The following events took place during his life
1687 “Principia Mathematica” by Isaac Newton (1642-1727, Cambridge professor) published by the Royal Society.
Royal Hospital, Chelsea, founded around this time.
1689 The Bill of Rights set out the rights and liberties of the subjects, and settled the succession of the Crown.
Toleration Act established freedom of worship.
1696 Window Tax introduced to raise extra money for the war against France which was supporting the exiled James II.
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Eighteenth Century
England at the start of the century was still mainly a land of hamlets and villages with the majority of the population living in the south. The population probably numbered about five and a half million.
In the towns, houses, including the cellars, were desperately overcrowded; there were no sanitary systems, and streets were unpaved and filthy. In the early part of the century) only about one child in four, born in London, survived.
During the century transport between towns improved, mills and factories were built; and, as towns developed, dispensaries, general hospitals, hospitals for special groups of patients, and charity schools were founded in London and in provincial towns. By the end of the century ideas of state intervention in public health matters were emerging, and concern was expressed about the conduct of asylums (madhouses) and the treatment of prisoners.
1707 Act for the Union of England and Scotland; the first Parliament of Great Britain met on October 23rd.
1714 John Bellers (1654-1725, philanthropist) in his “Essay Towards the Improvement of ‘hysic” proposed that government should establish hospitals for teaching and research and should provide medical care to the sick poor.
1716 “The Art of Midwifery Improved” published
c 1718 Inoculation for smallpox introduced by Lady Mary Wortley Montagu (1679-1762, wife of he British ambassador to Turkey).
1719 Westminster Hospital, London, founded.
1733 Bastardy Act ordered that fathers of bastard children shall be committed to gaol until they gave security to indemnify the parish from expense.
1735 Conjuration and Witchcraft Act repealed previous witchcraft acts and made persons (“Pretenders”) claiming to have arts or powers whereby ‘ignorant persons are frequently deluded or defrauded” such as by witchcraft, sorcery, inchantment, conjuration, fortune telling or other occult or crafty science liable to punishment on conviction.
The Will of Thomas Wedgwood III
Thomas Wedgwood III was born in 1685, and died in 1739; he was a Potter of the Churchyard House Works. In about 1710 he married Mary Stringer, daughter of Josiah Stringer, a Unitarian Minister of Newcastle-under- Lyme. His will is as follows, dated a few days before is death, said to have been caused by some sort of fever; and it is obviously the hurried product of a dying man.
`In the name of God Amen I Thomas Wedgwood of Burslem Church-yard
side, make this my last will and testament in manner and form
following. Imps I give and bequeath to my son Thomas, All my real
estate chargeable and to be entered on as hereafter mentioned,
viz. my will is that the produce of that part of my Real Estate
which is not settled on my wife shall be laid out by my Exors
hereafter mentioned In the bringing up of my younger children,
and in raising the sum of 120l., which I hereby charge my real
estate with. And my will is that the said sum should be equally
divided among my six younger children, viz. Margaret, John,
Aaron, Richard, Katherine, and Josiah; and that in paying the
said sums the eldest should be preferred before the younger. My
will likewise is that my Exors. shall have power to mortgage any
part of the said estate not settled on the whole thereof, in
order to raise the 120l. or any part thereof. And my will further
is that my son Thomas shall enter on the estate not settled on my
wife, when the said several sums are paid above and no sooner.
And that if my wife die before the payment of the money to my
children as above, then my son Thomas shall enter on the other
part of my Real Estate, and pay of it 20l. apiece to all and each
of my younger children above mentioned, that shall then be
unpaid: and the said sums he shall pay them as they shall
severally arrive at the age of 21 years: my mind however in this
is, that if my younger children are all 21 years of age when my
wife shall die, my son Thomas shall enter on the whole estate
paying as above. But if any one then underage, then he shall only
enter on that wch is my wifes jointure, and make up to my said
younger children 20l. apiece as they shall arrive at the
aforesaid age, reckoning first what is paid by my Exors. toward
it. I likewise give to my said son Thomas that leasehold tenement
now in the holding of Jno. Warburton, lying in the parish of
Burslem. Itm , my will is that my debts except on mortgage, and
funeral expenses to be paid out of the rest of my personal
Estate, except my household goods, wch I leave to my wife to use
during her life, and after her decease to be divided equally
among my children, except my daughter Ann. Itm, if by my marriage
settlement I have not power to charge 120l. on my Estate, my will
is that what I have not power to charge be equally divided among
my six children above mentioned, and raised as above. And I
appoint Samuel Stringer of Newcastle-under-Lyme, and John
Wedgwood [of the Big House], son of Aaron Wedgwood of Burslem
Exors of this my will. Witness this my hand this
26th June 1739.
signed Thomas Wedgwood'
Witness: E. Lathom, W. Willets, R. Mansfield.
Probate granted 25th October 1739, to Mary Wedgwood, widow, the
relict having been just sworn, Samuel Stringer and John
Wedgwood, the Exors named therein having renounced surety Samuel
Stringer of Newcastle. Penalty of bond 500l.
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