Person    | Male  Born 1730  Died 3/1/1795

Josiah Wedgwood

Master potter. Born in Burslem, Stoke, Staffordshire, into a potters family. Married his cousin, Sally. Childhood smallpox left him with a limp. His inability to operate the potters wheel meant he turned to design and management instead.  It is said he often used his stick to smash items that he felt were not good enough. Contacted the Cherokees Indians to find a source of the whitest possible clay. His London showrooms became a fashionable place to visit. Flaxman, Stubbs and Lady Diana Beauclerk all provided designs for him. Promoter of social reform and active in the fight against the slave trade. Wedgwood is nowadays compared with Henry Ford for his innovative introduction of methods of mass production.

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Josiah Wedgwood

Commemorated ati

Josiah Wedgwood

Charming plaque, in the Wedgwood blue pottery style.

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Spirit of Soho Mural

Interesting that Coca Cola are specifically mentioned on the panel but not as...

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Other Subjects

garment and textile industries in the East End

garment and textile industries in the East End

The origins of the East End textile industry can be traced to the 14th century when Flemish artisans set up dye works on the River Lea. In the late 17th century the Huguenots arrived in Spitalfield...

Concept, Commerce, Craft / Design, Industry

4 memorials
John Arnold

John Arnold

Watchmaker and inventor. Probably born in Bodmin, Cornwall (his birth year is approximate). After being apprenticed to his clockmaker father, he worked in the Netherlands. He was the first to desig...

Person, Craft / Design, Netherlands

1 memorial
Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen

Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen

Designer and television personality, best known for his appearances on the BBC programme 'Changing Rooms'.

Person, Craft / Design, TV & Radio

1 memorial