Josiah Wedgwood

Josiah Wedgwood not only transformed the manufacture of pottery and the methods of its distribution but also revolutionised industry generally. He originated mass-production to increase efficiency and reduce waste, thus providing a product that more people could afford, and pioneered techniques of salesmanship, attracting the custom of royalty and maintaining the same standard in all his ware. He treated his employees with benevolence, introducing unprecedented methods. Despite having a leg amputated at the prime of life, Wedgwood nonetheless continued to devote his attention to his diverse interests and to the industry of which he was the founding father.