Biography for Ray Finch

Education

Ray Finch studied for a year at the Central School of Art, London, under Dora Billington (1890-1968).

Awards

Finch was appointed MBE in 1980, and awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 1999 International Ceramics Festival.

Travels

During 1970-71 Finch spent six months in Lesotho, South Africa, running the Kolonyama Pottery.

Employment

Finch joined the potter Michael Cardew's (1901-1983) Winchcombe Pottery in 1936. When Cardew moved to the Wenford Bridge Pottery, Finch took over the Winchcombe Pottery as a business partner. In 1946 Finch purchased the Winchcombe business from Cardew, he worked on small kiln experiments in stoneware, buying an oil fired kiln in 1959. In 1974 a large wood fired kiln was built at Winchcombe and the pottery continued to produce stoneware pieces for the table. Finch retired in 1979, handing Winchcombe over to his son, Michael.