Records relating to William Morris
William Morris matriculated at Exeter College 2 June 1852 aged 18 originally to study Theology, but he later changed to Classics. He gained a B.A. in 1856 and later an M.A. in 1875. He continued to communicate with Exeter College who purchased several tapestries from him including one that hangs within the College chapel titled the ‘Adoration of the Magi’ which was created to a design by Edward Coley Burne-Jones, another member of Exeter College.
Academic records
EC/7/6/4 Entrance book 2 June 1852
-[ p. 235]. (in margin) Initial I [for William Ince – tutor 1850-78] Name: William Morris 18 eldest son. Place of Birth: St Johns, Walthamstow, Essex. Father’s name: William Morris (late) merchant. School: Marlborough College.
- [p. 237] Entry for Edward Coley Burne-Jones.
EC/7/5/1/2 Collections exam results 1853-1855
- Collections Lent Term 1853 – First Year - Class III – Morris
- Collections Mich. Term 1853 – First Year - Class III - Morris
- Collections Lent Term 1854 – Second Year - Class III - Morris
- Collections Michaelmas Term 1854 – Second Year - Class III - Morris
- Collections Lent Term 1855 – Third Year - Class III – Morris
EC/7/10/6 Caution Book 1852
- [Pg. 70 – row H] – Jun 2 1852 - Magistro Sutton pro Gulielmo Morris de Walthamstow, Essex. Nunc admisso commenurati - £25 – 17 June 1875 - Caution allowed on compounding - £25 - CE Hammond [signed] Bursar’
EC/2/2/1/4 College Register 1882
- p. 313 – 18 November 1882 - Honorary Fellowships awarded to Edward Burne Jones and William Morris.
EC/8/1/4/16 and EC/8/1/4/17 Bursar’s quarterly accounts: summaries 1854-55
Domestic Records
EC/8/1/4/16 and EC/8/1/4/17 Bursar’s quarterly accounts: summaries 1854-55
EC/8/1/4/16 Michaelmas 1854 Quarters
o [Pg. 32] – ‘Morris … 16-15-11’
o [Pg. 53] – ‘Battels continued – Mich Qtr. 1854 - Morris – 16-15-11’
o [Pg. 88] – ‘Morris … 27-11-6’
o [Pg. 109] – ‘Battels continued – Mich Qtr. 1854 … Morris – 27-11-6’
· EC/8/1/4/17 Michaelmas 1855 Quarters
o [Pg. 30] – ‘Morris … 17-14-3’
o [Pg. 57] – ‘Battels 1855 … Morris – 17-14-3’
o [Pg. 85] – ‘Morris …37-12-3’
o [Pg. 109] ‘Battels continued – Christmas Qtr. 1855… Morris 37-12-3’
EC/8/1/4/13 – EC/8/1/4/15 Bursar’s quarterly accounts: detailed weekly accounts 1853-54
EC/8/1/4/13
Midsummer Quarter 1853 [Feb 25th – May 26th 1853] Page 7 on 1st week, and subsequent. Details of spending per day, usually 0.2.2 or 0.3.2. With details of spending in buttery, kitchen, letters, porter, coals, fagots. Total battels for week and dress and servant costs.
‘Quarterly putting on’ - pg. 13 at back of volume. ‘Morris: Culets – 0.0.3 Bod. Lib – 2.0. Charter – 3. Gallery – 6. Div. Clerk – 1. Walks – 6. Lectures – 6. Police tax – 1.0. Prot of prop – 1.0. Fire tax – 4. Battel bills – 6. Domus – 4.6. Biblect – 6. Drawer – 3. Porter – 1. Letters – 6. Coll: lib: - 2.6. Dean – 2.6. Room rent dues (?) – 12.6. Percentage – 2.5. Washing – 8.3. Battels: 2.0.11.
EC/8/1/1/14
Battels accounts can be found in Christmas quarter: weekly accounts from August to November 1853. Quarterly putting on: pg. 18. Battels: 19.13.8.
EC/8/1/4/15
Battels accounts can be found in Lady-Day quarter: weekly accounts from Dec 2nd 1853 – end March 16th 1854. Quarterly putting on: pg. 18. Battels: 26.11.4.
EC/11/4/2/C Correspondence between William Morris and the Rector, John Prideaux Lightfoot commissioning the Chapel tapestry ‘Adoration of the Magi', 1886-1887, which includes invoices and receipts [1890]
EC/2/1/5 College Register
- 3 Sep 1939 – on ‘War with Germany declared’ – Tapestry in the Chapel was consigned (Sep. 11) to the care of the Ashmolean Museum.’
- 17 June 1940 – ‘College thanks the Rector of Lincoln (John Arthur Ruskin Munro, M.A. Hon. Fellow of the College) for the gift of a drawing by Burne-Jones.’
- 30 July 1948 – ‘The Governing Body gratefully accepted the offer of Mr. Coghill to pay for the papering with a William Morris paper of the Lecture Room on No. 5 stair, & resolved that the room should be designated “the Morris Room”.’
- 12 January 1950 - ‘The college accepted, from Mr. Coghill a copy of G.H. Watt’s portrait of William Morris.’
- 19 November 1950 - ‘Dr. Thomas Wood, Honorary Fellow, died suddenly: a few days before he had presented a medallion portrait of William Morris to the College. A memorial service was held in Chapel on 2 December.’
- 10 December 1955 – ‘Mr. Coghill was thanked for the gift of 24 William Morris tiles, previously the property of Professor Dawkins.’
College orders (Governing Body minutes) 1886-1939
EC/2/2/1/3
- 28 June 1886 [p. 404] "That the vacant wall-space on the south side of the Chapel be filled with tapestry, and that Messrs. Burne-Jones and Morris be asked to supply the College with a design and execute the work: and that the Chapel Committee be instructed to procure a design as soon as possible to be submitted to the College.”
- 12 November 1886 [p. 409] "That the Chapel committee be authorized to give the order for Tapestry in the Chapel; it being understood that the design is approved by the College before it is taken in hand to be executed.”
EC/2/2/1/4
- Oct 21 1887 [p. 16] Tapestry in Chapel "That the design for tapestry in Chapel be accepted, but that the Committee be instructed to provide for the addition of a border.”
- Nov 19 1887 [p. 17] Tapestry in Chapel: "That Mr. Morris’ letter of explanation as to the tapestry in Chapel be accepted.”
EC/2/2/1/5
- 12/2/1926 – [Pg. 95] – ‘Presentation of a letter by William Morris – that the Rector be asked to convey the thanks of the College to Mr. Gamlen for his kind and valuable present of a letter by William Morris.’
- 14/10/1926 - [Pg. 104] – ‘Bequest of Kelmscott Chaucer – That the Rector be asked to convey the thanks of the College to Mrs. Mackail for the copy of the Kelmscott Chaucer bequeathed to the College by Sir Philip Burne-Jones.’
- 3/11/1933 – [Pg. 233] – ‘William Morris Centenary – That permission be granted to Mr Coghill first to use the Hall in connection with the William Morris Centenary Celebration in March, 1934, and secondly to produce a play in honour of the same during the Trinity Term, 1934, in the Fellows’ Garden.’
- 19/4/1934 – [Pg. 243] – ‘Entertainment of Poet Laureate – That the College pay for the entertainment of the Poet Laureate on March 24 th at the William Morris Centenary Celebration.’
- 20/10/1934 – [Pg. 252] – ‘Chapel Committee – ... That the recommendation of the Chapel Committee with regard to the Morris curtains for the vestry, etc. be accepted, the cost of £41-7-6 plus fixing expenses be borne by the Amelia Jackson Chapel Fund.’
- 11/9/1939 – [Pg. 335] – ‘Tapestry - That the College sanction the removal of the Adoration Tapestry from the Chapel under arrangement made by the Ashmolean Museum.’
EC/13/16/1
One programme for the theatrical production of Everyman, produced in 1934 by Nevill Coghill in honour of William Morris (1834-1896). Many people who were part of the production have signed the reverse of the programme. There are two photographs of the production taken by Gillman and Soames.
EC/16/13
One folder of personal papers relating to William Morris, including two original letters:
1. Letter from William Morris to the Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University, refusing the post of Professor of Poetry, (1877).
2. Letter from William Morris addressed from Kelmscott House, written to an unknown poet who had sought his advice on his poetry, together with a transcription, (6 September, unknown year).