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“It was my good luck only of being born respectable and rich, that has put me this side of the window among delightful books and lovely works of art.” – William Morris

6th August 2017

We’ve covered most aspects of William Morris’ life in this blog. A man who gave us such beautiful designs and has a lasting legacy which influences bloggers, artists and fashionistas of today (Marc Jacobs included) we can’t help but be fascinated by his life. What inspired him? How did he get to be in such a position that he managed to leave us such beautiful work that’s somehow still relevant and fitting today – not only in his textile designs but visit many churches around the UK or even St James’ Palace and you’ll see his work. His reach is much farer and wider than you’d ever imagine – you’ve just got to keep your eye out for it.

We’ve been reading a lot recently about Morris’ childhood and teenage years. It’s unsurprising to learn that both his literary and his artistic tastes emerged at an early age. An avid reader, he formed passions he would carry on with him throughout his life – romance, architecture and the natural world – which was clearly his biggest inspiration, look at his designs and you’ll see wildlife galore!

Of Welsh descent, his grandfather left Wales in the later half of the 18th Century to Worcester. His mother and father, William and Emma moved to Walthamstow in 1833 with their two children, Emma and Henrietta, and here had their third child – William on 24th March 1834. It was here one of his strongest social beliefs was born at a young age – it was the year of the Tolpuddle Martyrs. The whole of his childhood coincided with the working man’s struggle with the affects of industrialisation. He despised this throughout his life and it pushed him to many of his later achievements. His parents had two more girls and four more boys and though he was close to his sister Emma during their childhoods, historians have found little evidence of a sustained relationship during adulthood. It was only his youngest brother Edgar that would join him in his work at Merton Abbey.

From Morris’ birthplace in Elm House, they moved to Woodford Hall and later to Water House in Walthamstow in 1849 after his father’s death. It’s this mid 18th century property that today houses the William Morris Gallery and has done since 1950. If you visit you’ll find an unbelievable – and permanent – collection of a full range of his work throughout his life and examples/ explanations of his influence on the famous Arts & Crafts movement.

His father left the family with a substantial sum of money – due to very successful speculation in copper shares. His father bought shares at West Country copper mine at £1 a share for 272 and these soared to a whopping £800 per share – please remember how much £800 would have been worth in that time! With over £200,000, his childhood was undoubtably carefree of money troubles and very comfortable – which continued into his early adulthood and allowed him to be free of the restraints of working for just money and concentrate on his own passions – free of money worries. He’d be the first to have agreed to his privileged status in life saying, “it was my good luck only of being born respectable and rich, that has put me this side of the window among delightful books and lovely works of art.”

Ironically then – and historians have noted it was a source of embarrassment for Morris – the very thing he hated most, industrialisation, allowed him to be immersed in the world of decorative arts which was based on a very conscious reaction against the mechanisation of the Victorian Industrial Age.

His schooldays began in 1848 – the year of the foundation of the Pre Raphaelite Brotherhood, Morris  began school at Marlborough College. The school was a new one and seemed lax in it’s approach, meaning he had little formal education and appears to be largely self taught, visiting the well equipped library here. Many credit Morris throughout his working life to be largely self taught, perhaps it was here at school he learnt this skill as the library had a bias towards books on ecclesiastical architecture and archaeology – meaning he took an avid interest in the subjects.

Many know how he attended Oxford University, however we must remember that when we’re speaking about his experience here, Oxford wasn’t like we know it today, it was still a medieval city in 1853. The years he spent here were, as described by himself, the happiest of his life. Formative in terms not only of his art but also learning his surroundings and forming lifelong friendships with like minded people who would inspire him and work with him throughout his career. He studied Theology at Exeter College and though he passed, he never appeared to be over enthusiastic in his opinion of the academic teaching of Oxford but instead, again, the ability for him to be self taught and receive opportunities outside of academia that were the real highlights for him.

He was incredibly happy at Oxford, forming lifelong friendships and making both artistic and literary discoveries which would shape his career. Many of his ideals were born here. An opinionated man, he passionately believed in everything he wrote or spoke about. The fact remains that he did alter many peoples views on the issues of the time, not only through his art but also through his writing.

Make sure to check the blog next week for the next instalment on his later years at Oxford and his apprenticeship following the completion of his degree.

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🌷 William Morris Month Day 26 🌷 Absolutely loving a spring time floral on the table right now, especially when paired with an Easter craft or two! 🤍
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#williammorris #williammorrisfabrics #williammorrisfabric #morris #fabric #fabriccraft #fabrics #crafting #independantbusiness #indiebusiness #preraphaelite
🌿 William Morris Month Day 25 🌿 Florals on florals on florals; all of the William Morris florals just look so beautiful together and, as Morris said himself, “Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful” 🌷
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#williammorris #williammorrisdesign #williammorrisfabrics #williammorrisfabric #morrisdesign #quoteoftheday #florals #modernflorals #teatowels #preraphaelitebrotherhood #preraphaelites
🐥 William Morris Month Day 23 🐥 Loving the sunshine this week for springtime 🌿 We absolutely love Willow Bough on the table in the sunshine paired with spring blooms 🌷
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#williammorris #williammorrismonth #williammorrisdesign #williammorrisfabric #williammorrisfabrics #fabric #willowbough #easter #eastertables
🌷 William Morris Month Day 22🌷 A themed table is always our favourite, we’ve been loving setting the table lately with an Easter theme- especially when it means we can eat the eggs after! 🐣✨ 
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#williammorris #williammorrismonth #williammorrisfabric #williammorrisfabrics #preraphaelite #eastertables #eastereggs #eastertablescape #springflorals
🌿 William Morris Day 20 🌿 William Morris fact of the day; did you know he founded the Kelmscott Press? 🖋️ He wrote of the venture – “Here is a new craft to conquer and to perfect.” Printing began at the press in Spring 1891 🪴 He designed multiple fonts including “Golden” Roman typeface and “Troy” Gothic type along with “Chaucer” and he worked to create beautiful books in regards to their designs which took into account their type, image and decorative elements – you can see beautiful examples of what he achieved today if you do a quick search on the Kelmscott Press- it’s well worth a Google! 🌷
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#williammorris #williammorrisfabric #preraphaelite #preraphaelites #kelmscottpress #morris #williammorrismonth #williammorrisdesign #victorian #victorianart #victorians
🌷 William Morris Month Day 19🌷 Happy first day of spring everyone! 🪴 We celebrated in our favourite way; coffee and cake of course! 🍰 Now we love florals all year round of course, but especially love adding in even more this time of year to reflect the blooms in the garden 🌷 What’s your favourite Morris design this time of year? 🌿
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#williammorris #williammorrisfabric #williammorrisfabrics #williammorrismonth #spring #spring2024 #preraphaelite #florals #floralfabric #springflorals #springflowers
📝 William Morris Month Day 18 📝 Did you know that as well as being an incredible designer, William Morris was also a brilliant writer and poet; have you read any of his writing? What’s your favourite quote? 🌷🌿
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#williammorrismonth #williammorris #williammorrisfabric #williammorrisfabrics #morris #strawberrythief #quotesaboutlife #quotestoliveby #quotes
☀️ William Morris Month Day 17 ☀️ The sunshine today has made us feel so excited for spring, it’s almost officially here! 🪴 This William Morris bunting is the dreamiest backdrop to all the spring summer days in the garden, it’s by @ellejoycreations - isn’t it fabulous!🌷
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#spring #williammorrismonth #williammorris #williammorrisfabric #williammorrisfabrics #fabric #fabricstash #smallbusinessuk #printedintheuk #etsyshop
🐰 William Morris Month Day 16 🐰 A Sunday spent Easter decorating, these cute little bunnies were a craft a few years back and they are always a firm favourite to bring out this time of year to hang on our Easter tree 🐥 Have you started decorating or eating eggs yet? 🐣
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#williammorrismonth #williammorris #williammorrisfabric #williammorrisfabrics #williammorrisprint #easter #easterdecor #eastercrafts #eastercrafting #fabriccraft #greatfabricdestashuk
🍓 William Morris Month Day 15 🍓 Absolutely can’t wait for the summer months to get our Strawberry Thief picnic basket and blanket back out- if you missed this craft we have a DIY on our website blog, along with a lot of other craft ideas and how-to blogs ☺️
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#williammorrismonth #williammorris #williammorrisfabric #williammorrisfabrics #picnicbasket #craftideas #craftidea #fabriccraft #fabricstore #fabricshoppingonline #fabricstash
🍓 William Morris Month Day 14 🍓 Strawberry Thief was inspired by William Morris’s watching the thrushes under the strawberry nets at the stunning @kelmscottmanor 🌿 May Morris conjured up this scene when speaking of the design, “You can imagine my Father going out in the early morning and watching the rascally thrushes at work on the fruit beds and telling the fanned who growls ‘I’d like to wring their necks!’ that no bird in the garden must be touched. There were certainly more birds than strawberries in spite of attempts at protection. And the walls of the little dining-room are hung with this note of the June garden and the little lords of it.” 🍓 What a lovely insight into the Morris family life! 🥰
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#williammorris #williammorrismonth #williammorrisdesign #williammorrisfabric #williammorrisfabrics #fabric #strawberrythief #floraldesign #maymorris
✨ William Morris Month Day 11 ✨ A spotlight on Willow Bough today! 🌿 This beautiful botanical design was first designed in 1887, isn’t it so timeless! It actually was the design his daughter May Morris used to decorate her bedroom before it was adapted for wallpaper in 1895 when it was block printed in Merton Abbey 🇬🇧
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#williammorrismonth #williammorris #williammorrisfabric #williammorrisfabrics #fabric #victoriandesign #preraphaelite #uksmallbusinesses #willowbough #botanical #botanicalprint #botanicaldesign
⭐️ William Morris Month Day 10 ⭐️ Florals on florals (on florals) are our favourite 🤣 Which of these William Morris design tea towels is your favourite? 💕
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#williammorrismonth #williammorris #williammorrisfabric #williammorrisfabrics #fabric #teatowelsofinstagram #floralteatowel #preraphaelite
💫 William Morris Month Day 8 💫 a relaxed weekend featuring floral filled tables are on the agenda this weekend 🥰🍰
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#williammorrismonth #williammorris #williammorrisdesign #williammorrisfabric #williammorrisfabrics #fabric #morrisdesign #floraltable #floraltablescape