Fonds GB 106 7MMO - MORRIS, May (1862-1938)

Identity area

Reference code

GB 106 7MMO

Title

MORRIS, May (1862-1938)

Date(s)

  • 1960s-1980s (Creation)

Level of description

Fonds

Extent and medium

2 A boxes (8 folders)

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

May Morris (1862-1938) was born on the 25 Mar 1862, christened 'Mary', and was the younger of William and Jane Morris's two daughters. Both she and her sister Jenny were accomplished embroiderers - taught by their mother and by their aunt, Bessie Burden - and in 1885 May took over the direction of Morris and Co.'s embroidery department. She also actively assisted her father in promoting the cause of Socialism in the 1880s and 90s. At the turn of the century she taught embroidery at the Central School of Arts and Crafts in London and at Birmingham's Municipal School of Art, becoming a leading figure in the (mainly male-dominated) Arts and Crafts Movement. Morris was an accomplished Embroiderer, jeweller, and fabric designer; she was also the first President of Women's Guild of Art (founded 1907). Her Introductions to The Collected Works of William Morris, 24 volumes edited by her and published between 1910 and 1915, contain many illuminating details of Morris's career and his family life.

Repository

Archival history

GB 106 7MMO 1960s-1980s fonds 2 A boxes (8 folders) Morris , May , 1862-1938 , President of Women's Guild of Art

May Morris (1862-1938) was born on the 25 Mar 1862, christened 'Mary', and was the younger of William and Jane Morris's two daughters. Both she and her sister Jenny were accomplished embroiderers - taught by their mother and by their aunt, Bessie Burden - and in 1885 May took over the direction of Morris and Co.'s embroidery department. She also actively assisted her father in promoting the cause of Socialism in the 1880s and 90s. At the turn of the century she taught embroidery at the Central School of Arts and Crafts in London and at Birmingham's Municipal School of Art, becoming a leading figure in the (mainly male-dominated) Arts and Crafts Movement. Morris was an accomplished Embroiderer, jeweller, and fabric designer; she was also the first President of Women's Guild of Art (founded 1907). Her Introductions to The Collected Works of William Morris, 24 volumes edited by her and published between 1910 and 1915, contain many illuminating details of Morris's career and his family life.

The collection was deposited by Elizabeth Masterman as a gift on 30 Sep 1981

The collection compromises background material for a book on May Morris written by Elizabeth Masterman, titled May Morris: some notes for book collectors, published in 1984 by Book Collector, London. The archive consists of notes, filed alphabetically, covering personalities and subjects referred to in the book, correspondence, a copy of an illustrated catalogue of embroidery designs, a copy of William Morris material in the collection of H Buxton Forman, in possession of the Hammersmith Public Library, a hand list of documents and manuscripts of William Morris and papers and a manuscript text of a lecture about May Morris given by E Masterman at Royal College of Arlon in 1883. Includes details of the Arts and Crafts movement.

This collection is available for research. Readers are advised to contact The Women's Library in advance of their first visit.

English

Fawcett Library Catalogue c.1980.

William Morris material is in the H Buxton Forman Collection, held by Hammersmith & Fulham Public Library

Additional material related to May Morris held elsewhere includes: The William Morris Gallery holds some of her correspondence and papers 1896-1933; The British Library, Manuscript Collections holds, some of her correspondence and papers (Add MSS 45298-337, 45346-8; Add Charter 71267), her correspondence with Sir Sydney Cockerell 1899-1934 (Add MS 52740), her letters to George Bernard Shaw 1885-1913 (Add MS 50541); Society of Antiquaries of London corresp with NL MacMinn 1925-1937 (MS 945/1), see also (MS 984); Liverpool University: Special Collections and Archives holds her letters to John and Katharine Bruce Glasier 1888-1920; International Institute of Social History holds her correspondence with Andreas Scheu 1885-1896; Royal Entomological Society holds her letters to CJ Wainwright 1899-1908 (Box 70/3); The Huntington Library holds correspondence - 15 letters - (MSS 1979 ).

Finding aid created by export from CALM v7.2.14 Archives Hub EAD2002. Edited for AIM25 by Sarah Drewery.

In compliance with ISAD (G): General International Standard Archival Description - 2nd Edition (1999); UNESCO Thesaurus, December 2001; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

05/03/2008 Collectivism Socialism Handicrafts Textile arts Literature Prose Literary forms and genres Biographies Political doctrines Morris , May , 1862-1938 , President of Women's Guild of Art Morris , William , 1834-1896 , poet artist and socialist

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

The collection was deposited by Elizabeth Masterman as a gift on 30 Sep 1981

Content and structure area

Scope and content

The collection compromises background material for a book on May Morris written by Elizabeth Masterman, titled May Morris: some notes for book collectors, published in 1984 by Book Collector, London. The archive consists of notes, filed alphabetically, covering personalities and subjects referred to in the book, correspondence, a copy of an illustrated catalogue of embroidery designs, a copy of William Morris material in the collection of H Buxton Forman, in possession of the Hammersmith Public Library, a hand list of documents and manuscripts of William Morris and papers and a manuscript text of a lecture about May Morris given by E Masterman at Royal College of Arlon in 1883. Includes details of the Arts and Crafts movement.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

This collection is available for research. Readers are advised to contact The Women's Library in advance of their first visit.

Conditions governing reproduction

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Additional material related to May Morris held elsewhere includes: The William Morris Gallery holds some of her correspondence and papers 1896-1933; The British Library, Manuscript Collections holds, some of her correspondence and papers (Add MSS 45298-337, 45346-8; Add Charter 71267), her correspondence with Sir Sydney Cockerell 1899-1934 (Add MS 52740), her letters to George Bernard Shaw 1885-1913 (Add MS 50541); Society of Antiquaries of London corresp with NL MacMinn 1925-1937 (MS 945/1), see also (MS 984); Liverpool University: Special Collections and Archives holds her letters to John and Katharine Bruce Glasier 1888-1920; International Institute of Social History holds her correspondence with Andreas Scheu 1885-1896; Royal Entomological Society holds her letters to CJ Wainwright 1899-1908 (Box 70/3); The Huntington Library holds correspondence - 15 letters - (MSS 1979 ).

Finding aids

Fawcett Library Catalogue c.1980.

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Publication note

Notes area

Note

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Women's Library

Rules and/or conventions used

In compliance with ISAD (G): General International Standard Archival Description - 2nd Edition (1999); UNESCO Thesaurus, December 2001; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area