Potter who shaped an artistic community to retire

from Axis magazine July 2023 issue

Ritchie’s wine notes

Sally Anderson, the founder and driving force behind Parndon Mill, the thriving hub of artistic creativity in Harlow, has announced her forthcoming retirement during a year that sees her celebrate her 90th birthday. For the past 20 years Sally has dedicated her energies to running The Gallery at Parndon Mill, curating and overseeing its regular exhibitions of fine arts and crafts. But it is more than five decades of living and working here that have created the wider Parndon Mill artistic community that we know today.

That half century has seen a once derelict and overgrown former mill site gradually transformed into 30 studios that are now home to a wide range of creatives; project space which hosts classes, workshops and events; and the respected gallery.

An artistic visionary

Sally first arrived at the mill, off Elizabeth Way, in 1968. She was a potter working from her Harlow Corporation home and searching for a studio when a colleague from the Technical College suggested the mill.

Previously a flour mill, the site had been disused for some years, fenced off by Harlow Development Corporation which was keen for it to be put to good use, one preferably related to the arts.

With a six-bedroom Georgian house in addition to the vast flour mill building itself, not to mention outbuildings that at the time were hidden from view among the bushes and brambles, it was quite an undertaking for one potter looking for a studio. The only electricity on site ran the water pump. But Sally looked to a time when eventually there would be a light on in every window of the mill, over time trading space to other artists in return for their help restoring the site – and the artistic community that is Parndon Mill today was first born. Blacksmith Alan Freeman and carpenter Barry Volkman, founder members of that Parndon Mill community, are still based in the building today.

Roger Lee, who arrived to take a few photos, was offered a studio in return for undertaking a number of jobs – a list that has grown rather than diminished: he became general manager and, along with Sally, has made the mill his life’s work.

Decades of success

When in 1970 Sally was commissioned to design and produce tiles for all the bathrooms in an international hotel in London, Sally Anderson (Ceramics) Ltd was formed.

It was based at the mill, and Roger Lee became a director of the company.

The business went on to design and manufacture tiles for palaces, luxury liners, hotels and swimming pools across the world until 2004, with Sally’s tiles winning Design Council and Design Industry

Association awards along the way. Art and design museum the V&A still holds examples of the company’s tiles in its ceramics collections.

When Sally decided to retire from manufacturing tiles, the tile studios at the mill were turned into more artists’ workshops, including three glass studios, adding to the range of artists that could be housed at the mill, while the former tile showroom was converted into a gallery.

Parndon Mill became a charitable trust in 2016 with a small team of trustees, that includes Roger Lee, appointed and dedicated to maintaining what is now a valued heritage and cultural asset, and taking it forward into the future. As she approaches a well-earned retirement at the end of this summer, Sally can be very proud of the legacy she has entrusted to them.

Trustees and volunteers sought

As a charitable trust, Parndon Mill is now run by a small but dedicated team of trustees and volunteers who would love to hear from anyone interested in joining them. In particular, new trustees are being sought who could dedicate time between quarterly board meetings to help play a part in pushing Parndon Mill forward. The trust is also seeking volunteers to take on the task of maintaining the gallery from September. Contact trustees Jenny Holland or Bev Ingram at volunteers@ parndonmill.co.uk for more information.

If you haven’t been to Parndon Mill before and would like to find out more email Roger Lee at roger@parndonmill.co.uk to arrange a visit.

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