V&A Wedgwood Collection Archives

The Wedgwood papers form a vital primary source for research into the history of the Josiah Wedgwood and Sons firm, their famous wares, the manufacture of pottery and the Wedgwood family and their associates, forming a uniquely rich archive of the pottery industry. However, the material ranges far beyond the subject of the production of pottery. The commercial success of Josiah Wedgwood (1730-1795) made him a national figure and he and his children numbered many distinguished people among their circle including their relations the Darwin family, artists (George Stubbs, John Flaxman, Joseph Wright of Derby), writers (Coleridge, Wordsworth, Harriet Martineau, Mrs. Gaskell), scientists and Lunar Society Members (Joseph Priestley, Matthew Boulton, James Watt, Humphrey Davy, Erasmus Darwin, Sir Joseph Banks, Lavoisier, John Whitehurst) and intellectuals such as Sir James Mackintosh. Many of their letters are included in the accumulation, in one or two cases the largest quantities known to survive in one place.

The single most important element of the Wedgwood accumulation is the voluminous correspondence of Josiah Wedgwood with his partner and mentor, Thomas Bentley (1730-1780). Approximately 900 letters survive from Wedgwood to Bentley covering a wide range of subjects. Close details of the day-to-day running of the factory and business affairs jostle with local and national politics, the arts, science and family matters. Here is to be found material on such much matters as the Duke of Bridgewater's scheme for the Trent and Mersey Canal in which Wedgwood was actively involved, on humanitarian movements, American independence, questions of finance, medical treatment and friendly societies. Josiah I was a committee mamber of the Society for the Abolition of the Slave Trade and material relating to his involvement survives. The archive contains a wealth of information for the economic and business historian being rich in order books, vouchers, ledgers, material concerned with the workforce and its organisation, scientific and technical information and business correspondence.

The Mosley Collection: Named after the late Mrs William E Mosley who preserved the papers together with her father Godfrey Wedgwood. The records relate to the family and firm and date from the mid 18th century to the early 20th century. The family papers include correspondence, accounts, deeds, legal papers, probate records, papers relation to private and public office, charity, political papers, estate administration, printed materials and maps, household management, manorial records, ecclesiastical other than the Church of England, miscellaneous. The Business records include correspondence and related papers, accounts, estate administration, deeds, legal papers, welfare, printed materials, and miscellaneous papers.

The Etruria and Liverpool Collections: The collections demonstrate the evolution of the business from family to factory. The Etruria part represents those manuscripts which have remained on familiar territory (residences, factories, showrooms). It includes many original out-letters, some from Josiah Wedgwood (1730-1795) which have been returned to the collection. The Liverpool part was reunited with Etruria in 1973 and retains its separate identity and references. The family papers include personal correspondence, diaries, personal accounts, household accounts, financial arrangements, probate records. The family/factory papers include evidence of title, articles of partnership, legal papers, estate administration, experimentation (scientific work). The factory papers include personnel records, business correspondence, catalogues, internal circulars, production, services, distribution, celebrated works, visitors to the factory, political papers, private and public office, parish, charities, the postal service, maps and plans, and printed materials.

The Barlaston Papers: not only documentation relating to the construction of the new Wedgwood works but also an immense amount of material relating to the working conditions, war time restrictions and unrivalled details relating to both social and working conditions. The manuscripts provide a unique opportunity to evaluate the importance of the factory construction much of which was greatly influenced by the impending hostilities of World War II as well as the latter years of the twenieth century.

When Josiah Wedgwood I died in 1795, his sons Josiah II, John Wedgwood and nephew Tom Byerley formed the partnership of Wedgwood & Byerley, as the company was then known. Despite excellent performance at the beginning of the century, the trade which Josiah and Bentley had built up with Europe and America began to suffer from past and imminent wars and revolution. Matters were not helped by the financial profligacy of John Wedgwood. An innovation for the company was underglaze blue printed ware, including a pattern called Ferrara. However, Wedgwood was tending to follow in others' footsteps and the factory did not make consistent profits until the 1830s.

In the early 1840s both Josiah Wedgwood II and Josiah III retired, leaving Josiah IIIs son Frank in sole control of the company. In 1850 Frank passed ownership of Wedgwood to his three sons - Godfrey, Clement and Laurence. This period was to see the company flourish once again. The trio concentrated on producing Jasper and some of the other bodies developed by Josiah Wedgwood, reintroduced bone china, added Majolica and worked to increase their exports to America. They also employed the artist Emile Lessore to decorate their wares and recruited Thomas Allen who was to head the design studio. In 1878, Wedgwood first used the Portland Vase mark in backstamps. Towards the end of the century, Godfrey, Clement and Laurence retired, passing their shares in the business to their sons - Cecil, Francis Hamilton and Kennard.

The dawn of the 20th century brought with it the Boer War, which took both Frank (Francis) and Cecil away from the business. Kennard left to set up a sales branch in the United States, so these were hard years. Josiah Wedgwood & Sons Ltd benefited from a revival of neo-classicism in the early 1910s, which brought its elegant, unfussy tableware designs, Jasper and Black Basalt back into favour. An important ovation before the outbreak of the First World War was the development of ' powder' blue grounds, still used today. Under the design direction of John Goodwin, who replaced Thomas Allen in 1904, the factory fostered the talents of some very gifted paintresses at Etruria. Among these were Millicent Taplin, Star Wedgwood and Daisy Makeig-Jones. It was just before the Great War that the first Wedgwood lustre ware appeared, developed by William Burton. It was this new development which was to prove the forte of the paintress and designer, Makeig-Jones. Her ' Fairyland Lustre' and ' Dragon Lustre' fine bone china proved immensely popular right up to the early 1930s, and these striking ornamental pieces are now highly collectable

Josiah V undertook a wide-ranging review of the pottery industry as a result of which he instigated a major modernisation programme to raise standards even higher, and recruited Victor Skellern to replace John Goodwin, who retired in 1934. Goodwin had sought out several artists and designers, including Keith Murray and John Skeaping, who were to produce exceptional designs for the company. Victor Skellern maintained this tradition. During his three decades with Wedgwood, he introduced such celebrated artists as Whistler, Clare Leighton, Laura Knight, Bawden and Ravilious. Etruria had been steadily sinking due to mining subsidence, and it was clear that the factory's days were numbered. In 1930, the decision was taken to purchase an estate at Barlaston where a brand new factory could be built. Production began to move to Barlaston in 1940. Since Britain was again at war, innovation in the factory's wares had to be restricted to humble crockery for the armed forces and, later, ' utility' ware. When peace came, building at Barlaston could continue and, by 1950, all production had been transferred to Barlaston. The results of the move were all that could be hoped for. Production was more efficient and, most important of all, the quality of the ware coming out of the new factory was exceptional.

Throughout the 1950-60s, Wedgwood became increasingly successful both at home and abroad. The company expanded, opened many ' Wedgwood Rooms' within retail stores, and added a Canadian and Australian company to its other overseas subsidiary in America. (Another overseas subsidiary would later be created in Tokyo.) In 1961, Josiah V stepped down as Managing Director though he remained Chairman. His place was taken by Norman Wilson and Maitland Wright, both members of the extended Wedgwood family. Over the next decades, the foundations of Wedgwood as we know it today were being laid. Most notably, famous ceramics manufacturers such as Johnson Brothers, Mason's Ironstone and Coalport came into the Wedgwood Group.

The papers are arranged in four main parts according to their provenance: Liverpool, Etruria, Mosley and Barlaston.

Most materials are freely accessible. However, some archive material is subject to access restrictions under the relevant legislation, including the Data Protection Act (2018) and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and the Freedom of Information Act (2000). Decisions on access are taken by the Archive Team, in consultation with the V&A's Information Team. Through this, they seek to ensure a balance between access and safeguarding individuals' right to a private life.  

Uncatalogued material 

Where practicable, access is provided to uncatalogued collections. In the case of material likely to be covered by legislation, access restrictions may apply. 

Preservation

Access is withheld if an item is unfit to be handled. Where possible, arrangements are made to provide alternative means of accessing the item. This may include an Archive Team member handling the material in the reading room.

https://www.vam.ac.uk/archives/unit/ARC211036