Researching Josiah Wedgwood

The renewed classical enthusiasms of the late 1760s and early 1770s were of major importance to his sales promotion. His expensive goods were in much demand from the upper classes, while he used emulation effects to market cheaper sets to the rest of society. Every new invention that Wedgwood produced – green glaze, creamware, black basalt, and jasperware – was quickly copied. Having once achieved efficiency in production, he obtained efficiencies in sales and distribution. His showrooms in London gave the public the chance to see his complete range of tableware.

Wedgwood's company never made porcelain during his lifetime, but specialised in fine earthenwares and stonewares that had many of the same qualities, but were considerably cheaper. He made great efforts to keep the designs of his wares in tune with current fashion. He was an early adopter of transfer printing which gave similar effects to hand-painting for a far lower cost. Meeting the demands of the consumer revolution that helped drive the Industrial Revolution in Britain, Wedgwood is credited as a pioneer of modern marketing. He pioneered direct mail, money back guarantees, self-service, free delivery, buy one get one free, and illustrated catalogues.

A prominent abolitionist fighting slavery, Wedgwood is remembered too for his Am I Not a Man And a Brother? anti-slavery medallion. He was a member of the Darwin–Wedgwood family, and he was the grandfather of Charles and Emma Darwin.

Josiah and his brother Thomas gave their friend Samuel Taylor Coleridge a life annuity of £150, with the goal of freeing Coleridge from financial worries and the need to support himself by noncreative work, so that he could pursue his literary and philosophical interests. This was offered in January 1798, and accepted by Coleridge, who was then a probationary minister in the Unitarian Church, with the condition he discontinued in the ministry.

In 1807, Wedgwood bought Maer Hall in Staffordshire and his family lived there until his death in 1843.

Wedgwood was responsible for the Wedgwood Company's first bone china wares.

Wedgwood married Elizabeth Allen (1764–1846) and they had four sons and five daughters, two of whom married their first cousins, the offspring of Robert Darwin and Susannah Wedgwood:

* Sarah Elizabeth Wedgwood (1793-1880)* Josiah Wedgwood III (1795–1880); married his cousin Caroline Darwin, sister of Charles Darwin.* Mary Anne Wedgwood (1796-1798) died as an infant.* Charlotte Wedgwood (1797–1862); married Charles Langton (1801–1886) in 1832. After her death Charles Langton remarried her cousin Emily Catherine Darwin, daughter of Robert Darwin, sister of Charles Darwin.* Henry Allen Wedgwood (1799–1885) married secondly his cousin Jessie Wedgwood, daughter of John Wedgwood (1766–1844).* Francis "Frank" Wedgwood (1800–1888)* Hensleigh Wedgwood (1803–1891)* Frances (Fanny) Wedgwood (1806-1832)* Emma Wedgwood (1808–1896); married her cousin Charles Darwin, son of Robert Darwin.

Wedgwood was one of seven children of Josiah Wedgwood IV (later Lord Wedgwood) and The Hon. Ethel Kate Bowen, daughter of Sir Charles Bowen, 1st Baron Bowen. He was the great-great-great-grandson of the potter Josiah Wedgwood. His sister was the anthropologist Camilla Wedgwood.

He married Dorothy Mary Haskins in 1919 in Holborn and they had three children:

* Dr John Wedgwood (1919–2007), CBE, MD, FRCP* Josiah Wedgwood VI, Ralph J.P. Wedgwood, MD (born 1924)* Jennifer Wedgwood (1927–1992)

He succeeded his uncle Francis Hamilton Wedgwood as managing director on his uncle's death in 1930. Wedgwood modernised production and reinvigorated Wedgwood designs by the employment of artists such as John Skeaping, Keith Murray, Arnold Machin and Eric Ravilious. After his retirement in 1961, Arthur Bryan (later Sir) became managing director.

Wedgwood was the eldest son of Josiah Wedgwood II and his wife Elizabeth Allen. He was born nine days after the death of his grandfather. He was taken into the 1823 partnership in the Wedgwood business by his father and was employed there until 1842 when he retired to Leith Hill Place in Surrey.

He married his cousin Caroline Darwin (1800–1888), the daughter of Robert Darwin and Susannah Wedgwood, the sister of Charles Darwin. They had four daughters, one of whom died in infancy:

* Sophia Mary Ann Wedgwood (1838–1839) died in infancy.* Sophy Wedgwood (1842–1911)* Margaret Susan Wedgwood (1843–1937), married The Reverend Arthur Vaughan Williams and their son was the composer Ralph Vaughan Williams.* Lucy Caroline Wedgwood (1846–1919)