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1867

In the winter of 1866, and very likely advised that his struggling lungs could no longer cope with the smoke drenched air of the Potteries,James Edwards sought respite in the south western coastal town of Torquay. Failing but restless, he added codicils to his will to ensure that nothing would be overlooked. At one point, while saying that his wife should have his horse and carriage, he also leaves Coachman, William, a legacy of £50. Then, a few days before his death there came that remarkable gesture of sending to his work people at Dalehall cheques of from £20 to £100, according to their length of service. For some of the lower paid workers, James Edwards’s parting gift could have been nearly two years’ wages.

A few days later, on the 13th of January 1867, almost 5 years to the day since the death of his daughter Maria, James Edwards died.

So on a cold dark Burslem winter’s day, the air full of drizzling sleet and the everlasting smoke from the ever burning pot kilns,carried on the shoulders of his workmen, James Edwards was brought to St. Paul’s church yard, where they laid to rest a man whose name is remembered almost 150 years later and 3,000 miles away for the quality of his beautiful white ironstone china.

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