When was wedgwood born

Wedgwood was founded in 1759 by Josiah Wedgwood, who is now remembered as the “Father of English Potters”.

Josiah Wedgwood (1730-1795) contracted smallpox early in his youth, this left him lame in his right leg. Later in life his leg was amputated just below the knee.

LONDON — The Fiskars Corporation, a Finnish maker of home and garden products, said on Monday that it had agreed to acquire the maker of Wedgwood china and Waterford crystal for $437 million.

Six years of losses drove Wedgwood to move all major ceramics production from Barlaston to the industrial outskirts of Jakarta, Indonesia. Only a small number of high-end products – hand-painted figurines and the iconic blue and white china – would continue to be made in England, it was announced last month.

Marriage and children

In January 1764 Wedgwood married Sarah Wedgwood (1734–1815), his third cousin. They had eight children: Susannah Wedgwood (3 January 1765 – 1817) married Robert Darwin and became the mother of the English naturalist Charles Darwin.

At Wedgwood, our fine bone china and tableware is known around the world for its super quality and absolutely exquisite design.

Josiah Wedgwood

One of the children of that marriage, Charles Darwin, also married a Wedgwood – Emma, Josiah’s granddaughter. Robert’s inheritance of Josiah’s money enabled him to fund Charles Darwin’s chosen vocation in natural history that resulted in the inception of Darwin’s theory of evolution.

In 1787, Clarkson and Sharp were instrumental in forming the Committee for the Abolition of the African Slave Trade. Many of the other members were Quakers. The Committee helped to persuade the member of parliament William Wilberforce to take up the abolitionist cause.

In 1787, entrepreneurial potter Josiah Wedgwood (1730 – 1795) produced a ceramic medallion in support of the abolition of the slave trade. A forerunner of the protest badge, Wedgwood’s anti-slavery medallions were distributed for free at abolitionist society meetings to promote the cause.