Textile experimentation and political embrace: 1875–80 William Morris

now in complete control of firm, morris took increased interest in process of textile dyeing , entered co-operative agreement thomas wardle, silk dyer operated hencroft works in leek, staffordshire. result, morris spend time wardle @ home on various occasions between summer 1875 , spring 1878. deeming colours of inferior quality, morris rejected chemical aniline dyes predominant, instead emphasising revival of organic dyes, such indigo blue, walnut shells , roots brown, , cochineal, kermes, , madder red. living , working in industrial environment, gained personal understanding of production , lives of proletariat, , disgusted poor living conditions of workers , pollution caused industry; these factors influenced political views. after learning skills of dyeing, in late 1870s morris turned attention weaving, experimenting silk weaving @ queen s square.

in spring of 1877, firm opened store @ no. 449 oxford street , obtained new staff able improve professionalism; result, sales increased , popularity grew. 1880, morris & co. had become household name, having become popular britain s upper , middle classes. firm obtaining increasing numbers of commissions aristocrats, wealthy industralists, , provincial entrepreneurs, morris furnishing parts of st. james palace , chapel @ eaton hall. result of growing sympathy working-classes , poor, morris felt conflicted in serving interests of these individuals, privately describing ministering swinish luxury of rich .

continuing literary output, morris translated own version of virgil s aeneid, titling aeneids of vergil (1876). although many translations available, produced trained classicists, morris claimed unique perspective poet not pedant . continued producing translations of icelandic tales magnússon, including 3 northern love stories (1875) , völuspa saga (1876). in 1877 morris approached oxford university , offered largely honorary position of professor of poetry. declined, asserting felt unqualified, knowing little scholarship on theory of poetry.

in summer 1876 jenny morris diagnosed epilepsy. refusing allow societally marginalised or institutionalised, common in period, morris insisted cared family. when janey took may , jenny oneglia in italy, latter suffered serious seizure, morris rushing country see her. proceeded visit number of other cities, including venice, padua, , verona, morris attaining greater appreciation of country had on previous trip. in april 1879 morris moved family home again, time renting 18th-century mansion on hammersmith s upper mall in west london. owned novelist george macdonald, morris name kelmscott house , re-decorate according own taste. in house s grounds set workshop, focusing on production of hand-knotted carpets. excited both of homes along course of river thames, in august 1880 , family took boat trip along river kelmscott house kelmscott manor.

portrait of william morris william blake richmond

morris became politically active in period, coming associated radicalist current within british liberalism. joined eastern question association (eqa) , appointed group s treasurer in november 1876. eqa had been founded campaigners associated centre-left liberal party opposed prime minister benjamin disraeli s alliance ottoman empire; association highlighted ottoman massacre of bulgarians , feared alliance lead disraeli join ottomans in going war russian empire. morris took active role in eqa campaign, authoring lyrics song wake, london lads! sung @ rally against military intervention. morris became disillusioned eqa, describing being full of wretched little personalities . nevertheless joined regrouping of predominantly working-class eqa activists, national liberal league, becoming treasurer in summer 1879; group remained small , politically ineffective, morris resigning treasurer in late 1881, shortly before group s collapse.

however, discontent british liberal movement grew following election of liberal party s william ewart gladstone premiership in 1880. morris particularly angered gladstone s government did not reverse disraeli regime s occupation of transvaal, introduced coercion bill, , oversaw bombardment of alexandria. morris later related while had once believed 1 might further real socialistic progress doing 1 on lines of ordinary middle-class radicalism , following gladstone s election came realise radicalism on wrong line, say, , never develope [sic] more radicalism: in fact made , middle classes , under control of rich capitalists.

in 1876, morris visited burford church in oxfordshire, appalled @ restoration conducted old mentor, g.e. street. recognised these programs of architectural restoration led destruction or major alteration of genuinely old features in order replace them sham old features, appalled him. combat increasing trend restoration, in march 1877 founded society protection of ancient buildings (spab), referred anti-scrape . adopting role of honorary secretary , treasurer, of other members of spab friends, while group s program rooted in ruskin s 7 lamps of architecture (1849). part of spab s campaign, morris tried build connections art , antiquarian societies , custodians of old buildings, , contacted press highlight cause. particularly strong in denouncing ongoing restoration of tewkesbury abbey , vociferous in denouncing architects responsible, upset street. turning spab s attention abroad, in autumn 1879 morris launched campaign protect st mark s basilica in venice restoration, garnering petition 2000 signatures, among whom disraeli, gladstone, , ruskin.