The Wedgwood Family 



To return to the origin of the Wedgwoods as 

 potters. We find that Gilbert Wedgwood settled at 

 Burslem in 1612, and became the ancestor of a long 

 line of potters. He manufactured most of the varieties 

 of earthenware in ordinary use. The ware was of a 

 common description, mostly butter- pots, basins, jugs, 

 porringers, and such like. Timber or wooden ware, 

 for spoons and dishes, continued to be used. 



The best earthenware was imported from abroad, 

 mostly from Delft in Holland. The Staffordshire potters 

 tried to imitate the foreigners, and eventually succeeded. 

 Before long they equalled them, and obtained part 

 possession of the home market. Delft ware was manu- 

 factured in Burslem towards the end of the seventeenth 

 century. In 1691, one John Wedgwood made a Puzzle- 

 Jug in the style of Delft ware. It was called a 

 Puzzle-Jug, because it was so contrived with perfora- 

 tions in various parts of the jug, that it was almost 

 impossible to drink from it without spilling a portion. 

 There were imprinted on it the following lines : 



Here, gentlemen, come try your skill, 

 I'll hold a wager, if you will, 

 That you don't drink the liquor all, 

 Without you spill, or let some fall. 



The Wedgwoods continued to be potters, and their 

 numbers in Burslem increased. At the same time 

 they did not subsist entirely by the consumption of 

 their pottery ware. One of them, Dr. Thomas Wedg- 

 wood, at the end of the seventeenth century, combined 



