In the context of the take-over by a global corporation (Royal Doulton) of a family-owned and run pottery factory in Longton Stoke-on-Trent, known as « Beswick », and the subsequent re-structuring of production, this paper explores the way in which women pottery workers make social distinctions between the « rough » and « posh », « proper paintresses » and « big heads » which cut into and across abstract sociological notions of class. The author’s findings support the view that class is best understood not as an abstract generalising category, but in the local and specific contexts of women’s working and family lives.