Piers Anthony Weymouth Wedgwood, the descendant of the ‘father of English pottery’ Josiah Wedgwood 1, has passed away from cardiac failure at age 59.
He has been recognised for his generous spirit and talent for continuing the legacy of his family’s brand.
“Lord Wedgwood was a true English gentleman,” says Pierre de Villemejane, CEO of WWRD, the holding company of Wedgwood. “The Wedgwood family has lost a passionate visionary, and the world has lost an amazing human being. Those of us who were fortunate enough to know and work with Piers have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor.”
Lord Wedgwood took on the Wedgwood legacy after his father’s death at the age of 16 in 1970. He began cleaning the pottery kilns and learning production methods but his warm personality and resemblance to his ancestor made him the perfect spokesperson for the brand.
He was active in opening Wedgwood up to markets in India, China and Russia and served on the Wedgwood museum’s board of trustees.
At the time of going to press funeral arrangements had not been announced. The family asks donations to the Lord Wedgwood charity be made in lieu of flowers. Lord Wedgwood started the charity after a heart attack in 2001 with the aim of placing automatic defibrillators in high schools and communities.
Lord Wedgwood is survived by his wife Lady Wedgwood, their daughter The Hon. Alexandra Mary Kavanaugh Wedgwood and two sisters.
