Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1892-10-26
Josiah WedgWOOd.

youngest of thirteen children, and
came of IA family that had been
potters for generations.
Burslem was noted at an early
date for the variety, in kind and in
quality, Of the clay beds that spread
round about the town in every di-
rection. And naturally the little
hamlet became the center of the
trade and won the name of Mother
of Potteries in England.
When little Josiah was old enough
to stumble along the rough paved
streets, the Wedgwoods were among
the leading potters in the kingdom.
We may be sure that clay was
the earliest plaything in his chubby
little hands, and that the vicinity
of the works became his earliest
playground.
In due time Josiah was appren-
ticed to his brother Thomas in the
old Churchyard Works, that for
generations had been in procession
of the Wedgwood family. In due
time, also, Josiah became a master
workman and a thorough one, as
after results proved true. In that
good old time a man was in honor
bound to master his trade, to be-
gin at the bottom rung of the lad
der and mount step by step. We
may be very sure that young Jasiah
did not indulge in any leaps or skips
or scrambles, but reached the top
by patient climbing. Had he dis
played any such erratic haste his
bequest to prosperity would have
been one of many rough stones in
the little Burslem churchyard.
The will is not lacking to follow
Wedgwood's course in all its varied
details, but, alas, the days are not
so long now as in the happy vanish
ed Past, and we are breathlessly
carried to the date of his first great
discovery or invention. This oc-
cured in 1862. At this date at the
Bell Works i'll Burslem, Wedge
wood, after many experiments, pro-
duced new ware that was far su-
perior to any then manufactured.
1t was of fine cream color, thin
and delicate, having Il high glaze,
and was decorated with flowers in
high relief and painted in natural
colors.
Overjoyed at the beauty of this
new production, and knowing the
full value of royal recognition,
Wedgwood Immediately ordered a
breakfast or caudle service to be
made with the utmost care, which,
after being decorated by such artists
as Thomas Daniel and Daniel
Steele, was presented to Queen
Charlotte, and 'by her was gra-
ciously received"
Indeed, so charmed was her ma
jesty with this production of the
potter's wheel, which advanced far
beyond all others in the kingdom,
that she was pleased to order an
entire table service. This was no
mean triumph for Wedgwood, for he
was now permitted to style himself
"Her Maiesty's Potter"
The patterns of this set were sub
mitted to the queen and were zap
proved, with the exception of the
plates, which were of the common
bar ley corn" patterns then making
by all salt glaze manufacturers
Her majesty objected to the rough
ness of the BARLEY corn" work, as
it is called, and therefore this part
was made plain; on the edge was
left only the bands marking the
conterpartments; and being approx
ed by her majesty the pattern was
called "Queen's ware
Such was the origin of the fam
Gus Queens ware," with which we
each have at least bowling ac-
quaintance, if we are not upon terms
of kettledrum intimacy.
Wedgwood's inventions did not
cease with the production of this
beautiful cream ware, far as that
was III advance OF all competitors.
Four years later he produced his
famous basalts, possessing the pro-
perities of resisting hard fire and
acids, and Of receiving a high polish.
From its black hue it was called
ware. The same year he
to the town of Shelton
and established his new works,
which he named "Etruria."
The first pieces made here were
three vases, thrown" by the great
Josiah himself, and formed after
Etruscan models. They were dec
GRATED in that style with figures of
g. NHerculos and his oop,non;ons -,