FAREWELL TO A LEGACY: HONOURING THE HANDS BEHIND MORRIS & JAMES
As the doors prepare to close on Morris & James in Matakana, it marks the end of an era that stretches far beyond pottery.
This is a farewell to a place built from clay and vision, sustained by dedication, and shaped every day by the hands and hearts of those who kept its creative spirit alive.
Founded in 1977 by Anthony Morris and Sue James, Morris & James has become more than a destination, growing into a living story of creativity, resilience, and community. The recent announcement of its closure has stirred a wave of emotion. Visitors have come in record numbers, some travelling hours to revisit the showroom, share memories, and collect pieces that will now carry even more meaning.
While the legacy began with Ant’s incredible journey, the story belongs just as much to the long-serving artisans and staff who carried that legacy forward.
In 2009, a devoted team of craftspeople, decorators, and managers bought the business, continuing the Morris & James legacy as shareholders.
Over the years, many more contributed their skill and dedication. Many of the team worked side by side for decades, navigating the ebb and flow of a small manufacturing business with grace and grit. They battled glaze changes and machinery malfunctions, adapted designs, and preserved a collaborative spirit rare in modern commercial pottery. From the chemistry lab where countless glazes were refined to the decorating benches where aesthetic decisions were debated, theirs was a world of constant evolution.
It’s easy to focus on the striking colours and sculptural forms Morris & James is known for and see only the end result. But every piece tells a deeper story – of slips and sieves, of trial and triumph, and of the thousands of decisions made behind the scenes. For example, the signature red 'Hollyberry' glaze has presented enough technical challenges over the years to deserve a chapter of its own. And still, through clay dust and kiln fires the work carried on.
Even the famous Labour Weekend Sale – a Matakana tradition since 1980 – was never just about discounts. These were celebrations of endurance. People queued not just for bargains, but to be part of something handmade, homegrown, and heart-led.
As the final chapter draws to a close, it’s the wider Morris & James team who deserve the fullest recognition. They upheld the integrity of the brand not through grand gestures, but through quiet, persistent excellence. They didn’t just make pottery. They made it all possible – year after year, firing after firing.
Anthony Morris once described himself as a journeyman, not an artist. But there is artistry in everything he built, and in everything this team carried on. As Morris & James prepares to say goodbye, it leaves behind not just vessels of clay, but vessels of memory, held in homes and hearts across the country.
To those who shaped the clay, mixed the glaze, welcomed visitors, and kept the wheels turning – this farewell is for you.
