A Spark of Interest

Andrew Harris had been an apprentice electrician in the 1960s, when his firm was involved in renovations of a solicitors’ office on Chandos Street, London. As drawers-full of documents were cleared for the tip or bonfire, something about the young Andrew made him grab a bundle for safekeeping. He knew nothing of the people to which they related.

In the intervening decades Andrew has become well aware of William Morris, his family and Kelmscott Manor. He wanted to bring this particular collection of papers ‘home’ and appeared one day at Kelmscott Manor’s office  with a box. Opening the lid, we found invoices and receipts to May Morris from the mid-1930s, providing glimpses into May’s life – and some of her suppliers - at this time. Of the many, here are extracts from a few:

24 Mar. 1934  William Whiteley Ltd. (Westbourne Grove/Queen’s Road)
2 Botts 40 years old Brandy, £2. 5. 0

3rd May 1934  London & Asiatic Tea Company (23 Harp Lane, London)
1 tin White Clover Honey 60 lbs @ 37/6, £1. 17. 6

30 June 1934  The Postal Yeast Co. (Hull)
26 x 2 ozs, £-. 7. 7

1 March 1935  Kelway & Son (1933) Ltd. the royal horticulturalists (Langport)
details plants misc. and 100 Lloyd George Raspberry Canes, £2. 19. 6

June 26 1935   R. Trinder, shoeing and general smith (Filkins)
details shoeing horses and ironmongery misc., £9. 3. 0
            
We see May patronising the family firm to obtain fabric for the recently opened Morris Memorial Hall in Kelmscott:

March 21 1935 Morris & Company, Art-Workers, Ltd. (Hanover Sq)
including 30½ yds Windrush 1227 cretonne @ 5/6 per yd; 29¾ yds Brother Rabbit; 441 cretonne @ 3/- per yd.  Total of invoice (incl. May’s 10% discount) £16. 11. 2

And just one invoice made out to “Miss V. Lobb” (for twenty years, a faithful companion to May):

11th July 1935  Curry & Paxton Ltd., Opticians (Wigmore Street)
Pink Spectacles for Distance, £1. 17. 6

Our thanks to Andrew Harris for donating these documents to the Kelmscott Manor archive.