Comments on: William Morris In The East End

By: Shawn Kholucy

Shawn Kholucy — Sun, 14 Jun 2020 20:35:23 +0000

Barnett’s building of Toynbee Hall hasn’t been demolished has it?

By: Emily and Susan Johns

Emily and Susan Johns — Sun, 07 Jun 2020 12:19:12 +0000

This made me and my mum happy and sad to read. We followed your journey by Streetview during lockdown. So much more green in the East End but also so much seized by the wealthy. And so many generations of struggle! I have a photograph of my father standing on the anarchist soap box at Speakers Corner and thought of him as you talked of Morris.

By: Eric Forward

Eric Forward — Wed, 03 Jun 2020 13:06:21 +0000

Very timely post GA. What with riots and in particular I think we’re at a time in history where labour has never been less valued than capital. The entire financial system protects the latter at a cost to the former. We see in America $1,200 checks sent out to last people months while trillions (inconceivable amounts) are pumped into keeping markets levitated. Disgusting and I fear we’re see another roaring 20s, for all the wrong reasons.

By: Carolyn Hooper

Carolyn Hooper — Wed, 03 Jun 2020 00:01:08 +0000

Wonderful post, gentle author about an amazing individual. There is always so much more to learn.

Reading the message here about the Match Girls brought to mind a very recent find of mine about my East End family ancestors. The wife of a first cousin, twice removed, of the Bow area, Caroline Eastwell (nee Bailey) had died in 1937 in the Claybury Asylum Essex. She had been there for decades. From 1901 their four little children under 8 were without their mother.

Then…..I found she had been a match maker. Following this I learned of the dangers faced with working closely with phosphorus.

So I salute William Morris for his magnificent life and his superb heart.

By: Pamela Traves

Pamela Traves — Tue, 02 Jun 2020 20:03:56 +0000

William Morris's box on these pictures will make people remember.??

By: Mark

Mark — Tue, 02 Jun 2020 18:52:11 +0000

A brilliant human being and a Socialist to boot.
Touched by the fate of Alfred Linnell.
Trafalgar sq. has figured large in our protesting past for the last 2 centuries.

By: Bob Land

Bob Land — Tue, 02 Jun 2020 16:08:19 +0000

A wonderful man, he is one of my heroes. Thank you for this blog post.

By: Flora

Flora — Tue, 02 Jun 2020 15:27:47 +0000

What a great way to show WM’s soap box speeches. However, I can’t help but be depressed that his ideas for workers are not much further on nowadays. I was born in 1946 and consider I lived through a Golden Age for socialism. Free healthcare, free third level education, and for the most of the UK, apart from N Ireland, relative peace. Membership of the EU, with all its faults, opened the door to opportunities and civil rights. The country is still run by the privileged elite and getting an education does not bring wisdom. Congratulations on a very interesting and original blog.

By: paul loften

paul loften — Tue, 02 Jun 2020 12:30:36 +0000

Thank you so much for this. “Traipse with an Orange Box” would be a great title. How our troubled times cry out for a multi-faceted leader with the charisma, courage, and vision that William Morris possessed. What a shame the orange box stands empty!
As a supporter and also a maker of handcrafts, I will apply to join the William Morris society. Thank you for the link

By: Helen Breen

Helen Breen — Tue, 02 Jun 2020 11:51:43 +0000

Greetings from Boston,

GA, I enjoyed seeing the many locations where William Morris (1834-1896) shared his socialist views in the East End. I must confess though, I am more interested in his art work. I had planned to visit his gallery/museum in Walthamstow this June. But, alas, such travel is not an option at this point.

Also, the wooden soap boxes are a clever prop. What an interesting and complex character William Morris was in Victorian London.

So happy to see that you are out and about again. Stay well.