William Morris treasures
William Morris
William Morris was the moving spirit of the Arts and Craft Movement at the end of the 19th Century, and with his friends in the pre-Raphaelite movement, he revolutionised art and design in the Victorian era.
Morris was an architect, furniture and textile designer, artist, writer and socialist who felt passionately about the integrity of design and it's relevance to working people. Born in Walthamstow, East London, he moved his company, Morris and Co, to the River Wandle at Meton Abbey Mills, South Wimbledon in 1881. The works produced his world famous designs for fabrics, ceramics and stained glass.
Between 1881 - 1896 Morris collaborated with the celebrated artist Edward Burne-Jones at his workshop in Wimbledon. Morris advocated treating workers fairly, helping in their artistic and educational development. He paid above the rate to his staff, provided them with a library for their education, and clean and healthy surroundings in which to work.
He often held meetings in the Wimbledon area putting forward his radical views on art and politics. Morris & Co continued to operate at Merton Abbey Mills until 1940.
The treasures of William Morris House
The windows
In 1931, Emily Townshend, a former suffragette who lived in Wimbledon, presented the stained glass windows to William Morris House. The windows, produced at the William Morris Works, had been given earlier to her husband by William Morris and were designed by Burne-Jones.
The Fabian cartoon
The original cartoon for the "Fabian Window", a design commisioned by George Bernard Shaw in 1910, was given to William Morris by Jean Howson in January 1954 in memory of Emily and her daughter Caroline Townshend.
The window was created to celebrate the founding of the Fabian Society and shows fellow Society members Sidney Webb, George Bernard Shaw, H G Wells and E R Pease, among others, helping to build "The New World". The actual window was produced at the Morris Works at Merton Abbey Mills and is now on display in the library of the London School of Economics.
The George Bernard Shaw Photogragh
In 1930, George Bernard Shaw sent a signed photograph of himself to be hung in William Morris House with the inscription: "William Morris and I preached the Gospel of Labour together on many occasions. Many respectable persons thought we deserved hanging. I am proud to hang in a hall dedicated to him."
Although Morris died in 1896, many of his staff were encouraged by him and his ideas to become involved in community activity. Workers from the William Morris Works were instrumental in helping purchase William Morris House. The building was opened on 30th September 1922 by Rt Hon Arthur Henderson MP as meeting rooms for local people and their organisations.
Today William Morris House is a thriving community meeting place for a wide range of community and social organisations.
William Morris House, 267 The Broadway, London SW19 1SD
(opposite the Polka Theatre)
Please contact the Administrator - Linda Langdon - on 07912 105325 - for information, booking rooms etc or e-mail her at wmorrishouse@aol.com
Alternatively you can ring the office number - 020 8542 3049 - and leave a message, which Linda will pick up later.
