William Morris was well-known as a member of the Arts and Crafts Movement and his textile designs are still familiar and used today.
“William Morris, poet, artist, archaeologist, and Socialist, died on Saturday at his residence, Kelmscott House, Hammersmith. Although Mr. Morris was known to be very ill, it was not thought that his death was so near, and the announcement that he had passed away has come as a shock to his many friends and admirers. His heath began to fail last February. Mr. Morris was born in 1834 at Walthamstow, Essex. His father, a well-to-do merchant, died when the boy was 10 years old, but left his widow and children in good circumstances. William was educated at Marlborough and at Exeter College, Oxford. He studied painting and architecture, but did not succeed in the former profession. In 1863, with several partners, amongst whom were D. G. Rossetti, Ford Madox-Brown, and E. Burne-Jones, Morris started in London an establishment for the artistic designing and manufacture of various articles, especially wall paper, stained glass, woven goods, and household decorations. At this business Morris worked as a designer, in which he gained no little distinction. He devoted his leisure to the composition of poetry. His first work, a small volume entitled ‘The Defence of Guenevere’ (republished in 1875), appeared in 1858. He published ‘The Earthly Paradise’ (four parts), three vols., in 1868 – 70. This poem is made up of 24 legendary and romantic tales in verse, recited by a company of travellers who had sailed westward from Norway to find the ‘Earthly Paradise.’ Only a day or two before his death, Messrs. Longmans and Co. issued ‘The Well at the World’s End’, one of the last of his prose romances. Mr. Morris also busied himself as a printer, issuing from the Kelmscott Press a series of very beautiful and sumptuous reprints of old works. For many years M. Morris has been a supporter of Socialistic doctrines, and he wrote and lectured assiduously in the cause.”
The Stamford Mercury, 9th October, 1896.