The Wedgwood Museum

Victor Skellern - Designer

Victor Skellern was born in Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire and trained firstly at the Burslem and Hanley Schools of Art, under Gordon Forsyth and Percy Lloyd. At the same time he joined Wedgwood (then based at Etruria) working in the Design Department under John Goodwin, the then Art Director. In 1930 he won a scholarship to study stained glass and its production at the Royal College of Art, and during the ensuing four years he made himself familiar with many aspects of industrial design. In 1934 he returned to the Etruria manufactory to take over from Goodwin as Art Director and to commence an association with the Wedgwood firm (which in 1940 relocated to Barlaston) to start an association that was to last for 31 years, until his retirement in 1965. His influence on Wedgwood showed itself in many ways, with the production of new patterns, shapes, bodies and glazes. During this time he worked in close conjunction with Norman Wilson, the Production Director, who was responsible for evolving revolutionary new matt glazes.