Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones was born in Birmingham on 28th August 1833, and it was in the sombre environment of this industrial city that he was brought up by his father, Edward Richard Jones, a framer, carver and gilder by trade. His mother having died shortly after his birth, a nurse was employed to help with his upbringing and education. It was intended that he would pursue a career in commerce, but was instead sent in 1853 to Exeter College, Oxford, to study for the Church. Here he was momentously to meet his future lifelong friend, mentor and working associate William Morris, and in the years ahead the two were to collaborate, both at the Kelmscott Press, Hammersmith and Morris & Co., at Merton Abbey, in producing a memorable series of illustrated books, tapestries and stained glass windows.

Although not originally a member of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, Bume-Jones was greatly influenced by the work of its founders, Rossetti, Millais and Holman Hunt. Possibly as a reaction to recalling the industrial squalor and poverty of his home city, he was much in sympathy with the escapist subject matter of their paintings, many inspired by the poetry of Keats and Tennyson, by medieval legends and classical mythology. Both he and Morris were fervent admirers of Mallory's book "Morte d'Arthur"; Burne-Jones' own works such as "The Beguiling of Merlin" and "The Last Sleep of Arthur in Avalon" are evidence of his fascination with the subject.

One of the features of Burne-Jones' work was his painstaking attention to detail, techniques learned from studying the works of Michelangelo, Botticelli, Titian and Mantegra, whilst many of the backgrounds on his canvasses, the floral swirls, ornate drapery and elaborately decorated furnishings echoed the Gothic revival typical of Morris' Arts & Crafts movement.

Once established as a popular painter and craftsman, Burne-Jones decided to move away from the pressures of life in London and in 1881 bought a property at Rottingdean on the Sussex coast. In what was then an attractive rural environment he continued his creative activities, producing works such as the sinister "Depths of the Sea" and the large "Arthur in Avalon". Like many of his paintings, the latter was produced on a grand scale, being in length half the size of a tennis court! In 1888, to commemorate the marriage of his adored daughter Margaret to the classical scholar J.W.Mackail in, appropriately, St. Margaret's Church in Rottingdean, he designed a three-light stained glass window depicting the archangels, Gabriel, Michael and Raphael. In 1890, Margaret had a daughter who grew up to be the novelist Angela Thirkell. After an extraordinarily full and eventful life, Burne-Jones died on 17th June1898, his ashes buried in a niche in the wall of the church at Rottingdean insight of his home at North End House. Here his wife Georgiana retired, with her nephew Rudyard Kipling living in the house opposite.

In 1856 Burne-Jones became engaged to Georgiana MacDonald, a 16-year-old whose family was at that time living in London. In 1859 she and her family moved to Manchester, whilst Burne-Jones set off with friends for a trip to Italy, falling under the spell of paintings he saw in Florence and Venice. Not until June 1860, after a four year engagement, did he at last marry Georgiana in Manchester - a union that was to last almost forty years. Not everything went smoothly however. As is evident from his paintings, many attractive women posed for him; among them was Mary Zambacco, nee Cassavetti, a member of the Greek colony based in London, for whom the cliche "flame-haired temptesss" might well have been invented. She soon became more than a sitter and model, and was to become the inspiration for many of his best-known paintings: "Evening Star", "Night", and "Phyllis and Demophoon", as well as many drawings and sketches. The liaison blossomed, but eventually proved disastrous, and his domestic life was never again as happy as it had been. Georgiana, after the birth of a daughter Margaret in June 1866, had no more children, and she and her husband led increasingly separate lives. She devoted herself to charitable causes and community activities whilst he, with his now established reputation as an artist and craftsman, built up a wide network of friends including actresses Ellen Terry and Mrs. Patrick Campbell, writers Robert Louis Stevenson and Henry James. He was also close to fellow artists such as Lord Frederic Leighton and Sir Lawrence AlmaTadema. At The Grange, his house in Fulham, the young artist Aubrey Beardsley first met Oscar Wilde, subsequently to produce illustrations for Wilde's "Salome".

After her husband's death in 1898, Georgiana Burne-Jones diligently assembled his biography. The two volumes have been described as "the most accurate and sensitive account of an artist's life ever written". Despite his frailties, hypochondria and pessimism, he yet emerges contrarily as a man also of great humour and charm, but the one aspect of his character which, not surprisingly, Georgiana found difficult to forgive were his various indiscretions and infatuations. Maria Zambacco, his mistress, merits no mention in her book, nor does his favourite model, Marie Spartali. Georgiana herself, however, also posed for several of her husband's drawings and paintings, notably for "King Copethua and the Begger Maid", now in the Tate Gallery, a painting so popular even today that it has become almost a cliche of Pre-Raphaelite romanticism.

John Viner

24!3/1998

Surrey Mills

A few of us joined the Merton Historical Society at the Ecology Centre in Morden Hall Park to hear a most entertaining talk on Surrey Mills given by Derek Stidder. Derek told us first that he was looking forward to visiting this Park but with some trepidation; for the first time he had tried to visit the snuff mill he had been firmly escorted off the site. This was during the time the site housed some of Merton offices. This visit had a less eventful beginning.

Mills have been a passion of Derek's for some time now and he has written one book on mills and is preparing another. Till now he had not explored the mills on the Wandle and this is something he feels he would now be interested in doing.

Mills were an important part of village life and most villages had. their own mill, the first mills were mainly flour mills. A great many of these mills were water mills. Although important to the community millers were not the most popular people, instead of money they took payment in kind and farmers often felt that the miller helped himself to a greater share of the wheat than he was supposed to. There were no poor millers!

The coming of the railways created larger markets and with these came larger mills, these roller mills produced the white flour that was becoming fashionable. This was because the wheat germ had to be removed as it stuck to the rollers. The smaller mills could not compete with these large mills and many went out of business. Some of the mills were able to convert to other products such as animal food and, of course, not all mills were flour mills. Some of the other things produced by the mills were, gunpowder, fuller's earth, wire and paper.

Many of these mills are now in a very sad state of repair. Some have been converted into homes and this has helped to preserve them but many are derelict and as so often is the case it is only when they are nearly lost that it is realised that an important part of our industrial history is being lost.

Derek spends as much time as he can travelling around looking at mills, and he told us that he is continually surprised by how willingly the people who live in converted mills let this rather large unknown person into their homes to look round. Many are quite happy to leave him to ferret around on his own, though one lady who let him in left him saying she was going to do some shopping only to return with a policeman. Fortunately, he was able to convince them that he really was a mill mad man not just mad!

His talk was illustrated by slides he had taken of the many mills he had managed to visit or the remains of mills he wished he had found in time.

Meg Thomas 29/3/98

Letter received from mr. ray bentley

In response to editor's note re proposed storyline for the

New ravensbury mill museum

Dear Mrs. Harris,

Ideas for Museum Content

I respond to the request for thoughts in the latest newsletter.

The industry missed is "Watercress Growing".

I am aware of at least 3 watercress farms that took their water from the Wandle, Grove Farm, bottom of Tramway Path. One across Goat Green from the Goat (Millers?). One in Beddington.

Watercress needs a good flow of clean water hence the link to the Wandle and why it was a vital part of that industry.

The first and last farms above were both owned by E. James & Son who still grow watercress in Hampshire. You see their trademark 'Vitacress' on bunches of watercress in the shops. Perhaps they could help with the research or sponsor a display.

There is a link to the use of the Wandle as a Drain. Grove farm stopped using the Wandle as a water supply in the 1930's because of a cholera outbreak caused by sewage discharge further upstream. I am not sure if Beddington was further upstream than the discharge.

I used to live on Grove Farm and my stepfather (over 90) worked there. If there is an interest I could arrange an interview with him and somebody from the Museum.

Yours sincerely,

Ray Bentley

For the second time we are pleased to be participating in Museum's Week 1998.

Museum's Week. started four years ago by well known personality and keen Museum supporter Loyd Grossman, Chairman of the Campaign for Museums, is now becoming established on the Museum scene. Last year 869 Museums participated and this year it is hoped to top a thousand.

The Campaign for Museums has three main objectives in organising Museum's Week.

To encourage Museums to work together to highlight their value to society and to the local community. To raise the profile of Museums through the media and with decision makers. To increase the number of visitors to Museums.

Museum's Week will be promoted extensively in the media including television, radio, the national press and the Internet.

In working together with other Museums, a repeat of last year's popular Borough Museums Coach Tour will once again be arranged. The coach will visit the Wandle Industrial Museum, Merton Heritage Centre, Wimbledon Windmill Museum and the Wimbledon Society Museum. This will be on Saturday, May 23rd. Further details will be in the local press nearer the time. At the time of writing another Merton Museum's Quiz is being planned.

In conjunction with the West London Museum's Group we shall be taking up the theme of "favourite thins" during Museum's Week. Visitors during that week will be asked to nominate their favourite object in the Museum's display. Museum Members might also like to drop in and choose their favourite exhibits as well. We shall be open on Saturday May 23rd from 12.00 noon until 4.00 p.m. as well as the usual Wednesday afternoon.

We hope to see you at your Museum during this special week.