Wedgwood History before the Great Company

The one person who is known to revolutionized, evolved pottery and the methods of production is Josiah Wedgwood. Born in Stoke, England 1730. He is the last of 13 children, while his father is also a potter in his factory, Church Yard Works. Josiah’s childhood schooling life is not easy; there was no public school near their home so he was admitted in a private school. But he stopped schooling at the age of 11, approximately 2 years after his father’s death. His older brother Thomas inherited the management of Church Yard Works.

Another reason why Josiah forced to leave school was because he was stricken with smallpox. He then suffered with leg pain, resulting to amputate his right leg in 1768 when he was 38 years old.

As a child, he was given task at the Church Yard Works as a thrower. At the age of 14 he became a good apprentice of his older brother Thomas for five years. His mother died at when he was 18

Although he was only 11 years old when he began to work at Church Yard Works, Wedgwood was already a talented thrower. By 14 he was apprenticed to his older brother for five years. And during the period of his apprenticeship, Wedgwood’s beloved mother died. Wedgwood was 18.

At the age of 19 he asked permission to his older brother Thomas for a partnership. Having knowledge in pottery which is in their blood, he wanted to expand the business, the main reason why he wants to partner in the family business. Unfortunately his older brother refuse Wedgwood’s bid for partnership. Unable to resolve the partnership he struck out on his own 1752. The money he inherited from his father and financial backing from a local business man helped him to open his own factory, Alders at Cliffe Bank which lasted for only short two years. There are no accurate records regarding the reason for its early closing. Some speculate that the reason for its closing was the withdrawal of financing and increasing difficulty with Wedgwood’s leg.

After the closure of Alders at Cliffe Bank, An amazing turn of fate happened to Josiah. Thomas Whieldon, a highly reputable potter who also possessed a strong business sense accepted five year partnership with Wedgwood. Many have doubt Whieldon’s decision for accepting Josiah because Whieldon is already famous in the industry, his commercial acumen was evidenced by the scope of his market, which greatly exceeded the typical market of the time. Also he already have talented apprentices who are now future giants in the field like Josiah Spode, Aaron Wood and William Greatbatch. Everyone one was surprised and wondered why would Whieldon choose to partner with the relatively young and somewhat inexperienced Wedgwood where in his own brother seem to have no faith in doing partnership with him. Perhaps their partnership is not only a testament to Wedgood’s prodigious talents but also to Whieldon’s perceptiveness and foresight.

Because of their partnership Whieldon’s factory, Fenton Hall produced its finest ware, both in color, shape and overall quality. Unlike his older brother Thomas, Whieldon embraced almost all of the ideas and innovations of Josiah and he greatly benefitted from it. Although their partnership ended in 1759, there does not appear to have been any animousity between the partners.

In 1760, Wedgwood opened the Ivy House factory and perfected both the yellow and green glaze that brought him his first significant recognition as a Master Potter. The perfection of these two glazes enabled Wedgwood, and subsequently other Staffordshire potters who followed suit, to create the cauliflower and pineapple lines that were the first pieces in the definitive Wedgwood style.

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