About the Society

ABOUT THE SOCIETY

The William Morris Society of Canada exists to foster knowledge about the life and work of William Morris (1834-1896), the nineteenth-century English artist, writer, and craftsman. The Society attracts a mixed group of people interested in Morris as a visionary socialist, designer, poet, printer, ecologist, and preservationist. Morris's prodigious energy and enthusiasm are reflected in his numerous activities; he founded the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings in 1877, organized the Kelmscott Press in 1891, and ran a successful and extraordinarily influential design firm in London from 1861 until his death.

"A word or two about the art I have tried to forward. . . . I have tried to produce goods which should be genuine as far as their mere substances are concerned, and should have on that account the primary beauty in them which belongs to naturally treated natural substances; have tried for, for instance, to make woolen substances as woolen as possible, cotton as cottony as possible, and so on; have used only the dyes which are natural and simple, because they produce beauty almost without the intervention of art..."

William Morris, letter to Emma Lazarus, 21 April 1884; quoted in "A Day in Surrey with William Morris," Century Magazine 32 (July 1886): 397.

Morris battled passionately against dehumanization in Victorian society. An exponent and practitioner of traditional crafts and tireless agitator for socialist causes, he stressed the necessity of work for life, not for merely making a living. Morris's thoughts on the need for good design in all areas of life and the role of the arts and their relationship to politics, remains as challenging and relevant today as they were a century ago.

"There is an enormous mass of labour which is just merely wasted; many thousands of men and women making nothing with terrible and inhuman toil which deadens the soul and shortens mere animal life itself."
William Morris, "Art and Socialism," 23 January 1884; quoted in A.L. Morton, ed. , Political Writings of William Morris (London: Lawrence and Wishart, 1984), p. 113.

WHAT THE SOCIETY OFFERS

Based in Toronto, the William Morris Society of Canada has a national membership. Founded in 1981, the Canadian Society is associated with the William Morris Society of Britain, which was formed in 1955. Programmes reflect the range of Morris's interests and examine his continuing influence on twentieth-century thought and practice. These include scholarly lectures and conferences, walking tours, visits to exhibitions and collections, and out-of-town trips. The WMSC Website provides an up-to-date listing of events organized by the Society and also includes notices of other events across Canada related to the Society's aims. Follow the link to Future Events to see this listing of events, as well as informative links on the Internet. We hope that those who are generally interested in Morris and the Arts & Crafts will use this page as a research tool. Posting to this list of Canadian events is free; if you know of a related event which you would like to add to this listing, please e-mail the Webmistress with the details.

When you join the Society, you'll receive twice yearly the Society newsletter, which describes and comments on past programmes and other matters of interest. Members are invited to contribute (see the address on the Membership Information page). All members receive advance notice of the Society's upcoming events, and Canadian members automatically receive the British Society's newsletters and The Journal (published twice yearly), as well as the William Morris Society of the United States newsletters, thus enjoying an international network of Morris information and contacts. Follow the link for more information on membership categories and fees, or to continue looking at this site, follow the menu above.