The Lady Lever Art Gallery will spotlight the talents of May Morris (1862-1938), one of the most pioneering women of the Arts and Crafts movement and daughter of the artist and designer William Morris, in a new exhibition.
May Morris: Crafting a Legacy (25 April to 1 November 2026) reveals May’s exceptional ability as a designer, maker, tutor, lecturer, editor and writer – and a socialist ahead of her time.
The exhibition will showcase May’s interests and talents across a selection of embroideries, wallpapers, designs, sketches, books, costume and jewellery. Developed in partnership with The William Morris Society, it will feature around 50 objects from museums and private collections across the UK – including the William Morris Gallery and the Victoria and Albert Museum, London – as well as items from National Museums Liverpool’s own collection.
May was the younger daughter of William Morris and his wife Jane Burden. Her father set up the hugely influential interior design business, Morris & Co. May’s childhood was spent surrounded by her creative family and their artistic friends. These included founding members of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood; a group of English artists and poets, whose paintings feature in the Lady Lever Art Gallery’s collection. May and her sister, Jenny, were friends with the children of the painter Edward Burne-Jones. Their mother was the muse and lover of Dante Gabriel Rossetti.
As a girl, May was involved in her father’s design work for embroidery, carpets and wallpaper. Some of William Morris’ wallpaper and textile designs were famously produced by Liberty, the iconic London fashion and homeware store. May learned needlework from her mother and aunt and went on to study and practise embroidery at the National Art Training School, South Kensington. Examples of her embroideries in the exhibition demonstrate her outstanding ability.
Fiona Slattery Clark, Curator of Decorative Art at National Museums Liverpool, said:
“We’re very much looking forward to exploring the remarkable talents and personal achievements of May Morris, whose legacy has been overlooked for many years.
“May led an intriguing life, throughout which her ardent socialist beliefs influenced her actions. From the forward-thinking career opportunities that she offered to other women, to her dedication for advocating the importance of women’s artistic practices, May’s influence is fascinating – and remains relevant to this day.”
In 1885, at the age of 23, May became the manager of Morris & Co.’s professional embroidery workroom. She expanded this area of the business and recruited embroiderers through her own networks, as well as providing apprenticeships for working-class girls from a local school in London. The working environment that she created was far removed from the exploitative Victorian textile industry of the time. She later co-founded the Women’s Guild of Arts to support women working in the arts.
May supervised the production of household textile items that were designed by her in the Morris & Co. style. These included wall hangings, fire screens, cushions, chair covers, mats and tablecloths, which were displayed in the company’s showroom on Oxford Street, London. She was committed to reviving traditional stitching techniques, looking to medieval and later examples of needlework for inspiration.
The exhibition will present several 17th-century English embroideries from the Lady Lever Art Gallery’s collection, demonstrating how historic needlework influenced May as a designer and maker. Also on show will be a gold brooch designed by May, on loan from The William Morris Society. Taking inspiration from medieval design, the brooch contains garnets, emeralds and water opal, demonstrating May’s commitment to traditional craftsmanship over mass production.
A sketchbook containing drawings and watercolours reveals May’s deep interest in nature, stemming from her childhood holidays spent enjoying the outdoors at Kelmscott Manor, Oxfordshire. Examples of wallpapers designed by May also feature. Notably, her best-selling design Honeysuckle, historically wrongly attributed to her father, along with Arcadia and Horn Poppy; all of which were inspired by her botanical sketches and can still be purchased today.
In later life, May continued to put her socialist beliefs into practice. She founded an early branch of the Women’s Institute in Kelmscott, Oxfordshire. Through this role, she helped to shape the cultural life of the village with various folk dance, musical and theatrical performances. She also campaigned on local issues and carried out charitable work within her community, operating a soup kitchen and gifting coal to families in need.
Entry to the exhibition is free. Donations are encouraged to help keep National Museums Liverpool’s venues and collections free and accessible to all, and to create memorable experiences for everyone. A range of gifts featuring iconic Morris designs can be purchased in the gallery gift shop and online, with all profits supporting the museums and galleries.