vera Mellors Derbyshire, England, Mr George R. Metzdorf, PA, Mrs. Helen V. Metzdorf, PA, Mrs. Carol Morones, PA, Mr. Robert P. Mundhenk, NY, Mrs. Robert P. Mundhenk, NY, Mrs. Irene M. O’Brien, TX, Ms Anne F. O’Melia, VA, Ms Mary J. O’Melia, VA, Mrs. Dorothy L. Oehler, IL, Mrs. Ivy J. Onley, Ontario, Canada, Ms Jean Oster, NY. Mrs Victoria Pearce, KY. Mrs Claire Primeau, VA, Ms Cindy Reynolds, FL, Mrs. Beverley A. Robinson, TX, Ms Mary D. Sacco, MA, Ms Adelina C. Sacco, MA, Mr. Richard E. Schwab, OH, Mrs. Carol J. Schwab, OH, Mrs Christine Solano, IL, Mrs. Helen R. Stelzer, IL, Mrs Jean Stephenson, CA, Mr Frank Stortz, CA, Mrs. Hazel Stortz, CA, Mrs. Antonia Vesley, NY, Mrs. Betty Wade, NY, Mrs. Donna G. West. TX, Mrs.  Irene Wishart, AL, Mrs. Catherine M. Wood, NY.

Four Gospel Plates- St Matthew, Mark, Luke & John

In the summer of 1979, the first of a planned series of four Gospel plates was offered for sale to the members of the Belleek Collectors Society. It was the St Matthew Plate and was designed by Jim Kirkwood from the Kilkenny Design Centre. The inspiration for the series came from the Medieval Irish manuscript displayed in Trinity College, Dublin, known as the ‘Book of Kells’

The book contains the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John written in Latin but it is the decorative and intricate illuminations accompanying the text that is a wonder to all that see it.

Although the manuscript gets its name from the town of Kells in Co Meath, it is believed that it was begun at the monastery, founded by St Columba or Columcille on the remote island of Iona on the west coast of Scotland.

The monastic settlement there was one of the first to suffer the destructive Viking raids in the 9^th Century. Because of the successive raids by the Norsemen, it was decided to remove the precious gospel book to the relative safekeeping of their sister Columban monastery at Kells.

The subsequent history of the book is clouded, it was stolen from the monastery in AD1007 when its outer cover in gold and precious stones was removed. It is also possible that parts of the gospel of St John were also removed or lost though some believe that St John’s Gospel was never completed.

It remained at the abbey until the 17th century when Oliver Cromwell invaded Ireland (1649-1643) and stationed a part of his force at Kells; at this time the manuscript was brought to Dublin for safe-keeping. It came into the hands of the bishop Henry Jones (1605-1682), an alumnus of Trinity College, and Jones donated it to the college’s library in 1661 along with the Book of Durrow. The manuscript has been housed at the Trinity library ever since. In 1953 the book was rebound in four separate volumes to help preserve it. Two of these volumes are on permanent display at Trinity College; one showing a page of text and the other a page of illustration.

Each Gospel plate was accompanied by a booklet written by Dr George Otto Simms , former Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh and one of the foremost authority on the Book of Kells.

The St Mark Plate was launched in 1981 and priced at $110.00 excluding taxes.

The St Luke plate was launched in the autumn of 1982 and retailed at the similar price of $110.00 plus taxes.

There was a gap in the launch of the fourth plate due mainly to the financial state of the Pottery and the subsequent takeover by the Industrial Development  Board who then sold Belleek Pottery to  a new company headed by Mr Roger Troughton.

The St John Plate was launched in 1984. but the price had greatly jumped to $195.00 plus taxes. This caused much annoyance amongst many collectors as  they felt it was  taking advantage of those who wished to complete the series. As a result many fewer St John Plates were made and today are difficult to find.

In October 2005 the UK Belleek Collectors Group celebrated their 50^th meeting and editor of their magazine Gina Kelland wrote about the founding of the group ‘

“The UK Belleek collectors’ Group was founded in 1989 by Marion Langham and Brian Scott, who planned it over many cups of coffee at Marion’s stand in the Portobello Road. This led to the Group being recognised by the Belleek Collectors’ International Society as their 15th members’ group. members’ group. It has blossomed into a current membership of 57 households with shared interest in collecting and researching Belleek”

The first meeting was held in 1989 at the then Grosvenor Hotel adjacent to Victoria Station in London’s Belgravia. Lady Marion Langham, Brian Scott and Jan Golaszewski worked tirelessly to bring the new group into existence, they were strongly assisted in this by Belleek Pottery whose representative then was Martina Kerr Bromley. This is the photo that was taken of the collectors and Belleek Pottery representatives who could make it to that first meeting.

Elected Chairperson, Lady Marion Langham, Secretary, Jan Golaszeweski, and elected in absentia Treasurer, Brian Scott.

Members listed as: Mr Chris Marvel, Mr & Mrs F. Jones, Mr P. Clapham, Ms J. Reese, Ms B. Poole, Mr & Mrs R. Capper, Mr & Mrs P. McCormack, Mr & Mrs P. Campbell, Mr J. Golaszweski, Ms Katherine Owen, Mr & Mrs C. Easthope and Lady Marion Langham.

Representing Belleek Pottery at the meeting was Collectors Society President, Martina Kerr Bromley and Sales Manager Mr P. McAleer.

In the years since, this group are probably one of the most active of the many Belleek Collector chapters, having members researching the complex history of Belleek Pottery and its relationship with the Staffordshire potteries where many of the seminal group of skilled potters came from to help set up the fledgling pottery in a remote place called Belleek located in the north-west of Ireland. They publish a magazine twice yeary and back copies and further information on this group can be found on their website at: Belleek United Kingdom Collectors Group

Seen Left to Right- Lady Marion Langhan, Lord Langham, Martina Kerr Bromley. Pictured at the opening of the Belleek Visitors Centre in 1989.

The Northern Ireland Collectors Group was formed during a meeting at the Glengannon Hotel near Dungannon in in June 1991 with over sixty people attending. Elected as group chairperson was Patricia McCauley, manager of the Belleek Pottery Visitor Centre. Tom Dooley was elected as Secretary and Eunice Robinson was elected as Treasurer of  Group. Later that evening guests were treated to a buffet dinner which included spectacular ‘Belleek’ desserts complete with chocolate harps and shamrocks. Afterwards each clooector present received a special plaque marking the historic occasion.

The First Belleek Collectors Convention was held in Los Angeles in February 1993. There were over 275 attendees with representation from eighteen chapters including those from the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Northern Ireland.

The Convention was also attended by many of the Hall of fame Honourees and President of the Belleek Collectors International Society Mrs Angela Moore addressed the assembly remarking that it was exciting to be part of such an enthusiastic group of people.

A special plate was made to mark the occasion and limited to 5oo pieces. It was designed by Fergus Cleary Head of the Pottery’s design team and it incorporated a cluster of scallop shells on the outer rim a reminder of many of the Pottery’s early designs incorporating marine themes. The central portion displayed the Belleek trademark used by the company since its earliest production.