I found this short Youtube clip fascinating. As you may know, Staffordshire did not become a pottery making hub because of its clay. Yes, the area had clay, but not the fine clay needed for earthenware manufacture. Staffordshire actually imported its clay. Watch what it took to get it.
The secret to Staffordshire's dominance of the earthenware industry was its coal. It required as many as 12 tons of coal to fire one ton of clay--so clearly being near coal was more important than being near clay.
