Wedgwood, Josiah

Wedgwood, Josiah (1730-1795), pottery maker, b. Burslem, Staffordshire, England.

Josiah Wedgwood's family were pottery makers and he started work as a potter at the age of nine.

In time, he became an outstanding craftsman and produced new kinds of pottery. The two most famous are Queen's Ware and Jasper Ware.

Queen's Ware is cream-colored earthenware. The first Queen's Ware was a dinner service made for Queen Charlotte, wife of George III. She called Wedgwood the 'Potter to the Queen'. Jasper Ware is unglazed pottery of blue, black or sage green with raised figures in white.

Soon Wedgwood pottery was known and valued all over the world. Wedgwood made a dinner service for Catherine the Great of Russia. It cost £3,000 and part of it can be seen today in a museum in Saint Petersburg.

Millions of pieces of pottery are made each year at the Wedgwood factory at Barlaston, Staffordshire.

See Brian Dolan Wedgwood - The First Tycoon