A visit to May Morris, 1925 by Elfrida Manning

‎[Artist: Spartali, Marie (Later Stillman)
Kelmscott Manor

1844-1927
Oil on Canvas 10 x 17 ins from the Buscot Collection]

March,1925
The house is damp: the plain, old-fashioned piano has to be put on legs in case of floods. But it is most beautiful and nearly everything in it is beautiful. The little dining-room is hung with very faded 'Strawberry-thief' pattern; we had tea there, Miss Morris pouring out lovely China tea. The cake she made herself, as everybody in the house does something to help to run it. Miss Lobb, her friend, who is enormouse and wears a tweed jacket and breeches and has cropped black hair (she is a Cornishwoman) looks after the pony and there is an arty little old secretary and a cook and that is all.

A visit to May Morris, 1925
by Elfrida Manning

Of course there are many drawings of Mrs Morris and a photograph which shows how true the drawings of her were, with her classic profile and wonderful eyes and hair. Miss Morris herself is not so beautiful, but has the same eyes and long,
straight profile. Her hair is grey and she is very fair, a sort of ice-fairy queen. She was wearing a charming white coat and blouse, yellow beads and a homespun white skirt with blue and yellow striped pattern.