THE WOOD FAMILY OF BURSLEM THE EDITION OF THIS WORK IS UMITED TO FOUR HUNDRED ANO FIFTY COPIES 1-ItrnrBRAs. 't.J' l • ~-i. I I :ilJ:l. (p. 1:3) Staner co//. THE WOOD FAMILY OF BURSLEM A BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF THOSE OF ITS MEMBERS WHO WERE SCULPTORS MODELLERS AND POTTERS BY FRANK FALKNER WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY WILLIAM BURTON M.A. LONDON CHAPMAN & HALL LIMITED 1912 COPYRIGHT ALL RIGHTS RESERVED PREFACE TZ THILE no doubt it must be conceded even by enthusiasts that VV the Productions described and illustrated in the following pages come into the category of the minor arts, nevertheless as a chapter in the develoJ,ment of the Portrayal of the human figure the results acliieved by the potters of Staffordshire are by no means to be altogether ignored. No writer upon the subject of English Earthenware, Busts and Statuettes can justifiably deny his tribute of praise to the craftsmanship of John Dwight of Fulham,· the important Position accorded to his work by the authorities of the British Museum and by those of the Victoria and Albert Museum show at once a just apprecia­ ti<m of this great seventeenth century sculptor-Potter, and Sir Arthur Church has not considered unworthy of his research the field of Dwight's labours, a field in which he has been rewarded by further important finds since he Published his monograph upon the subject. That the Ralph Woods should have pursued this Particularly attractive branch of A rt is not surprising, though most sincere collectors of their Productions would frankly admit that, while the originality of their .figures is delightful, the satisfactory effect of their work is indebted in a large measure to the re.fined scheme of d~cora­ tion they adoJ,ted in the aPPlication of their fascinating coloured glazes. That the mantle of the modeller and sculptor should have descended upon Enoch Wood was only natural, and although greater achieve­ ments have been attained by those whose designs and thoughts have been chiselled in marble or moulded in bronze, few men have been able to afford Pleasure to a wider circle of patrons than he whose genius expressed itself in the forms of Staffordshire Pottery. His statuettes and busts have been and will be found amongst our household gods for generations. His memory as a local historian and antiquarian is still green, and Burslem, his native town, was keenly alive to the merits of her son when she universally accorded him the affectionate title of '' The Father of the Potteries. " To certain branches of the early earthenware of Staffordshire the term ''Peasant Pottery ,, has been aPPlied and more Particularly to B vii PREFACE the so-called u SliP " Dishes and Posset Pots and to the Statuettes and Groups. Recent research., however., has brought to the minds of some collectors the conviction that sufficient credit has not been accorded to the designers and decorators of these Productions. It is Possible that an examination of the wonderful collection of fine ''Slip" Dishes recently displayed at the Whitworth Institute in Manchester may have led to the conclusion that the invention and decorative ability displayed by these seventeenth and eighteenth century potters must have been devoted to patrons above the station of peasants. In all Probability the master Potters in many instances manu­ factured the dishes not for use, but as tributes to the landowners from whose clay these decorative objects were made., and considering the means at their disJ; ..-,sal for carrying out their designs., the effects achieved were of much distinction and of no little artistic merit­ indeed they were the unconscious exponents of a powerful impressionist school. The Potters of the early eighteenth century assuredly did not design statuettes from the classics for the cottagers., and although it is well known that many objects were made for these worthy folk, a higher Purpose must have been intended for a large Portion of their Productions. That the native genius and artistic faculties of those men whose work is referred to in this book should receive a due meed of Praise has been the chief object of my efforts. In the course of this work which has Pleasantly occupied my leisure hours during many years,, I have been indebted to the following friends for valuable help and encouragement-Sir Arthur Church., K.C. V.O.; Mr. William Burton., M.A.; Dr. Sidebotham of Bowdon; the late Mr. John Baddeley Wood of Henley Hall, Ludlow; Mr. Arthur H. E. Wood of Browhead., Windermere; Captain R. B. Wood.,· Mr. J. .M. Wood; Mr. Josiah Wedgwood., M.P.; Mr. George Hammersley.,· Mr. Percy W. L. Adams.,· Mr. George Stoner.,· Mr.· P. Entwistle.,· Mr. Edward Sheldon.,· Mr. Ben H. Mullen, M.A.,· Mr. Charles Falkner; Mr. George F. Falkner; and to the authorities of the British and the Victoria and Albert Museums. For this assistance so willingly rendered I desire to accord my grateful thanks. FRANK FALKNER Hillside Bowdon,, Cheshire viii CONTENTS Page .. .. PREFACE • • . • • . v11-v111 . LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS . • Xl•XlV ... INTRODUCTION . • . • • xv-xv111 CHAPTER I Burslem: Historical Sketch . • . • I CHAPTER II The Wood Family . • . • • • 6 CHAPTER III The Work of the Ralph Woods • • • 9 CHAPTER IV Aaron Wood. • • 21 CHAPTER V Liverpool and the Potteries • • • 31 CHAPTER VI Enoch Wood: The Busts of Wesley, Statuettes, &c. • • • 38 CHAPTER VII Enoch Wood: His public activities • • 61 CHAPTER VIII Enoch Wood: Extracts from his diaries • 71 CHAPTER IX Enoch Wood: His productions • • • Bo CHAPTER X Enoch Wood: 1834-1840 . • • • 96 APPENDIX A List of the Mould or Subject Numbers of the Ralph Wood Productions • • • 103 APPENDIX B Index to the Collection of Items of Interest relating to Burslem . • . • 106 APPENDIX C Alphabetical list of names appearing on Enoch Wood's Map of Burslem . • 111 INDEX . • • • • • ll3 GENEALOGICAL TABLE • • • facing 118 ix LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS The figures in parentheses inserted after the Illustration No. thus Illustration No. 4 ( p. 4) refer to that page of the book upon which the Illustration thus referenced is described Hudibras . • Frontispiece Map of Burslem . page XX Falstaff Toby Jug . • facinc page I St. John's Church, Burslem pace 2 St. Paul's Church, Burslem pace 3 First Town Hall, Burslem . Plate I Illustration No. 4 Second Town Hall, Burslem pace 4 Third Town Hall, Burslem . Plate I Illustration No. 6 Pedlar carrying Crate of Pottery (Tail piece). page 5 Ralph Wood of Cheddleton . • Plate II Illustration No. 8 John Wood of Brownhills . II 9 Brownhills . II IO Mrs. John Baddeley . III II John Wedgwood of Signal End III 12 Thomas Wedgwood of The Big House • III 13 The Big House, Burslem (Tailpiece) • pace 8 John Voyez . Plate Illa Illustration No. 13a Old Age . IV 14 Haymakers . IV 15 The Vicar and Moses IV 16 The Parson and Clerk IV 17 Toby Fillpot . V IS Toby Fillpot with Cartouche V 19 Falstaff Jug . V 20 Bacchus Jug . V 21 Sailor Jug . V 22 Lord Howe Jug . V 23 " Diogenes looking for a Honest Man ,, VI 24 Group, " Flute Player " • VI 25 Group, '' Bird Cage '' VI 26 St. George and the Dragon VI 27 Group, traditionally known as " Ralph Wood and his Son" . VII 28 Jupiter • VIII 29 Minerva . • VIII 30 Neptune . • VIII 31 Venus . • • VIII 32 Roman Charity • IX 33 Charity . • • • • • • IX 34 Charity • IX 35 xi LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Illuatration Plate No. Alderman Beckford • . IX 36 Benj. Franklin . IX 37 Van Tromp . IX 38 Diana . • . X 39 Spanish Dancer . X 40 Spanish Dancer . X 41 Spanish Dancer . X 42 Gamekeeper . • . XI 43 Satyr Head Mask Cup and Jugs . XI 44-45-46 Shepherdess . XII 47 Lost Sheep . XII 48 Shepherd . XII 49 Shepherdess . XII 50 Shepherd . XII SI Musicians . XII sz-53-54 Cupid on a Lion . XII 55 Cupid on a Lioness . XII 56 Elijah . XII 57 Lost Piece . XII 58 Peasant at Prayer . XII S9 Lion . XIII 60 Goat . XIII 61 Ram . XIII 6z Squirrels . XIII 63-64 Bull Baiting . XIII 65 Elephant . XIII 66 Seated Stag . XIII 67 Pointer and Setter . XIV 68 Series of Animals . xv 69 The Seasons and Sphinx xv 70 Gardeners and Shepherdesses XVI Admiral Rodney . XVI 7I Three Grooms Drinking . XVII 7z Jack on a Cruise . XVIII 73 Patricia and her Lover . XVIII 74 Patricia . XIX 75 Lover . XIX 76 Paris and <Enone • . xx 77 Nymph piping to a dancing Faun . xx 78 Child riding a Lion and nursing a Lamb . XXI 79 Milton . XXI So Fair Hebe Jug . XXI SI Shakespeare Medallions . XXII Sz-83 Sir Isaac Newton • . XXII 84 Chaucer . • . XXII 85 Heirloom Jug (front and base) . XXII 86-86a Dolphin Flower Holders and Vase . XXIII 87 .. .xii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS I llustra.tion Plate No. Set of Vases in green glaze XXIII 88 Aaron Wood XXIV 89 Pew Group XXV 90 Camel Teapot . XXV 91 Soup Tureen XXV 92 Pitcher block of Teapot XXV 93 Teapot . XXV 94 Aaron Wood's Signature from Pitcher block page 24 Salt-Glaze Dish . XXVI 96 William Wood's Box XXVI 97 Salt-Glaze Bottle XXVI 98 Group of the Caddick Family XXVII 99 Richard Caddick XXVII IOO Thomas Bentley XXVII IOI Richard Chaffers XXVIII 102 Richard Caddick XXVIII 103 Mrs. Proudlove . XXVIII 104 Enoch Wood (by Andrews) XXIX 105 Mrs. Enoch Wood (by Andrews) XXX 106 Enoch Wood (Portrait on a Transfer Tile) . XXX 107 Plaque of Wood Arms . XXXI 108 Bust of Enoch Wood, Junr. (back view) XXXI 109 Bust of Enoch Wood, Junr. (front view) XXXI IIO The Descent from the Cross XXXII III Medallion (front) XXXIII II2 Medallion (back) XXXIII 113 Dr. Adam Clarke XXXIII 114 City Road Bust of Wesley .