大象传媒

At the laying of the foundation stone, Norman Wilson had expressed the hope that when future anniversaries of the event were celebrated, the factory鈥檚 occupants would be living in a world where wars no longer took place. However the ceremony was followed almost immediately by the Munich Crisis, and within a year, peace was at an end. John Wedgwood had been opposed to the move from the outset, arguing that the imminence of European conflict rendered the enterprise far too dangerous. In the event he was both right and wrong. The whole exercise was dominated by the exigencies of war. It took far longer to complete than had ever been envisaged and key elements of the original plan, particularly the factory village, were never fully implemented. At the same time Wedgwood escaped the worst effects of bombing, blockades and wartime controls and was able to turn the spirit of collective endeavour to its own advantage. The success of the move became indistinguishable from the struggle against Hitler.
The initial problem was to evade a likely prohibition of any new factory building of any sort once war broke out. Here the company was greatly helped by the activities of Lord Wedgwood, the father of Josiah V, and the distinguished Member of Parliament for Newcastle under Lyme since 1906. In September 1938, he put to Sir Thomas Inskip two strong cases for the continuation of building at Barlaston in the event of war. Firstly over half of Wedgwood鈥檚 production was for export to North America. For the last half year of peace, January to June 1939, 53.8% of all sales were to the U.S.A. and Canada. In the event of war, this trade could help offset the financial aid Britain would be seeking from across the Atlantic. Secondly, the new factory and its associated housing would stand a better chance against German bombers than the old:
Our old Works at Etruria lies beside the Shelton Iron Works and in the middle of a crowded industrial centre. The new works and new village will take 600 people and their families (ultimately 1,000 people and their families) out of the city and enable them to work and live in well wooded open country where casualties from bombing raids are extremely unlikely.
On October 13th 1938, Wedgwood received a letter from R.G Somervell of the Industrial and Manufacturing Department to confirm that building should continue: 鈥淚 am directed by the Board of Trade to refer to previous correspondence and to discussions with your Representatives concerning the erection of your new factory at Barlaston and to state that they regard the completion of this new factory as a matter of national importance.鈥� He added that every assistance would be given in the supply of materials to make completion possible.
Armed with this official support, the Company was able to complete the shell of the main factory building before hostilities broke out. The first batch of machinery was ordered and delivered, although there was no time to install it before the economy and it鈥檚 workforce was mobilised for the war effort. During the period of the 鈥榩honey war,鈥� a small group of employees from Etruria laboured in the evenings and at weekends to prepare the new tunnel ovens, and facilities for manufacturing earthenware and Jasper. The first ware began to emerge from Barlston less than two years from the laying of the foundation stone, which in view of the circumstances was a remarkable achievement. However it was impossible to make much more progress with the transition during the remaining years of the war, or the early period of post-war reconstruction. Until late 1947, china continued to be made at Etruria, and then transported in George Stretch鈥檚 lorry to the clean air and modern ovens of the new premises for firing and glazing and decorating. During this period, the firm had, in effect, two factories with two workforces, and even at one stage two football teams, who used to play each other on the new pitch at Barlaston. As with every other manufacturing process, production was severely disrupted by conscription. At a time when the company required as never before the organisational abilities of its managers, faced with the problems of co coordinating the transfer to Barlaston, and the technical ingenuity of its workers, who had to bring into operation new techniques and unfamiliar machinery, it found itself bereft of key personnel at all levels. Norman Wilson, who bore as much responsibility for the practical success of the operation as any other individual, went into the army almost immediately, although he somehow managed to keep a supervisory eye on the proceedings in the midst of his military duties. John Wedgwood was also engaged on the military effort throughout the war, and temporarily lost al contact with the company. In addition, potters with irreplaceable skills disappeared over-night. By 1942 the firm鈥檚 newsletter reported that 鈥淥ur numbers, which were 1100 before the War are now down to little more than 600 at Barlaston and about 75 at Etruria.鈥� The firm could do nothing to prevent this loss, and indeed Charlie Rutter, the lodge-keeper and scourge of all late-comers, now found his role reversed. When his son Fred had the temerity to report back for wok the morning after he had enlisted, as there seemed little going on at the barracks, he refused to let him on the factory. 鈥淒on鈥檛 you know there鈥檚 a war going on? Now clock off and get off!鈥�
With those too young, too old, or in poor health to fight, it was just about possible to continue, although severe difficulties were experienced in processes, such as preparing clay, where physical strength was at a premium. The clay itself was increasingly difficult to come by in adequate quantity and quality. For a while Wedgwood benefited from the fact that it employed a larger number of female operatives than most types of manufacture, but eventually the Ministry of Labour descended upon the firm and bore away every able bodied woman to the munitions farcies at Swynnerton and Radway Green. Only those who were married and had children were excused, and there were few of these, as most women gave up work when they started families. The consequences were devastating. Only six women were left in the decorating department.
The firm did everything possible to exploit the quota of labour, which was imposed on it. Under the rules, a pensioner and a disabled person counted as half a permitted worker, a married woman with two children two thirds, and a youth between fourteen and sixteen one third. Ted Lawton, exempted from combat on medical grounds acted as Wedgwood鈥檚 first personnel officer and contacted all the schools in the area on search of labour: 鈥淎t school leaving time I recruited one hundred and twenty young people and they did a wonderful job鈥� they were so keen, it was their part of the war effort.鈥� Godfrey Hammersley reinforced his depleted decorating shop with a 鈥榗rowd of grannies鈥� and somehow production continued.

To read the rest on 'The Factory in a Garden, please go to parts 2-4

This story was submitted to the People's War website by a volunteer of the Stoke CSV Action Desk on behalf of Sharon Gater, David Vincent and Keele University and was added with their permission. The authors fully understand the site's terms and conditions.

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