Letter

Details

Date: c. 1870
Dimensions: 12.7 x 12.7
Object Type: ceramic
Material: earthenware
Technique: hand-written
Catalogue number: C235
Designer: William Morris Gallery
Maker: Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co.
Credit notes: Presented by Haslam & Whiteway Ltd, 2000

This tile featuring clumps of daisies was produced by Morris, Marshall, Faulkener & Co. in the 1870s. Morris bought in already glazed and fired tile blanks from The Netherlands, and the design was painted in enamels by the Firm in London. The tiles were fired in a stained glass kiln, which produced variable results. Later Morris outsourced the painting to the Netherlands too, which produced a more consistent product. In this tile the original blue colour is preserved in the lower half where the tile was covered by the fire grate, where exposed to the heat of the fire the blue has faded to green.

Details

Date: 30.03.1904
Dimensions: 21.4 x 32
Object Type: archival
Material: pen on paper
Technique: hand-written
Catalogue number: J2201
Author: De Morgan, William (1839 - 1917)
Recipient: Morris & Co.
Credit notes: Gift from the Friends of the William Morris Gallery, 2015

This letter is a response from the ceramicist William De Morgan to an enquiry from Morris and Co. about the use of leadless glazes in his pottery. In the letter, (which he wrote from Florence, Italy) de Morgan describes how ‘twenty five years ago half my men were lead-poisoned in Chelsea and I determined either to put an end to poisonous glazes or to give up business all together‘.

De Morgan expresses some frustration in his letter to ‘the nonsense…being talked on the matter‘ of lead glazes. By the early twentieth century the issue of lead poisoning had become a significant matter of public concern. A wide body of scientific and medical information was produced concerning the danger to factory workers who came into contact with lead, as well as the use of lead paint in homes. This was picked up in the popular press and the health risks associated with lead became more widely known among ordinary people.

Lead glazes allow for a very shiny and transparent finish, which De Morgan’s ceramics were famed for. His relationship with Morris & Co. started in the 1860s when William Morris commissioned his friend to decorate tiles for his decorating firm. Later, Morris & Co. sold a large range of De Morgan’s ceramics which had become highly fashionable.

De Morgan was extremely knowledgeable on the subject of ceramic glazes- studying historic techniques used in the Middle East and Italy and experimenting in his workshop to produce high quality ceramics. In the letter he goes on to explain how he did not give up the use of lead- ‘all I found needful to be done was to make certain that the lead in our(?) mixture should be contained in a completely melted and insoluble glass before pulverizing- In this form it is as non-poisonous as the flint-glass (so called) tumbler or wine-glass out of which the whole world drinks without fear everyday‘. By melting the lead compounds with other materials such as silica to form a glass ‘frit’ or ‘flux’, lead glazes were much safer to use than the previous raw lead compounds since they were less soluble in stomach acids.

Details

Date: c.1871
Object Type: archival
Material: pen on paper
Technique: hand-written
Catalogue number: J2419
Author: Morris | May | 1862 | 1938
Recipient: Morris (née Burden) | Jane | 1839 | 1914
Credit notes: Presented by C.E. Robins, 2007

This letter was written by May Morris to her mother Jane, around 1871. It describes her and her sister Jenny’s visit to stay with their grandmother Emma Morris and their aunt, possibly at Leyton House where Emma lived until July 1871, afterwhich she moved to The Lordship, Much Hadham. In the letter May mentions flowers in Epping Forest, suggesting the letter was written at Leyton as the Forest is nearer to Epping Forest than Much Hadham.

Details

Date: 5 July 1870
Object Type: archival
Material: pen on paper
Technique: hand-written
Catalogue number: J2418
Author: Morris | May | 1862 | 1938
Recipient: Morris (née Burden) | Jane | 1839 | 1914
Credit notes: Presented by C.E. Robins, 2007

This letter was written by May Morris to her mother Jane in 1870 when she was eight years old. It describes her and her sister Jenny’s first visit to Naworth Castle in July 1870. Naworth was the Cumbrian home of George and Rosalind Howard, good friends of the Morris family. During the trip, George Howard sketched May and her older sister Jenny for an oil portrait (now in the collection of Society of Antiquaries, Kelmscott Manor). May also wrote an account of her trip to Naworth, also in the William Morris Gallery’s collection (J2416).

Details

Date: June 1870
Object Type: archival
Material: pen on paper
Technique: hand-written
Catalogue number: J2417
Author: Morris | May | 1862 | 1938
Recipient: Morris (née Burden) | Jane | 1839 | 1914
Credit notes: Presented by C.E. Robins, 2007

This letter was written by May Morris to her mother Jane around 30 June 1870 when she was eight years old. It describes her and her sister Jenny’s first visit to Naworth Castle in June-July 1870. Naworth was the Cumbrian home of George and Rosalind Howard, good friends of the Morris family. During the trip, George Howard sketched May and her older sister Jenny for an oil portrait (now in the collection of Society of Antiquaries, Kelmscott Manor). May also wrote an account of her trip to Naworth, also in the William Morris Gallery’s collection (J2416).

Details

Date: c. 1899-1902
Object Type: archival
Material: pen on paper
Technique: hand-written
Catalogue number: J561iv
Artist: Morris | May | 1862 | 1938
Credit notes: Transferred from the Victoria and Albert Museum, whom presented by Dr. Robert Steele

This lecture note dates from May Morris’s time teaching embroidery at Birmingham Municipal School of Art and the Central School of Arts and Crafts in London. The notes and sketches set out her plans for practical lessons, covering design, technique and materials.

Details

Date: c. 1899-1902
Object Type: archival
Material: pen on paper
Technique: hand-written
Catalogue number: J561xiii
Artist: Morris | May | 1862 | 1938
Credit notes: Transferred from the Victoria and Albert Museum, whom presented by Dr. Robert Steele

Details

Date: c. 1899-1902
Object Type: archival
Material: pen on paper
Technique: hand-written
Catalogue number: J561xii
Artist: Morris | May | 1862 | 1938
Credit notes: Transferred from the Victoria and Albert Museum, whom presented by Dr. Robert Steele

Details

Date: 29/12/1894
Dimensions: 218 x 182
Object Type: archival
Material: pen on paper
Technique: hand-written
Catalogue number: J362
Author: Morris, William, 1834, 1896
Recipient: Thirkell (née Mackail), Angela, Mrs (1890 - 1961)
Credit notes: Presented by Angela Thirkell, 1950

Letter from William Morris to four year old Angela Mackail (granddaughter of Edward Burne-Jones), thanking her for her Christmas gift of a new pen.

Kelmscott House,

Upper Mall,

Hammersmith

Dec: 29^th 1894

My dear Angela

Thank you very much for sending me the pretty pen; I have already written a good deal with it & shall write more.

When are you coming to see me?

Yours affectionately

William Morris

Details

Date: 25.03.1875
Object Type: archival
Material: pen on paper
Technique: hand-written
Catalogue number: J15
Author: Morris, William, 1834, 1896
Recipient: Morris (née Shelton), Emma (1805 - 1894)
Credit notes: Presented by Dr. Robert Steele, 1939

William Morris writing to his mother about an upcoming trip to Wales and his troubles with dissolving Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co. to form Morris & Co.

26, Queen Square,

Bloomsbury, London,

March 25^th, 1875

Dearest Mother

Many thanks for your letter. I would have come to see you before now, but was obliged not to be out of the way while the trouble about the partnership was still about: I expect the deed now to be signed on Tuesday or Wednesday next; after that I am going to fulfil and engagement I made last Christmas with Faulkner of going to Wales with him: We shall go on Tuesday or Wednesday night to Shrewsbury and then on the next day to the agent who lives near Llanidloes, & to whom Faulkner has written for ponies: we shall then have about a week’ ride about the hills & so back: on my return I shall come down to you for a day. I think it will do me good to go for this turn: I have been working very hard lately, & have been much bothered by this law business the past six weeks: my recalcitrant partners have behaved so badly that I felt half inclined more than once to throw the whole affair into Chancery: but law is too ticklish a matter for one to throw one’s whole chances of livelihood into it; and I think I have done the best I could after all: though ‘tis a deal of money to pay for shear nothing, and I doubt if their claims would have been recognized in the Court of Chancery – however ‘tis all done now I hope – Janey has been rather unwell of late, I suppose the bad weather has touched her up. The children are both very well, and are very good & dear.

The weather does seem to be changing at last: I hope you have been pretty well all through this cold & wretched spring.

Give my best love to Henrietta, I want very much to see her & you especially, my dearest mother.

I am

Your loving son

William Morris

P.S. Love to Emmie also.

Details

Date: 18.07.1873
Object Type: archival
Material: pen on paper
Technique: hand-written
Catalogue number: J13
Author: Morris, William, 1834, 1896
Recipient: Morris (née Shelton), Emma (1805 - 1894)
Credit notes: Presented by Dr Robert Steele, 1939

Letter written from William Morris to his mother describing his second journey to Iceland in 1873.

Reykjavik

July 18^th

Dearest Mother,

We got in here safely this morning about ½ past 11 after a rather tedious voyage in which I was rather sick: it blew very hard the night before and we had to lay under the lee of the land for 6 hours before we could get round the last headland. I am very well and we shall start, well provided with, tomorrow morning: meantime I am so hurried with many things that they must excuse me to you for not writing more copiously to you.

With dearest love to yourself and Henrietta

Believe me dear mother

Your most affectionate son

William Morris

P.S. I expect to be back in London about the 12^th of September.

Details

Date: 07.1873
Object Type: archival
Material: pen on paper
Technique: hand-written
Catalogue number: J12
Author: Morris, William, 1834, 1896
Recipient: Morris (née Shelton), Emma (1805 - 1894)
Credit notes: Presented by Dr. Robert Steele, 1939

Letter written from William Morris to his mother describing his second journey to Iceland in 1873.

Thursday

Granton

Dearest Mother

I am still here and shall be till tomorrow about 2 p.m. the ship being late: I am rather wearied with waiting but it can’t be helped. Today has been fine but rather windy and it is a beautiful evening now – I have just been to take our berths: there is nothing changed aboard the ship, but the Captain is a stranger to me.

If you write to me you must send off the letter on 16th of August addressed Poste Restante Reykjavik Iceland via Granton.

I hope all things will go better than well with you while I am away. Give my best love to Hennie & tell her I did post that letter.

We had a very comfortable journey down here on Tuesday; and I am very well.

There are 4 or 5 big ironclads lying off here now: queer ugly-looking things.

Good bye dear mother and take care of yourself.

I am

Your most affectionate son

William Morris

Technique: hand-written

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