:: William Morris - my new hero!

Posted by Sonja on March 31, 2008

Oh don’t you love it when you find a new hero?

I went to the William Morris Museum in Walthamstow.

Amongst all the tapestries, stained glass windows and old cloth-bound books was a piece of linoleum (yes, linoleum) designed by the man himself. We’re talking linoleum from the 1800s! And they found it in a skip.

They also had his satchel, that he used to carry all his socialist pamphlets around in. He was quite the socialist, being against mass-manufacturing, for workers’ rights, and believing in good design as the route to a decent life for all (he put it better than that - seriously, you need to visit this museum).

He also had some interesting things to say about pattern, and they had his original designs, blocked in on squared paper like a cross stitch pattern, and then the resulting woven fabric.

I’m already planning a second visit. It’s pure pattern porn. Mixed in with a bit of politics.

Speaking of politics, “they” are trying to shut the place down. Disgrace.