Grand Designs

Sandra Blemster looks at how the work of William Morris continues to resonate

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A major new exhibition, Morris Mania: How Britain’s Greatest Designer Went Viral, has recently been launched to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the William Morris Gallery at Walthamstow, east London. Curated by Hadrian Garrard, it highlights the inventive talent, popularity and legacy of textile designer William Morris.

Born in Walthamstow, then part of Essex, Morris was a socialist and a founding member of the Arts and Crafts movement, which believed art and beauty should be accessible to all. In the 1890s and early 1900s, this movement thrived in large cities including London, Birmingham, Glasgow and Manchester; the latter home to the only Morris & Co shop outside London.

Morris's intricate designs, inspired by nature, feature an abundance of birds, flowers and plants. His illustrations included the Strawberry Thief, Larkspur and Willow, which ended up on his own wallpaper, the process of which he mastered during the 1870s. His work revolutionised fashions and principles of that time and has left a long-lasting impression on our culture.

Born in March 1834, the son of a wealthy broker, Morris grew up in Woodhall House at Chignal Smealey, near Chelmsford, Essex. Having a passion for nature, he could often be found exploring the landscapes of parks, forests and churches. This love of nature would deeply inspire his work. In 1848, a year after his father’s death, 14-year-old Morris moved to Water House in Forest Road, Walthamstow, a Grade II* Georgian house that is now the home of the William Morris Gallery.