4 to 6 September 2009
Come and celebrate the 175th anniversary of William Morris’s birth in the magical setting of Kelmscott House, Morris’s home for the last 18 years of his life. It was here that Morris developed his skills in carpet weaving and printed the Kelmscott Chaucer and Jane and May, his wife and daughter, produced beautiful embroideries.
Our festival will take place in the Coach House, where Morris once held meetings of the Socialist League and speakers included George Bernard Shaw & W B Yeats.
The weekend will include music, song, theatre, talks, a local Arts & Crafts walk, as well as fun and party food.
Read More for the Full Programme and ticket prices
Weekend tickets (Friday evening, all day Saturday & Sunday): £50 members & concessions; £63 non-members.
Friday evening only: £10 members & concessions; £13 non-members.
Saturday only: £36 members & concessions; £45 non-members.
Leon Rosselson performance only: £10, includes glass of wine
Hilary Watkins, storytelling performance only: £10, includes glass of wine
Sunday only: £24 members & concessions; £30 non-members. Priority will be given to those booking weekend tickets.
To book tickets: please send a SAE to the William Morris Society at Kelmscott House, Upper Mall, Hammersmith, London W6 9TA, stating whether you have any special dietary requirements. For further information please e-mail [email protected], or telephone 020 8741 3735 on Tuesday, Thursday, or a Saturday afternoon.
FULL PROGRAMME
Friday 4 September
| 18.00 | Reception & Welcome with drinks and finger buffet |
| 19.00 | Talk by Lord Tom Sawyer on his project to support designer bookbinders |
| 20.00 | A special production of the play Kollontai in London, performed by The New Factory of the Eccentric Actor |
Saturday 5 September
| 10.30 | Helen Elletson (Curator WMS) will display and talk about items from the Society’s collections |
| 11.30 | Coffee & biscuits |
| 12.00 | Talk by Professor Ruth Levitas on Warwick Draper the Hammersmith Historian |
| 13.30 | Sandwich lunch |
| 14.30 | Traditional Celtic storytelling with tea by performance artist and storyteller Hilary Watkins, accompanied by harpist |
| 16.30 | Demonstration of Morris’s printing press by Anne Hickmott |
| 18.00 | Drinks and finger buffet |
| 19.30 | An evening of music performed by Leon Rosselson |
Sunday 6 September
| 10.30 | Talk by Peter Cormack on William Morris as a Craftsperson |
| 11.30 | Coffee & biscuits |
| 12.00 | Start of a local Arts & Crafts walk |
| 14.00 | Sandwich Lunch |
| 15.30 | Tony Benn, our guest of honour, will speak on The Legacy of William Morris, followed by tea |
| 19.00 | Buffet supper & drinks |
| 20.00 | Musical performance by Trio “Zadok Baroque” Byron Mahoney – flute, Philip Yeeles – violin & Bridget Cunningham – harpsichord, will be playing on period instruments chamber music from Georgian England. |