Josiah Wedgwood

Happy Birthday Josiah Wedgwood!! The English potter, born in 1730, was the grandfather to the naturalist Charles Darwin (Origin of Species). He began at an early age apprenticed to his older brother at the Churchyard Pottery. He suffered from polio and at age 12 lost his leg making it impossible to push the foot pedal on the potter’s wheel. Wedgwood spent his time studying and working on the design and industrialization of pottery. His workshop eventually became the first true pottery factory. He is credited with the famed “Wedgwood” china design  which is a matte, jasper (blue) base with white sculpted relief (usually Greek or Roman mythical scenes) overlay.