| THE WEDGWOOD/CLOWES HERITAGE |
| THE CONCEPTUAL BASIS FOR JUBILEE BRAND TERRACOTTA POTTERY AND RANTERS GLAZES stems from the historical/inspirational link with the Primitive Methodists, or Ranters, as they were known. The word Ranter was first associated with English potter, William Clowes, one of the founders of the Primitive Methodist Church in 1811. William Clowes (1780-1851), son of Samuel Clowes, potter, and Ann, daughter of Aaron Wedgwood, was born at Burslem, Staffordshire, England, on March 12 1780, and was apprenticed at age 10 to the trade of potter, with uncle Joseph Wedgwood. William Clowes died on March 2 1851. A man of strong common sense and great mental powers he is remembered as the co-founder of the Primitive Methodist Church in 1811. But the historical heritage extends even further back. Josiah Wedgwood (1730-1795) was the most brilliant member of a family of potters that stretched back through four generations to 1588 (Gilbert Wedgwood 1588-1678). Josiah was born in 1730 at Burslem, England, where the family works had been located by the Wedgwood family since 1656; setting up his own company in 1759. Josiah Wedgwood died in 1795 and is remembered as the "father of English potters". He bore by royal grant of Queen Charlotte, the title of "Queen's Potter" (as a result of developing a clay body with a "Rich and Brilliant Glaze" in 1763 which was permitted to be named Queen's Ware). Josiah Wedgwood and William Clowes have a common ancestor, Gilbert Wedgwood of Biddulph, with Josiah being a direct descendant from the Burslem and later Etruria family tree while William was descended via the Aaron Wedgwood branch also known as the Wedgwood of the Red Lion and Big house. This branch of the family was associated with the Elers Brothers who were potters around 1600 being immigrants from Holland and it was from this branch, that Richard Wedgwood, ultimately Josiah Wedgwood's father-in-law, and his daughter Sarah (of Spen Green, Cheshire) were also descended. (Josiah Wedgwood married Sarah Wedgwood in 1764). Susannah, Josiah's eldest daughter was Charles Darwin's mother. William Clowes, (1780-1851), the father of Primitive Methodism was a contemporary of Charles Darwin (1809-1822), the father of evolution, both being descended via their respective mothers from Gilbert Wedgwood of Dale Hall, Master Potter of Burslem. The ancient and noble craft of potting has changed very little from when William Clowes became an original Ranter or Primitive Methodist. After two centuries, the traditions of pottery and Primitive Methodism are found together in the form of JUBILEE BRAND Pottery and the use of ranters specialised evolution glazes. The depth of colour, clean lines and stunning decorations are reflections of the spirit of the lives of the founders of Primitive Methodism. |
| jubilee brand ceramic quilting roundels |
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