Enjoying

I've been wondering, with the extraordinary development that took place around here in the late 1800s/early 1900s, if there was anyone at that time who deplored the changes, or whether it was all seen as a Good Thing ... Progress, and all that.

And then I caught up with William Morris.

William Morris was born in Walthamstow, and lived in Woodford for a few years as a child. Found out there's a William Morris Gallery in Walthamstow, so headed on over as soon as possible. www.wmgallery.org.uk A fascinating couple of hours. He roamed round Epping Forest as a kid, and it was a great influence on his thoughts and designs.

Of course, there's all the fabric and wallpapers and stuff. And [gasp] a whole room dedicated to the Kelmscott Press.

But, so much more to Morris than wallpaper! He must have been such an interesting person intellectually. Some of the things he's quoted as saying aren't so far away from some of Mandela's.

But what made me smile today, was that he helped found the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, still battling today. He thought the humble buildings need saving just as much as the grand ones. (hooray) And yes, he hated poor building, and the industrialisation of our lives and the pollution of our environment.

...
Later in the day I went back to St Giles in the Fields and rang in a quarter peal, Plain Bob Doubles, first UK quarter.