Collectors of Wade pottery owe much gratitude to William Harper for designing and modeling some of the most popular items sold by Wade in the 1950s and 1960s.

During our early research trips to England, Bill invited us to his home to see his collection of Wade prototypes and from then on we met up on most of our visits to Burslem. Bill came to Canada for a Royal Doulton convention in September 1990, for whom he modeled the Terry Fox character mug. He took time to visit with us and signed a number of figurines in our collection that he had modeled.

Bill was born in 1923 in Newcastle-under-Lyme no too far from Burslem where he had such success in later years. Bill was only two years old when his mother died tragically from a fall at home. To add to this tragedy, one evening, when Bill was still a young child, a drunken man broke into the house and chased Bill, in his pajamas, into the garden. Bill escaped to a neighbors house. The death of his mother and the sudden attack made Bill insecure and emotionally fragile. Today, Bill is still a quiet man but a kind and genuine gentleman.

Bill attended local schools and was a good scholar. He gained high marks in most subjects especially art related subjects. At 14 Bill finished school and worked at various jobs until the start of World War 2, when he joined the Royal Air Force as aircrew.

Bill spent most of the war in the Mediterranean area bombing enemy shipping. During one of his six weeks leaves from duty, Bill made a trip to Naples and studied art in the Kings Place. After his term of duty in the Mediterranean area, Bill also managed to study the human form at a Rome art school.

In 1946 after leaving the Royal Air Force, Bill attended the Burslem School of Art for three years where he studied oil painting and pottery. At this time Bill also met and married his wife Jean.

After graduating from art school and a short time as an art instructor, Bill decided to try his hand as a designer and modeler for one of the local potteries. This was not easy with no previous experience in the field but he persevered and finally, after some work for George Wade he was offered full time work at the pottery where he worked from 1954 to 1962, eventually becoming a Junior Director.

During the eight years that Bill modeled for Wade, the models and ideas he left behind had a long lasting positive effect on the products of the pottery. Today's collectors have greatly benefited from the years Bill spent with Wade.

After Bill left Wade he set up his own business manufacturing animal figurines to be sold in gift stores and zoos. This, unfortunately, was not a great success so he started modeling for W. H. Bossons who manufacture wall ornaments. Then, in 1971 he began work modeling for Royal Doulton on a free lance basis.

During his time off from work, Bill developed a keen interest in trekking and mountain climbing. He traveled extensively in Spain, Greece, Crete, Turkey and Morocco and in the early 1990s, Bill climbed in the Himalayas reaching heights of 18,000 feet in the Everest and Zanscar ranges. In a recent letter from Bill he told us he would be hiking in Bulgaria at 10,000 feet. At age 83 this is quite a feat.

The following photographs, which we took at Bill's home, represent many but not all of Bill's prototype figurines.