About William Morris (1834 – 1896).

William Morris was the son of a successful businessman, born on 24th March 1834 in Walthamstow a small village to the east of London. Morris was educated at Marlborough and Exeter College, Oxford.  Later he formed a company of designers and decorators with other very talented friends Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co.

They specialised in stained glass, carvings, furniture, wallpaper, carpets and tapestries. The company’s designs brought about a complete revolution. Their commissions included the Red House in Upton (1859), the Armory and Tapestry Room in St. James’s Palace (1866) and the dinning room in the Victoria and Albert Museum.(1867).

In 1875 the business partnership came to an end and William Morris formed a new business Morris and Company. In addition to his commissions, William Morris found time to write poetry and prose and devoted a lot of time to political writing.