Josiah Wedgwood

Josiah Wedgwood (July 12, 1730 - January 3, 1795, born Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent) was an English potter, credited with the industrialization of the manufacture of pottery. He was a member of the Darwin — Wedgwood family, most famously including his grandson, Charles Darwin. Josiah Wedgwood (oil on canvas by Sir Joshua Reynolds) This image is in the public domain because its copyright has expired in the United States and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years. ... Josiah Wedgwood (oil on canvas by Sir Joshua Reynolds) This image is in the public domain because its copyright has expired in the United States and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years. ... is the 193rd day of the year (194th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events Pope Clement XII elected September 17 - Change of emperor of the Ottoman Empire from Ahmed III (1703-1730) to Mahmud I (1730-1754) Anna Ivanova (Anna I of Russia) became czarina Births April 16 - Henry Clinton, British general (d. ... is the 3rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1795 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... The town of Burslem known as the Mother Town is one of those that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent, in the ceremonial county of Staffordshire, in the Midlands of England. ... This page is about Stoke-on-Trent in England. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... Unfired green ware pottery on a traditional drying rack at Conner Prairie living history museum. ... The Darwin — Wedgwood family was a prominent English family, descended from Erasmus Darwin and Josiah Wedgwood, the most notable member of which was Charles Darwin. ... For other people of the same surname, and places and things named after Charles Darwin, see Darwin. ...

Biography

Early life

Born the thirteenth and youngest child of Thomas Wedgwood and Mary Wedgwood (née Stringer; d. 1766), Josiah was raised within a family of English Dissenters. He survived a childhood bout of smallpox to serve as an apprentice potter under his eldest brother Thomas Wedgwood IV. Smallpox left Josiah with a permanently weakened knee, which made him unable to work the foot pedal of a potter's wheel. As a result, he concentrated from an early age on designing pottery rather than making it then he met a boy called yannick who went st.marks yanncik was in a crew called cripset and he always says if you aint blue you aint true. Thomas Wedgwood III (1685-1739) was an English potter and the father of Josiah Wedgwood, the famous potter. ... English Dissenters were dissenters from England who opposed State interference in religious matters and founded their own communities over the 16th to 18th century period. ... Smallpox (also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera) is a contagious disease unique to humans. ... Thomas Wedgwood IV (1716-1773), was an English master potter who taught his illustrious youngest brother Josiah Wedgwood the trade. ... Smallpox (also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera) is a contagious disease unique to humans. ... Classic potters kick-wheel at Erfurt, Germany The potters wheel is a machine used in the shaping of round ceramic wares. ...

In his early twenties, Wedgwood began working with the most renowned English pottery-maker of his day, Thomas Whieldon. There he began experimenting with a wide variety of pottery techniques, an experimentation that coincided with the burgeoning early industrial city of Manchester, which was nearby. Inspired, Wedgwood leased the Ivy Works in his home town of Burslem and set to work. Over the course of the next decade, his experimentation (and a considerable injection of capital from his marriage to a richly endowed distant cousin, Sarah Wedgwood) transformed the sleepy artisan works into the first true pottery factory. Thomas Whieldon was one of the most respected and well known potters of his time. ... This article is about the City of Manchester in England. ... The town of Burslem known as the Mother Town is one of those that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent, in the ceremonial county of Staffordshire, in the Midlands of England. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

Marriage and children

Wedgwood married Sarah Wedgwood (a third cousin). Together, they had seven children:

• Susannah Wedgwood (1765–1817) (married Robert Darwin, was mother of the English naturalist Charles Darwin)
• John Wedgwood (1766–1844)
• Josiah Wedgwood II (1769–1843)
• Thomas Wedgwood (1771–1805) (no children)
• Catherine Wedgwood (1774–1823) (no children)
• Sarah Wedgwood (1776–1856) (no children)
• Mary Anne Wedgwood (1778–1786) (no children)

Robert Darwin, from an oil painting by James Pardon. ... For other people of the same surname, and places and things named after Charles Darwin, see Darwin. ... John Wedgwood (Christened 2 April 1766 — 26 January 1844), the eldest son of the potter Josiah Wedgwood, was a partner in the Wedgwood pottery firm from 1790-1793, and again 1800-1812. ... Josiah Wedgwood II (1769-1843) was Member of Parliament for Stoke-on-Trent. ... Thomas Wedgwood (1771-1805), son of Josiah Wedgwood, was an early experimenter with Humphry Davy in photography though he was unable to permanently fix the image. ...

Work

Wedgwood's work was of very high quality (when visiting his workshop, if he saw an offending vessel that failed to meet with his standards, he would smash it with his stick, exclaiming, "This will not do for Josiah Wedgwood!"). Wedgwood was also keenly interested in the scientific advances of his day and it was this interest that underpinned his adoption of its approach and methods to revolutionize the quality of his pottery. His unique glazes began to distinguish Josiah's wares from anything else on the market.

By 1763 he was receiving orders from the highest levels of the British nobility, including Queen Charlotte. Wedgwood convinced her to let him name the line of pottery she purchased "Queen's Ware", and trumpeted the royal association in his paperwork and stationery. In 1774 the Empress Catherine of Russia ordered the Green Frog Service from Wedgwood; it can still be seen in the Hermitage Museum.[1] An even earlier commission from Catherine was the Husk Service (1770), now on exhibit in Peterhof. As a burgeoning industrialist, Wedgwood was a major backer of the Trent and Mersey Canal dug between the River Trent and River Mersey, during which time he became friends with Erasmus Darwin. 1763 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Nobility is a traditional hereditary status (see hereditary titles) that exists today in many countries (mainly present or former monarchies). ... Queen Charlotte, (née Duchess Sophia Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz; 19 May 1744 – 17 November 1818) was the queen consort of George III of the United Kingdom (1738–1820). ... Catherine the Great redirects here. ... The State Hermitage Museum (Russian: ) in Saint Petersburg, Russia is one of the largest museums in the world, with 3 million works of art (not all on display at once), [1] and one of the oldest art galleries and museums of human history and culture in the world. ... Peterhof (Russian: , Petergof, originally named Peterhof: Peters Court), is a series of palaces and gardens, laid out on the orders of Peter the Great, and sometimes called the Russian Versailles. It is located about twenty kilometers west and six kilometers south of St. ... The Trent and Mersey Canal is a canal linking the River Trent at Shardlow in Derbyshire to the River Mersey at Runcorn in Cheshire. ... For other uses see Trent River. ... The River Mersey is a river in north west England. ... This article is about Erasmus Darwin who lived 1731–1802; for his descendants with the same name see Erasmus Darwin (disambiguation). ...

Etruria Hall, the family home.

Later that decade, his burgeoning business caused him to move from the smaller Ivy Works to the newly-built Etruria Works, which would run for 180 years. The factory was so-named after the Etruria district of Italy, where black porcelain dating to Etruscan times was being excavated. Wedgwood found this porcelain inspiring, and his first major commercial success was its duplication with what he called "Black Basalt". Not long after the new works opened, continuing trouble with his smallpox-afflicted knee made necessary the amputation of his right leg. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The Etruria Works was a porcelain factory opened by Josiah Wedgwood in England during June, 1769. ... The area covered by the Etruscan civilzation. ... “Fine China” redirects here. ... Extent of Etruscan civilization and the twelve Etruscan League cities. ... Partial hand amputation Amputation is the removal of a body extremity by trauma or surgery. ...

In 1780, his long-time business partner Thomas Bentley died, and Wedgwood turned to Darwin for help in running the business. As a result of the close association that grew up between the Wedgwood and Darwin families, Josiah's eldest daughter would later marry Erasmus' son. One of the children of that marriage, Charles Darwin, would also marry a Wedgwood — Emma, Josiah's granddaughter. Essentially, this double-barreled inheritance of Josiah's money permitted Charles Darwin the life of leisure that allowed him the time to formulate his theory of evolution. 1780 was a leap year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... For other people of the same surname, and places and things named after Charles Darwin, see Darwin. ... Emma Darwin Emma Darwin (née Wedgwood, 2 May 1808–7 October 1896) was the wife of the English naturalist Charles Darwin. ...

In the latter part of his life, Wedgwood's obsession was to duplicate the Portland Vase, a blue and white glass vase dating to the first century BC. For three years he worked on the project, eventually producing what he considered a satisfactory copy in 1789. After passing on his company to his sons, Wedgwood died at home, probably of cancer of the jaw, in 1795. He was buried three days later in the parish church of Stoke-on-Trent. Seven years later a marble memorial tablet commissioned by his sons was installed there. The Portland-Vase (Scene 1, on the original) Scene 2, on a copy The Portland Vase is a first century BC Roman cameo glass vase, which served as an inspiration to many glass and porcelain makers from about the beginning of the 18th Century onwards. ... This article is about the material. ... The 1st century was that century that lasted from 1 to 100 according the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1789 (MDCCLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ... 1795 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ...

He belonged to the fourth generation of a family of potters whose traditional occupation continued through another five generations. Wedgwood's company is still a famous name in pottery today (as part of Waterford Wedgwood; see Waterford Crystal), and "Wedgwood China" is the commonly used term for his Jasperware, the blue (or sometimes green) china with overlaid white decoration, still common throughout the world. Kutani Crane by Wedgwood Kutani Crane by Wedgwood (back) Wedgwood is a British pottery firm, originally founded in 1759 by Josiah Wedgwood, which in 1987 merged with Waterford Crystal, creating Waterford Wedgwood, the Ireland-based luxury brands group. ... The world-famous Waterford Crystal Ball is lowered in Times Square, New York City, on New Years Eve Waterford Crystal is a trademark brand of crystal glassware produced in Waterford, Ireland, by the company Waterford Wedgwood plc. ... . This is an example of Jasperware Jasperware is a form of pottery that has a stoneware body which is either white or colored, which is noted for its matte finish. ...

He was an active member of the Lunar Society and is remembered on the Moonstones in Birmingham. He was elected to the Royal Society in 1783. The Lunar Society was a discussion club of prominent industrialists, natural philosophers and intellectuals who met regularly between 1765 and 1813 in Birmingham, England. ... The Moonstones are a set of eight carved memorials to various members of the Lunar Society. ... This article is about the British city. ... For other uses, see Royal Society (disambiguation). ...

He was also a prominent slavery abolitionist. He mass produced cameos depicting the seal for the Society for the Abolition of the Slave Trade and had them widely distributed, which thereby became a popular and celebrated image. The actual design of the cameo was probably done by either William Hackwood or Henry Webber who were modellers in his factory.[2] This article is about the abolition of slavery. ... The Committee for the Abolition of the Slave Trade was formed on May 22, 1787, when twelve men gathered together at a printing shop in London, England, and committed themselves to founding the Society for the Abolition of the Slave Trade. ...

His home Etruria Hall, built 1768–1771 by Joseph Pickford, was restored as part of the 1986 Stoke-on-Trent Garden Festival is now part of a four-star hotel. Etruria Hall in Etruria, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire was the home of the potter Josiah Wedgwood. ... 1768 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... 1771 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Joseph Pickford (1734-1782) was an English architect, one of the leading provincial architects in the reign of George III. Pickfords initial training was undertaken under the sculptor Joseph Pickford (his uncle), at his Hyde Park, London premises. ... Year 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar). ... Antony Gormley sculpture, A View, A Place, 1986. ...

References

• Wedgwood: The First Tycoon, Brian Dolan, Viking Adult, 416 pp. (October 7, 2004). ISBN 0-670-03346-4.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Josiah Wedgwood

• Wedgwood collection at the Lady Lever Art Gallery
• Revolutionary Players website
• Wedgwood Museum