William De Morgan’s Arts and Crafts ceramics adhere to the Socialist principles of the movement promoted by its leader and De Morgan’s friend, William Morris.

Despite championing the handmade over the massed produced, and valuing the workers he employed, De Morgan & Co ceramics, which were intended for the masses, were so expensive to create that they were only affordable for the wealthy.

But just who were William De Morgan’s elite clients? The collaboration between the De Morgan Collection, Royal Museums Greenwich and Woburn Abbey has been the catalyst for new research into William De Morgan’s patrons, who included the Duke of Bedford.

Sarah Hardy is the Curator and Manager of the De Morgan Foundation, an independent charity which owns the largest collection of De Morgan ceramics in the world.

Sarah read history of art and Durham University and the University of Manchester and has specialised in Victorian Arts and Crafts throughout her career, lecturing and writing widely on the subject.

Sarah has previously worked with the British Library and National Gallery collections, before coming to the De Morgan Foundation in 2018.

Tickets: £8

Booking: https://www.rmg.co.uk/see-do/exhibitions-events/lecture-series-woburn-treasures

Audience: Adult