Thomas Bentley (manufacturer)

Thomas Bentley (1731–1780) was an English manufacturer of porcelain, known for his partnership with Josiah Wedgwood.

He was born at Scropton, Derbyshire, on 1 January 1731. His father, Thomas Bentley, was a country gentleman of some property. After receiving his education at the neighbouring presbyterian academy at Findern, young Bentley, being then about sixteen years of age, was placed in a warehouse at Manchester to learn the processes of the woollen and cotton trades.

On the expiration of his apprenticeship he travelled for some time upon the continent, and after his return he married, in 1754, Miss Hannah Oates of Sheffield. He then settled in Liverpool, where he set up in business as a Manchester warehouseman, and afterwards took James Boardman into partnership. In 1757 he assisted in founding Warrington Academy, and in 1762 in building the Octagon Chapel in Temple Court, Liverpool, for the use of a body of Dissenters, of which he was a prominent member; they preferred a liturgy, but had scruples with regard to the use of the Athanasian Creed and other parts of the Book of Common Prayer. The congregation of this chapel were called ‘Octagonians;’ but the life of this sect was short, and not long after Bentley's move to London the chapel was closed, and the building sold to the corporation.

In 1762 he was introduced to Josiah Wedgwood by Matthew Turner, when the former was laid up at Liverpool by an accident to his knee. The friendship was lifelong. Wedgwood made his first proposals to Bentley about to a partnership towards the close of 1766, but it was not until 14 November 1768 that the partnership actually began. In the same month Bentley took up his residence at the Brick House, Burslem. This was, however, merely a temporary residence, as he had not then given up his partnership with Boardman in Liverpool.

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