Industrialisation and social change in Britain, 1759–1928: forging a new…

The idea

The Trent and Mersey canal, promoted by Josiah Wedgwood and the Duke of Bridgewater among others, gave Wedgwood a reliable route between the Staffordshire potteries and the ports of the north-west and the Midlands. Before canals, fragile pottery travelled by packhorse or rough roads, risking breakage and high costs. The canal carried heavy and bulky raw materials such as clay and coal into the potteries and finished china out to markets, lowering transport costs and widening distribution. Access to the wider canal system linked Wedgwood to Liverpool, Bristol and London, supporting exports and the import of kaolin and other materials. The canal therefore underpinned Wedgwood’s commercial growth and his ability to compete in national and international markets.

What earns the marks

• Explains how the Trent and Mersey canal provided a direct water route between the Staffordshire potteries and major ports, reducing reliance on roads and packhorses.
• Analyses the reduction in transport costs and breakage for fragile ceramics, showing how canal carriage made Wedgwood’s goods more competitive in distant markets.
• Assesses the importance of bulk transport for raw materials such as clay and coal, which were needed in large quantities for continuous production.
• Evaluates how connection to the wider canal network enabled Wedgwood to reach Liverpool, Bristol and London, supporting both domestic distribution and overseas export.
• Connects canal infrastructure to Wedgwood’s broader business strategy, including his role in promoting the Trent and Mersey canal and his use of improved transport to expand sales.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Claiming that canals were the only reason for Wedgwood’s success.

  Put it right: Present canals as one vital factor alongside experimental innovation, patronage and trade.

• Confusing the Trent and Mersey canal with a single river.

  Put it right: Describe it as a constructed canal linking the Trent and the Mersey and forming part of a wider network.

• Assuming canals only helped exports.

  Put it right: Explain that they also brought raw materials into the potteries and distributed goods within Britain.

Exam tips

• Quantify the advantage where possible, for example by contrasting the load carried by a canal boat with that carried by a packhorse.
• Name specific places linked by the canal system, such as Liverpool, Bristol and London, to show precise geographical knowledge.
• Link transport improvements directly to Wedgwood’s costs, prices and market reach rather than describing canals in general terms.