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  • NameEnoch Wood
  • Activity/Titleceramist
  • Sexmale
  • Variant namesEnoch Wood
  • Nationality/DatesBritish, dead 1840-01-17
  • PlacesPlace of birth: Burslem, England, Storbritannien
    Place of death: Burslem, England, Storbritannien
BiographyWood (iii).
English family of potters. After working for John Astbury and Thomas Whieldon, Ralph Wood the elder (b Burslem, 29 Jan 1715; d Burslem, 12 Dec 1772) started up on his own account at the Hilltop Factory in Burslem c. 1754, producing plain, salt-glazed figures. He developed a technique of staining lead glazes with metallic oxides, which, combined with his fine modelling, resulted in the creation of some fine, useful and decorative items (e.g. ‘Vicar and Moses’ figure, c. 1789–1801; Stoke-on-Trent, City Mus. & A.G.) and ‘Toby’ jugs. Ralph’s brother, Aaron Wood (b Burslem, 14 April 1717; d Burslem, 12 May 1785) was the most renowned block-cutter in Staffordshire and was reputed to have been a modeller for all the potteries in the county. His superb interpretation and skilled block-cutting gave enormous character to his figures. He was probably responsible for modelling the first, true ‘Toby’ jug—also known as a Twyford Jug or Step Toby—which his brother Ralph made famous. Ralph’s son Ralph Wood the younger (b Burslem, 22 May 1748; d Burslem, 5 Aug 1795) inherited his father’s factory and continued the established tradition. He also introduced the use of brighter enamels, which displaced the more beautiful coloured glazes and hence initiated the general degeneration in the quality of decoration. Fine modelling, graceful poses and touches of humour are the main features of his figurative work. Aaron’s son Enoch Wood (b Burslem, 31 Jan 1759; d Burslem, 17 Aug 1840) ranks among the greatest of the Staffordshire potters. Not only was he a talented modeller and an artist of considerable merit, producing relief plaques and fine, portrait busts (e.g. George Washington, 1818; Stoke-on-Trent, City Mus. & A.G.), but he also ran a highly successful business manufacturing wares of all types with a large American export trade. He produced more than 500 designs of mostly English, French and American scenes for transfer-printed wares. At the time of his death he was generally referred to as the ‘Father of the Potteries’.
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