6. You Have To Check The Back Of Every Plate And Saucer
The Stoke-born writer, Arnold Bennett, was once mocked abroad for turning over a saucer. He was forced to explain to the ignorant foreigner that this seemingly strange behaviour was normal for anyone from Stoke-on-Trent because Stokies can't resist turning over a cup, saucer or plate to ensure it bears a Made in Stoke-on-Trent stamp. Also, guessing the manufacturer of each ceramic item a Stokie sees makes for a great game and they need to check the backstamps to see if they're right. Stokies aren't defensive about this habit - they're proud of it. And rightly so; it's important to make sure that one's saucer comes from a decent, Potteries-based company and isn't the filthy product of some inferior non-Stoke rival.