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The Death of Josiah
Wedgwood and the Fall of Daisy Makeig-Jones
There is a most interesting postscript to Disy
Makeig-Jones' life and the end started in October 1930 when the gentle unassuming Chairman of Wedgwood, Frank Wedgwood died. Josiah Wedgwood succeeded him as Managing Director and did not like Daisy's work, preferring drab monotone, beige and off white colours, to the bright colours and fanciful imagery, so typical of her inspired designs.
So this dramatic change in fashion, and economic pressures forced several Wedgwood craftsmen to leave, and in April 1931 Daisy was asked to retire.
The result was a blazing row with Josiah and without any warning she left in the middle of a week, ordering one of the lads to remove all the sample lustre and all other pieces from her shelves, and to smash every one of them.
She took up gardening, her beloved mother died in 1943 and for the last years of her life she was under medical care and died on 21st July 1945 at the age of 63. A very sad and tragic end to perhaps one of the greatest UK ceramic designers of them all.
Her legacy remains today enshrined within the few collections of her work scattered around the world.
One fact remains clear- as the production of the major Fairyland Lustre pieces was very limited, only a handful remain today in pristine condition. Such unique and personally signed pieces will doubtless continue to enjoy great investment potential in future years.- simply a really beautiful object to enjoy whilst appreciating financially - surely the most perfect combination for wise investors and collectors.
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