The papers of Philip Wadsworth

Scope and Content

The papers of Philip Wadsworth: Personalia, including biographical sketches by Mrs Zillah Wadsworth and photographs, [c.1939]-1953; etchings [1933-1934], sketch, 1969, and photographs of pots by PSW; copper plates engraved by PSW; recipe books and other technical notes [1938-1950]; letters to PSW, 1940-1947; records of exhibitions and sales, 1937-1973; articles and notes about William Staite Murray, 1954-1984; catalogue of the sale in April 1992 of works by John and Philip Wadsworth

Administrative / Biographical History

Philip Smeale Wadsworth was born in Stoke-on-Trent in 1910. His father, John William Wadsworth, was Art Director at the Minton Company in Stoke-on-Trent. PSW was a pupil of William Staite Murray at the Royal College of Art from 1932-36 and subsequently taught at various schools of art: at Kingston and Leicester from 1936-40, at Leeds from 1946-49 and Poole 1949-66. He was a prisoner of war during World War Two, and made few pots thereafter.
PSW and his wife, Zillah (nee Taylor), wrote a history of Minton China, which does not appear to have been published. The typescript is in the Minton Company archives.
PSW died in 1991.

Arrangement

The material is listed in a running number sequence, in the following order:
1-19 Personalia
20-57 Photographs of works by Wadsworth
58-76 Original works, etchings and engraved plates
77-80 Technical and working notes
81-116 Correspondence
117-175 Exhibitions
176-200 Miscellaneous

Access Information

Archive material may be viewed by appointment only.

Note

This entry was compiled by Shirley Dixon, Crafts Study Centre Archivist, November 2020.

Other Finding Aids

A catalogue is available onsite

Archivist's Note

The archive was listed in 1993 by Alyn Giles Jones, who allocated a running number to each item. It is not know whether he undertook any re-arrangement.

Conditions Governing Use

Written permission must be sought before any archival material is published.

Appraisal Information

None timetabled.

Accruals

None expected.

Related Material

The papers of William Staite Murray (WSM)