The ceramic art of Great Britain from pre-historic times down to the present day, Volume 2 (of 2) : $b being a history of the ancient and modern pottery and porcelain works of the kingdom and of their productions of every classJewitt, Llewellynn Frederick William
History
The ceramic art of Great Britain from pre-historic times down to the present day, Volume 2 (of 2) : $b being a history of the ancient and modern pottery and porcelain works of the kingdom and of their productions of every class
Jewitt, Llewellynn Frederick William
Pottery, British -- History
_The Churchyard Works._--The Churchyard Works, at the house adjoining
which Josiah Wedgwood was born, and where he was apprenticed to his
brother Thomas, form the north-east boundary of the “churchyard” of
the old church at Burslem. Since that time they have naturally been
much altered and enlarged, but the site is the same, and some of the
buildings now there are what stood and were used in his day. The house
in which he was born, taken down many years ago, stood near where
the present slip-house stands, but its site has since been occupied
by fresh buildings. New hovels and other buildings have, of late
years, been added to the establishment, which is now a very complete
and commodious manufactory. These works, for several generations,
belonged to the Wedgwoods, and are described in 1698 as belonging to
Thomas Wedgwood, “of the Churchyard House,” to whom they appear to
have passed on his father’s death, who was also a potter. His son
Thomas, eldest brother of Josiah, inherited this property on his
father’s death in 1739, and three years later, on his marriage with
Isabel Beech, by marriage settlement dated 12th of October, 1742 (in
which he is described as Thomas Wedgwood, of the Over House, Burslem,
Potter), “the messuage, with the appurtenances situate and adjoining
the churchyard, Burslem, and all outhouses, _work_ houses, &c., then
in the occupation of the said Thomas Wedgwood, or his under tenants,”
were settled upon the children of this marriage. On the death of Thomas
Wedgwood, in 1772, this and other property descended to his son Thomas,
of the Over House, subject to portions to his younger children, under
the settlement of 1742. The works were for some time carried on, along
with the “Bell Works” and “Ivy House Works,” by Josiah Wedgwood. On his
removal to Etruria, they were occupied by his second cousin, Joseph
Wedgwood (brother of Aaron, and nephew of the Aaron Wedgwood who was
partner with William Littler in the first manufacture of porcelain in
the district), who lived at the house now the Mitre Hotel, near the
works. This Joseph Wedgwood, who made jasper and other fine bodies
under the direction of and for Josiah, occupied the works until the
time of their sale to Mr. Green, when he removed to Basford Bank.
About 1780 “the Churchyard premises were sold to Josiah Wedgwood,
then of Etruria, who in 1787 conveyed them to his brother John, also
of Etruria, who in 1795 sold them to Thomas Green, at which time two
newly-erected houses near the potwork were included in the sale.”
Mr. Green manufactured earthenware at these works, and for some time
resided at the house near the works, now known as the Mitre Hotel,
which had been built by one of the Wedgwood family. The property
remained in Thomas Green’s hands until his bankruptcy in 1811, when it
appears to have been purchased by a manufacturer named Joynson, from
whom it passed, some years later on, to Mr. Mosely. While in his hands,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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