World of Wedgewood

About

For over 300 years, Stoke-on-Trent has been shaped by its role in the pottery industry, building a world-renowned reputation for ceramic production and gaining the nickname ‘The Potteries’ in the process. At the forefront of the city’s drive to revolutionise European pottery in the eighteenth century was the ceramicist and industrialist Josiah Wedgewood, founder of the Wedgewood company. The V&A Wedgewood Collection, held by the World of Wedgewood, has been inscribed onto UNESCO’s Memory of the World register, an initiative which was launched to safeguard the documentary heritage of humanity. The archive holds more than 100,000 documents and manuscripts and is an invaluable historical resource, providing a comprehensive insight into industry, fashion, style and marketing. Over 3,500 objects are on display in the galleries, including the Portland Vase, which is considered one of the greatest technical achievements of Josiah Wedgewood’s ceramic career.