Health

It was a delight to meet the new President of the UK William Morris Society during a recent visit to London.  Lord Sawyer of Darlington (Tom Sawyer) is the new President as of May 12, ,  2018.   The press release announcing Lord Sawyer’s presidency outlines his impressive career and longstanding interest in William Morris: "Lord Tom Sawyer Standing in front of the House of Lords," http://www.designerbookbinders.org.uk/exhib/past_exhibitions/past_exhibitions.html Tom Sawyer began his working life at the age of 15 on the factory floor of a County Durham engineering works. He went on to have a distinguished career in the labour movement, including serving as deputy general secretary of NUPE [National Union of Public Employees] and later UNISON [one of the UK’s largest trade unions], before becoming General Secretary of the Labour Party from 1994-98. He recently stepped down as Chancellor of Teeside University after serving a twelve-year term. Tom first encountered William Morris

The William Morris Society in the United States is calling for applications for the 2019 Joseph R. Dunlap Memorial Fellowship. The deadline is December 15, 2018. Applications are judged by committee, and the decision will be announced by January 15, 2019. The Dunlap Fellowship supports scholarly and creative work about William Morris.  The fellowship offers funding of $1000 or more for research and other expenses, including travel to conferences and libraries. Projects may deal with any subject—biographical, literary, historical, social, artistic, political, typographical—relating to Morris. The Society also encourages translations of Morris's works and the production of teaching materials (lesson plans and course materials) suitable for use at the elementary, secondary, college, or adult-education level. Applications are sought particularly from younger members of the Society and from those at the beginning of their careers. Recipients may be from any country and need not have an