1999 WILLIAM MORRIS EVENTS IN THE UK Compiled by the William Morris Society (UK) NOTE: Unless otherwise indicated all events are sponsored by the William Morris Society. Ticket requests for these go by post to: Judy Marsden, William Morris Society, 26 Upper Mall, Hammersmith, London W6 9TA enclosing a stamped self-addressed envelope. Saturday, 13 February 1999, 2.15pm Walter Crane and Design in Europe Dr Rosalind Depas, who was Professor of English at City University of New York, describes the work of Walter Crane, the Arts and Crafts movement and Crane's promotion of Morrisian influence in Europe, particularly in Germany and Hungary. Walter Crane (1845-1915) was a leading figure in Arts and Crafts and socialist circles, and a designer in many fields including tiles, wallpaper and embroidery, and is best known today for his illustrated books. At Kelmscott House, 26 Upper Mall, Hammersmith, London W6. Tickets £3 from William Morris Society. Saturday, 6 March 1999, 2.15 pm William Morris and Utopian Traditions William Morris is familiar to all who are interested in utopian literature says Lyman Tower Sargent and in this talk he considers how William Morris's writings relate to utopian literature and its traditions. Lyman Tower Sargent (USA) is Visiting Professor, History and Social Studies Department, University of East Anglia and is a well known writer on utopian matters and the Editor of Utopian Studies. At Kelmscott House, 26 Upper Mall, Hammersmith, London W6. Tickets £3 from William Morris Society. Saturday, 27 March 1999, 2.15pm The Countess of Warwick: Aristocratic Maverick Susan Ayling - who is researching the life and ideals of Lady Warwick (more often known as 'Darling Daisy' and mistress of Edward VII) and is associated with the restoration of the gardens at Easton Lodge in Essex - talks about how a socialite, inspired by William Morris, became a socialist, writing a popular illustrated biography of Morris in 1912. After the talk we celebrate Morris's Birthday with wine and birthday cake. At Kelmscott House, 26 Upper Mall, Hammersmith, London W6. Tickets £4 from William Morris Society (including refreshment). Saturday, 17 April 1999 Weird Science: Alternative Wisdoms in Victorian Literature Conference at University College Worcester. Includes a paper on "News From Nowhere as Science Fiction" by Tony Pinkney, Dept of English, Lancaster University. Contact: Dr Martin Willis, Dept of English and Drama, University College Worcester, Henwick Grove, Worcester, WR2 6AJ. Saturday, 24 April 1999, 2.15pm The Earthly Paradise for Beginners! Dr Rosie Miles, English Lecturer at University of Wolverhampton, 1997 winner of the Peter Flood Award, introduces Morris's long epic poem which retells tales from the past, raising many questions about the nature of storytelling. Her talk - an entertaining introduction to the poem - considers Morris as a post-modernist and asks why did people fall asleep when he recited his poetry! At Kelmscott House 26 Upper Mall, Hammersmith, London W6. Tickets £3 from William Morris Society. Saturday, 15 May 1999, 2.15pm The William Morris Society's 43rd Annual General Meeting Held in the coach-house of Kelmscott House, 26 Upper Mall, Hammersmith, London. Following the AGM David Rodgers - Curator of the William Morris Society - talks on and displays Morris artifacts from the Society's collection. Admission free: tea will be served afterwards. Saturday, 29 May 1999, 2.00pm Viewing the Restored Albert Memorial After its 5 year restoration the Memorial designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott can once again be seen. Derek Baker guides us around the Memorial (1872) and considers its uniqueness and significance in Victorian England suggesting that The Prince Consort's major contribution was his Chairmanship of the Royal Commission for the 1851 Great Exhibition. Afterwards we take tea in the Orangery at nearby Kensington Palace. Meet at the south side of the Albert Memorial at 2pm. There will be no charge for this visit but we pay for our own refreshments .  Saturday, 19 June 1999, 2.00pm Red House Garden Party This year's visit to Red House, Red House Lane, Bexleyheath is jointly organised by The William Morris Society and The Friends of Red House. Red House, designed for William Morris by his architect friend Philip Webb in 1858, is famous throughout the world as a seminal Arts and Crafts building and is now the home of Edward and Doris Hollamby. Tickets to view inside the house are strictly limited. All tickets include light refreshments. Application for tickets (with SAE) from John Mercer, The Friends of Red House, 6 Eynswood Drive, Sidcup, Kent DA14 6JQ. £l0 (viewing house and garden party) or £7 (garden party only). Saturday, 26 June 1999, 2.15pm An Intoduction to the Work of William Morris There are those who know a lot about some aspect of Morris's life and work, but few, if any, know "everything" about him. For those just beginning to study Morris, or simply enjoy hearing more and more about the great polymath, this is the afternoon for you. There are 3 short talks: Hugh Kennedy-Davies on The Art of William Morris, Peter Faulkner on The Writings, David Rainger on Morris's Socialism - and ample time for discussion. At Kelmscott House, 26 Upper Mall, Hammersmith, London W6. Tickets £3 from William Morris Society. Tuesday, 6 July 1999, 11.00am Visit to the William Morris Gallery Its always a pleasure for Morris enthusiasts to visit the William Morris Gallery with its gem of a collection. The Gallery was the home of the Morris family (1848 to 1856). During our visit Adrienne Reynolds talks on Morris's early years in and around Walthamstow and Woodford. Meet at Gallery 1lam. Perhaps pub lunch afterwards. The William Morris Gallery is a short bus ride from Walthamstow Central Station (Victoria Line) . No tickets required but a £2 contribution to the Gallery is suggested. Friday to Sunday, 3-5 September 1999 Getting Nowhere: Society and the Environment This Weekend Conference to be held in the Halifax Hall, University of Sheffield with well-known speakers. Participants will be invited to examine William Morris's ideas about society and the environment, and consider their desirability and practicability today. The itinerary includes a visit to The Earth Centre at Conisborough, near Doncaster, where sustainable lifestyle exhibits can be seen. Full details of programme, accommodation and cost will be given in the WMS Newsletter or write (with a SAE) to Down Morris, 7 Spring Hill, Sheffield, S10 1ET. Saturday, 11 September 1999 Arts and Crafts Show and Garden Party Our 4th Arts and Crafts Show is in the Coach House, Kelmscott House from 10am to 4.30pm. Members wishing to exhibit their work contact David Rainger, c/o The William Morris Society. Exhibition space is limited, book early. The Garden Party is in the main Kelmscott House garden (by kind permission of Mr & Mrs Birney) from 2.15prn. At Kelmscott House, 26 Upper Mall, Hammersmith, London W6. Tickets to garden party £6 (including refreshments) from William Morris Society. Saturday, 18 September 1999, 1lam to 5pm National Open House Day The William Morris Society participates in National Open House Day by opening its lower ground floor premises and coach-house at Kelmscott House to visitors. If you can assist during the day as a host, guide or steward please contact the Society's office (Tel. 01817413735). Saturday, 25 September1999 Morris and Company in Putney Sonia Crutchlow leads this popular visit to Whitelands College Chapel, West Hill, London SW15 designed by G. C. Scott with windows and reredos by Morris & Co. Visit includes the archives and the famous 'Ruskin' May Queen dresses. After free-time for lunch we move to All Saints Church, Putney Common, designed by G. E. Street, to view probably the finest Morris windows in London. Meet at Whitelands College chapel at 11am. Tickets £6. strictly limited, from William Morris Society, Kelmscott House, 26 Upper Mail, Hammersmith, London W6. Saturday, 9 October 1999, 2.lSpm Morris and Company Tapestries from 1879 to 1940 An illustrated talk by Linda Parry - Curator of Textile and Dress at the Victoria and Albert Museum - who was responsible for the outstanding 1996 William Morris Centenary Exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Morris wrote "The noblest of the weaving arts is tapestry". Between 1879 and 1940 Morris and Company made many tapestries, mainly woven in its Merton Abbey workshop. At Kelmscott House, 26 Upper Mail, Hammersmith, London W6. Tickets £3 from William Morris Society. Saturday, 16 October 1999, 2.30pm William Morris: The First Green Socialist? Talk by Jane Susanna Ennis for the Socialist History Society and Green Socialist Network. At Marx Memorial Library, Clerkenwell Green, London EC1. Saturday, 30 October 1999, 2.15pm William Morris and The Society of Arts In 1892 Morris was awarded the Society's Silver Medal. Susan Bennett, Archivist of the Royal Society of Arts, tells more about the occasion. Founded in 1754, the Society of Arts has long been the centre of debate on design and innovation. William Morris and others in his circle often spoke at its meetings and it was at its premises in John Adam Street that Morris's SPAB held its inaugural meeting. At Kelmscott House, 26 Upper Mall, Hammersmith, London W6. Tickets £3 from William Morris Society. 3 November to 17 December 1999 The Briar Rose Exhibition at Agnew's. Series of paintings by Edward Burne-Jones from the Faringdon Collection. Contact: Agnew's, 43 Old Bond Street, London W1X 4BA, Tel. (020) 7629-6176, www.agnewgallery.com. Friday, 12 November 1999, 6.30pm The Stained Glasswork of Morris and Company 1999 KELMSCOTT LECTURE given by Peter Cormack. Speaking about stained glass William Morris said "The more mosaic-like it is the better we like it". In his lecture Peter Cormack will reflect on the work of Morris and Company, its significance and influence on the stained glass art that followed. Peter Cormack, Deputy Keeper at the William Morris Gallery, is an internationally renowned authority on all aspects of stained glass. At The Art Workers Guild, 6 Queen Square, London WC1. Tickets £6 (including wine and canapes after the lecture) from William Morris Society, 26 Upper Mall, Hammersmith, London. W6. Saturday, 13 November 1999 St. Martins Church Open day and Craft fair An opportunity to visit a church in Stockport, Cheshire with Morris stained glass and other Arts and Crafts decorations. The church will be open from 9 am to about 3-4 pm. Refreshments will be available and hot meals will be served. Guided tours will be available and guide books on sale. Contact: St. Martins Church Brabyns Brow, Marple, Stockport, Cheshire.  Saturday, 27 November 1999, 215pm "Responsibilities of Desire": William Morris's Romantic Stories Campbell Matthews introduces the stories, particularly The Well at the World's End and The Water of the Wondrous Isles. Morris's late romances are often ascribed to the selfindulgence of an ageing man. Campbell Matthews (former head of English studies in a craft teachers college)) seeks to show a relationship between their fantastic landscapes and aspects of Morris's life and social philosophy. At Kelmscott House, 26 Upper Mail, Hammersmith, London W6. Tickets £3 from William Morris Society. Saturday, 11 December 1999, 7pm "Not So Much a Party . . . . . . more a pre-Millenium excuse for a drink, a few snacks and an opportunity to make Morrisian chatter. Nothing formal, no speeches, just enjoyable company, wine and canapés. At Kelmscott House, 26 Upper Mall, Hammersmith, London W6. Tickets £4 from William Morris Society. HOME · NEW · EVENTS · NEWSLETTER · SITE ARCHIVE · ABOUT THE SOCIETY MORRIS' LIFE AND WORKS · PRODUCTS · LINKS · SITE MAP · CONTACT US LAST UPDATE 4 JAN 2001 · PLEASE REPORT BROKEN LINKS TO WEBMASTER@MORRISSOCIETY.ORG