CHAPTER VIII 



WEDGWOOD APPOINTED QUEEN'S POTTER 



IN the course of Wedgwood's business connected with 

 the construction of the Grand Trunk Canal, he had 

 frequent opportunities of meeting the Duke of Bridge- 

 water, the proprietor of the Bridgewater Canal between 

 Manchester and Liverpool. On the 6th of July 1765, 

 he wrote to John Wedgwood, then his London agent, 

 as follows : 



" I have been waiting upon his Grace the Duke of 

 Bridgewater with plans respecting inland navigation. 

 Mr. Sparrow went along with me. We were most 

 graciously received ; we spent about eight hours in his 

 Grace's company, and had all the assurances of his 

 concurrence in our designs that we could wish. His 

 Grace gave me an order for the completest set of table 

 service of cream-colour that I could make. 'He showed 

 us a Roman urn, 1500 years old at least, made of red 

 china, which had been found by his workmen in Castle 

 Field, near Manchester. After his Grace had dismissed 

 us, we had the honour and pleasure of sailing on his 



