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TheAncestryofWilliamClowesTranscriptionofSketchinthePrimitiveMethodistMagazinebyA.A.BirchenoughPart1ALTHOUGHbelongingtothepeople,theprincipalfoundersofthePrimitiveMethodistChurchwereproudoftheirdistinguishedforbears,andofthewealthyfamilieswithwhichtheywereconnected.Walford,whohadmarriedanieceofHughBourne’s,assertsthat“theancestorsoftheBournefamilywereNormans,andcameintoEnglandwithWilliamtheConqueror.TheysettledinNorthStaffordshire,wheretheirdescendants,bearingthenameofBourne,areverynumerous;buttheestatesobtainedbytheConquesthavelongpassedfromthefamily,andarenowinotherhands.”LorenzoDow,whosepreachingandwritingsinfluencedHughBournetoholdhisfirstCampMeetingontheCheshireslopesofMowHill,claimeddescentfromthesamefamilyofStaffordshireParkers,whosesonsbecameentitledastheEarlsofMacclesfield,andhaveplayedanimportantpartinEnglishnationallife.Onhismaternalside,WilliamCloweswasdescendedfromanoldanddistinguishedfamilywhoforseveralcenturieshadbeenresidentinNorthStaffordshire.Mrs.AnnClowes,themotherofthegreatevangelist,wasadaughterofMr.AaronWedgwood,whomClowesdescribesinhisinteresting“Journals”as“anextensivemanufacturerinthepotterydepartmentinconjunctionwithMr.WilliamLittler.”Theseco-partnerswerebrothers-in-law,forMr.AaronWedgwoodhadmarriedLittler’ssister.ThemotherofMrs.Cloweswasthedaughterofagentlemanpotter,whoresidedatamansionatBrownhills,midwaybetweenthetownsofBurslemandTunstall.ThefatherofWilliamCloweswasbytradeaworkingpotter.InhisearliestyearsSamuelCloweswasofareligiousturnofmind.Unfortunately,through“thereadingofaperniciousbook,andyieldingtotemptation,”hedepartedfromthepathoftherighteous.Allthroughhissubsequentlife,untiltheperiodofhislastillness,hewas“wildanddissipated,”whichproducedmuchsorrowinthefamilycircle,andwasagreattrialtohiswife.Insteadoftryingtoimprovehissocialsurroundings,andsecuringforhiswifethepositionwhichherbirthandfamilyconnectionsdemanded,hesurrenderedhimselftoalifeofprofligacyandindolence.AtthetimewhenSamuelClowes’wife’srelativeswerelivinginaffluence,andwereclassedwiththebestfamiliesresidentintheStaffordshirePotteries,he,throughhisdrinkinghabits,livedinaworkman’scottageinanobscurecourt,andneverrosehigherthanaworkingpotter.Shortlybeforehisdeathherepentedofhispast,andsoughtforgiveness.Notwithstandingthemoraldeteriorationofherhusband,Mrs.ClowesdidnotdisgracethehonourablenameoftheWedgwoods.Shepossessedstrongmentalpowers,andmanifestedanamiabledisposition.InearlylifeshehadbeenthoroughlyeducatedinthedoctrinesandpracticesoftheAnglicanChurch.ShewasastrangertosavingfaithandexperimentalreligionuntiltheconversionofhersonWilliam,throughwhoseinfluenceshefoundthePearlofgreatprice.

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AlthoughWilliamClowesinhisJournalsgivesseveralinterestingparticularsrespectinghisrelativesonhismother’sside,heisaltogetherreticentonthesubjectofhisfather’srelations.TheClowes’ofBurslemwerenotsonumerousnorsodistinguishedastheWedgwoods.Outofapublishedlistof“alltheinhabitantsofthetownofBurslem,”intheyear1750,thereisbutonehouseholderofthenameofClowes.Heisdescribedas“AaronClowesoftheTalbotAlehouseandsmithy.”ThereisnotadoubtbuthewasthegrandfatherofWilliamClowes.Intheyear1657aWilliamCloweswaschurchwardenofBurslemChurch,andin1742aThomasCloweswasalsochurchwarden.PossiblytheseBurslemresidentswerenumberedamongtheancestryofWilliamClowes,theevangelist.Burslem,thebirth-placeofWilliamClowes,isregardedasthemothertownoftheStaffordshirePotteries.ItoccupiesaforemostplaceintheearlierhistoryandmakingofPrimitiveMethodism.AtthepresenttimeitissurroundedwiththebusypotterytownsofTunstall,Hanley,Stoke-on-TrentandLongton.Onthefringeofthesepopuloustownsareanumberofcollieryandminingvillages,whicharecloselyconnectedwiththestapleindustryofthemothertown.Inthefirstdecadesoftheeighteenthcentury,andinthedaysofClowes’grand-parents,Burslemwasastragglingvillagecomposedofisolatedpotworksanddetachedcottagedwellingsfortheworkersinclay.Intheyear1750,Burslemhadapopulationofonly1,000inhabitants,anditwasknownas“TheLittleParish."Atthattimeithadonlyfiveshops,twoofwhichwereoccupiedbypurveyorsofmeat.IthadnoPostOffice,andtheweeklydeliveryoflettersweredistributedonaSabbathmorningbyanoldwoman,whobroughtthemfromNewcastle.Intheheartofthebusytownofto-day—withinastone‘sthrowfromClowes’birth-place—andonthesiteofthepresentTownHall,formerlystoodtheMay-pole,aroundwhichthe“JollyPotters”andtheirfamilieskepthighcarnival.Bullandbear-baitingandcock-fightingwereincludedintheroughpastimesinwhichthepeopleindulged.OnallsidesofBurslemvillageweredeepclay-pits,wherethepottersfromtimeimmemorialhaddugthenativeclayforthemanufactureoftheirrudeearthenware,andwheretheyhaddepositedtheirunsightlymoundsofpotworkers’rubbish,locallyknownas“shardrucks."Themanufactureofclayintoearthenwarevesselsisalmostasoldasthehumanrace.Inthedaysofman’sfirstneeds,drinkingcupsandhouseholdutensilswererudelyshapedofcoarseclayandhardenedinthesun.Withthedevelopmentofmind,andtheadvancementofcivilisation,societyhasoutgrowntheuseoftheclumsyvesselsofcoarseclayusedbyprimaevalman.Thehomelifeofthepeoplehascreatedademandfortheexquisitelybeautifulporcelainservicesandcostlyornamentsofearthenwareproduction.Theintroductionofthepotter’sartintothesolitudesofNorthStaffordshireislostinthemistsofantiquity.Accordingtotradition,potterywasmadeinNorthStaffordshireintheRomano-Britishperiod,andalsoinAnglo-Saxontimes.InthedaysoftheTudorsthemanufactureofbutterpotsbytheancestorsofWilliamCloweswasanimportantpartoftheBurslempotters’art.Intheyear1670,byActofParliament,theBurslempotterswererequiredtomakepotsofauniformsizeandthickness,whichwouldholdfourteenpoundsofbutter,andbesufficientlyhardsoasnottoimbibemoisture.ThesebutterpotswereextensivelyusedbythedairyfarmersofStaffordshireandDerbyshireinforwardingtheirbuttertotheLondonmerchants.Theywererequiredtobeofuniformsizetoavoidfalsepackingofthebutter,andtheyweretobenon-porous,becauseitwasthecommoncustomofthe“MoorlandishCheats"tosoakthevesselsinwater,andifpossiblethereby

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defraudthebuyerofthefullweightofbutter.Fromaninsignificantbeginning,datingfromprehistorictimes,whentheancientBritishfashionedfromclaytheirsepulchralurnsforreceivingtheashesoftheirsainteddead,theirdrinkingcupsandfooddishesfordomesticpurposesintheirhuts,andtheirincense-vesselsforthereligiousritesoftheirDruidicalgroveworship,thisinlandearthenwaremanufacturingdistricthasgraduallygrowninimportanceuntilithasbecomeparexcellence“ThePotteries”oftheworld.ThechiefreasonwhyBurslemandneighbourhoodbecamethecentreofthepotteryindustryisattributabletotheabundantsupplyofclayandcoal.Thewholedistrictaboundswithavarietyofbedsofclaysuitableforthemanufactureofearthenware.Coalwascheapandplentiful.Inthemiddleoftheeighteenthcenturyitcouldbepurchasedattherateofsixteenpenceperton.ItisgenerallybelievedthattheoriginalfamilyofWedgwoods,thematernalancestorsofWilliamClowes,belongedtothesequesteredhamletofWedgwood,locatedintheextensiveparishofWolstanton.WedgwoodisofBritishorigin,andsaidtobederivedfromWoden’sWood.ThefabulousdeityknownasWodenwastheMarsofthenortherncounties.TheearliestmemberoftheWedgwoodfamily,whosenameisrecordedinhistory,wasThomasDeWeggewood,who,intheyear1370,heldtheofficeoffrank-pledgeorhead-boroughofthehamletofWeggewood.AcenturylaterJohnWedgwood,ofBlcckwood,whoissaidtobe“descendedfromafamilythattookitsnamefromWedgwoodinWolstantonParishwhencetheycame,”marriedMary,heiressofMr.JohnShaw.HehadwithheraspatrimonytheextensiveestateofHarracles,inHortonParish,neartheStaffordshireMoorlandcapitalofLeek.Intheyear1563theirdescendant,JohnWedgwood,ofHarracles,wasappointedHighCollectorofSubsidy.HemarriedMary,daughterofMr.ThomasEgerton,“withwhomhehadpartofthemannour”ofHorton.Theyhadeightchildren,severalofwhommarriedintowealthyfamilies,oneofthedaughtersbeingunitedinmarriagetoadistinguishedLondongoldsmith.JohnWedgwood,thegrandsonofJohnWedgwood,ofBlackwood,marriedadaughterofSirThomasHazelrigg,ofMowseley.ThisladyoftitlewasthenieceofArthurHazelrigg,whowasoneofthefivefamouscommonersinwhomthegeneralshipwasinvestedbythenotoriousRumpParliament.Hewasimpeachedin1641-2,andtenyearslaterdiedwhileaStateprisonerinthegloomyTowerofLondon.Hudibrasrepresentshimas—

“Theactivestmemberofthefive,Aswellasthemostprimitive.”

Theireldestson,William,marriedthegrand-daughterofSirThomasBromley,ofHoltCastle,Denhighshire.Hisbrother,JohnWedgwood,marriedadaughterofSirCharlesWolsey,Baronet.OneofthedaughtersofthisunionwasmarriedtoJohnFenton,nephewofElijahFentonthecelebratedNorthStaffordshirepoet,andanotherdaughtermarriedDr.JohnAddenbrooke,DeanofLichfield.Abouttheyear1612,Gilbert,theyoungersonofRichardWedgwood,ofHarracles,andbrotherofJohnWedgwood,theHighCollectorofSubsidy,marriedMargaret,daughterandheiressofThomasDeBurslem,ofBurslem.TheBurslemswereanoldfamilyoflongstandingintheStaffordCounty.IntheearlieryearsoftheseventeenthcenturytheyownedthelargerportionofBurslem,andalsopossessedextensivelandsindifferentpartsofthePotteries.OneoftheearliestknownmembersofthisancientfamilywasJohnBurslem,ofDaleHall,whosenameappearsintheCourtRolls.Hewas

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appointedforemanoftheLeetJuryintheyears1563and1569.TheseCourts,whichhavebecomealmostobsolete,wereheldfortheelectionofofficersandthetrialofminoroffences.TheholdingofthisofficeprovesthatJohnBurslemwasagentlemanofwealth,positionandinfluence.FromthisunionofthefamilyoftheWedgwoodswiththeDeBurslems,thedistinctbranchesoftheWedgwoodsof“TheBigHouse,"the“Overhouse,“the“Churchyard,”the“GreatJosiahWedgwood,”andAnnWedgwood,themotherofWilliamClowes,aredescended.Forseveralgenerations,beforethebirthofWilliamClowes,hisancestorshadbeenextensivepottersandlargepropertyownersinBurslemanditsvicinity.TherewasagreattendencyfortheWedgwoodstointer-marrywiththeirrelatives.ItisaffirmedthatintheseventeenthcenturythatatleastonethirdoftheinhabitantsofBurslemvillageborethenameofWedgwood,andweredescendedfromthesamefamilyofWedgwoodhamlet.WilliamCloweswaswellacquaintedwithhisrelationshipwiththeWedgwoods,andwithfeelingsofpardonableprideherefersinhis“Journals”tohiskinshipwiththemembersofthisdistinguishedfamily.Hesays:“Messrs.ThomasandJohnWedgwood,cousinstoMr.AaronWedgwood,in1740builtthelargesthouseinBurslem,towhichwasgiventhenameoftheBigHouse.Theyalsointhat,townbuiltthefirstmanufactorywhichwasnotcoveredwiththatch.”Thesegentlemenofthe“BigHouse”werethesonsofAaronWedgwoodwhomarriedMaryHollins.ThisworthycouplewerethegrandparentsofWilliamClowes’mother.Thereisamelancholyinterestassociatedwiththem,fortheywerebothburiedonthesamedayandinthesamegraveintheBurslemChurchyard.Thetombisacostlyone,andissurroundedwithmassiveironrailingsseveralfeetinheight.Theinscriptionontheflattombstonereads:“TothememoryofAaronWedgwood,whodiedApril21st,aged77,andMaryhiswife,whodiedAprilthe22nd,aged76,andwerebothinterredAprilthe26th,1743.”WithintheenclosureisanothertombcontainingthemortalremainsofseveralmembersoftheirfamilyandtherelativesofWilliamClowes.Abouttheyear1740thetwobrothers,ThomasandJohnWedgwood,lefttheirfatherAaron’semployanlead-ore-glazepotters,andentereduponanotherdepartmentofsuperiorpotterymanufacture,knownasthewhitestoneware.Forsometimetheywereunsuccessfulintheirexperiments,andwereabouttoabandontheirprojectwhen,throughanaccidentalcircumstance,theywereencouragedtoproceed.Itappearsthat"thewaterwithwhichtheypreparedtheclaybecamehighlysaturatedwithsalt,owingtotheshardruckorrubbishfromtheirovensbeingplacedimmediatelyabovetheirwaterpool,andwhichrubbishcontainedmuchsalt.Therainpassingthroughtheshardrockdissolvedthesaltandcarrieditintothepool,whenceitgotintothebodyofthewareandinconjunctionwiththeflintandclaytogetherwiththelime,whichgenerallyadherestoflintstones,formedafusiblebodythatarrivedatastateofvitrificationwithalowerdegreeofheatthanwasrequisitetopreparethisbodyforthesaltglaze.Thisdiscoveryinducedthemtomakeanothertrialwithpurewater,andinthistheysucceededbeyondexpectation.”TheWedgwoodbrothersfolloweduptheirfortunatesuccessbybuildingalargepotterymanufactoryonanextensivescale,wheretheyhadagoodsupplyofwater.Atthetimeofitserectiontheenterprisingbrothersweresubjecttomuchjealousyandcarpingcriticismforhavingdaredtoerectamanufactorywhichwassomuchinadvanceofanyotherintheneighbourhood.ThiselaboratebuildingistheonereferredtobyWilliamClowesinhis“Journals”asthefirstpottery

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manufactoryerectedinBurslemthatwasnotcoveredwiththatch.Adjoiningtheirpottery,andfrontingSwanSquare,theybuiltasubstantialthree-storiedmansion,which,asClowessays,wasthelargesthouseinBurslem,andwasgenerallyknownbythenameofthe“BigHouse.”Thesegentlemen,havingsecuredalargecompetenceastheresultoftheircommercialintegrity,wereenabledintheyear1763toretirefrombusiness.

ThebrothersWedgwoodwereprincelypotters,forinadditiontothe“BigHouse,”theyalsoownedthe“IvyHouse,”whichwassocalledbecauseitwascoveredwithaprofusionofivy.Itwasadouble-frontedhouse,standingbyitselfatthecornerofShoeLane,whichisnowknownasWedgwoodStreet.ItstoodinwhatwasthenthecentreofBurslemvillage,andoverlookedthegreen.Althoughthe“IvyHouse”wassmallerthanthe“BigHouse,”yetitwasconspicuouslylargeincomparisonwiththewood-and-plastercottagesthatsurroundedit.The“IvyHouse”andadjoiningworkswererentedbythegreatJosiahWedgwoodfromhisrelatives.Forafewyearsthe“IvyHouse”wasthehomeofMr.JosiahWedgwood.Tothisabodehebroughthisnewly-weddedbride,andcommencedhouse-keeping.TheIvy-Housepropertywaspurchasedinthe“thirties”bytheMarketCommissioners,andwaspulleddownfortheerectionofthepresentMarketHall.Mr.ThomasWedgwood,ofthe“BigHouse,”wasbornintheyear1703.Hemarriedhiscousin,thedaughterofDrThomasWedgwood.ThomasWedgwooddiedintheyear1776,andwasburiedinBurslemChurch.Theinscriptionuponhisgravestoneissomewhatsingular,forheisdescribedasthe

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“brotherof,”whichillustratesthepeculiaraffectionthatexistedbetweenthesetwomen.Itreads:“HereliesthebodyofThomas,brotherofJohnWedgwood,whodiedApril8th,1776.”

AaronWedgwoodthegrandfatherofWilliamClowes,wasbornintheyear1717.Hispartnerandbrother-in-law.Mr.WilliamLittlerwasthesonofagentlemanpotterwhoresidedatBrownhills,ontheoutskirtsofTunstall.Uponattaininghismajorityheinheritedasmalllandedestate.Abouttheyear1745hejoinedAaronWedgwoodasco-partnerinearthenwaremanufacture.Atthetimewhenthesuperior“China”warewasbeingsuccessfullymadeatChelsea,WorcesterandDerby,itsmethodofproductionwasasealedbooktothepottersofNorthStaffordshire.Messrs.WedgwoodandLittlerhavingnoticedthatinsomerespectsthefine“whitestonewareapproachedtoporcelain,”theycombinedtheirskillanddevotedtheirwealthtofindoutthesecretofmanufacturingwarewhichwouldresembleOrientalchina.Itissaidthattheirexperimentswereeminentlysuccessfulbothinthebodyofthewareandinthemethodofglazingit.Theyhavethehonourablepositionofbeingthefirstfirmofpotterswhousedthefluidglazebyimmersion.TheystartedapotteryforthemanufactureofchinaatLongtonHall.WilliamClowes,inhisautobiographyreferstothisexpensiveattemptonthepartofhisgrandfather‘andhispartner.Hesays:“In1750themanufactureofthewhitestonewarewascarriedtoahighstateofimprovement;andbythemafterwardsthefirstchina-warewasmadeatLongtonnearStoke.”Thesegentlemen,likeothermanufacturingexperimentersandpioneers,sacrificedtheirwealthbytheirinvestigations.Inlateryearstheyfoundthemselvesrichinpracticalexperience,butpoorinfinancialwealth.They,however,gainedthedistinctionofbeingthefirstmakersofchinaintheStaffordshirePotteries.Theycommunicatedtheirtradesecretsandinformationtotheirrelative,thegreatJosiahWedgwood,whogreatlybenefitedbytheirinvestigations.

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Ararespecimenofchinaorporcelainwarethatwasmanufacturedabouttheyear1754byWedgwoodandLittlerattheirLongtonworksisstillextant.AboutthemiddleofthenineteenthcenturyaMr.AaronWedgwood,whowasalinealdescendantfromClowes’grandfather,waslivingatTunstall.He,likehisfather,wasanartistconnectedwiththePotteries,andisdescribedas“amostworthyman.”

__________________________________________________________________________________ReferencesPrimitive Methodist Magazine 1902/13