Mary May Morris was born on this day in 1862. Originally named Mary by her parents, William Morris and Jane Burden Morris because she was born on the Feast of the Annunciation. Later, it was changed to May partly as her choice and partly because her elder sister, Jenny called her 'May' instead! I am not going to write up a biography or piece together the usual details of her life; although, fascinating they can be searched anywhere.
No, the point of this brief post is because it struck me this morning when I realized today was May Morris's birthday that yesterday was her father William Morris's birthday as well! What must it have been like in the Morris household first at Red House where the Morris girls were born and shared a brief idyllic childhood before moving on to Kelmscott Manor sharing a birthday for father and daughter, William and littlest May? I am sure she had a lifetime of memories of birthday cake celebrations perhaps, fun games, parties, it must have been incredible! I bet William Morris told the best bedtime stories ever!!
Can you possibly imagine what it was like to have shard a birthday with your father? They were born only twenty-four hours apart. Well, you know what I mean! I actually have a very good idea of how May Morris felt possibly experiencing a shared birthday with her father her entire life until his passing. They must have shared their birthdays together, I can't imagine Jane Morris baking two separate cakes two days in a row? Nobody has that much time! So, it is my guess and wish that they celebrated birthday's together as I did my entire life with my beloved grandfather who was the only father figure in my household! He also was a fine painter and craftsman himself but I'll keep those memories to myself and focus on May Morris!
Lastly, this morning I was searching for an old photograph of one of my birthyday's I celebrated together with my beloved 'pop' and the one I was thinking of I couldn't find but after searching through many old albums I found this one which is better than nothing! So, to all of those daughters who are gifted to share a birthday with a parent or their parental figure, here's to you all and May Morris is I hope together in heaven sharing and celebrating with her entire family in bliss looking down on all of us strange humans still remembering them all!
Enough of my ramblings just a quick birthday post because May and William Morris sparked a few wonderful old family birthday memories of my own!
just me and my pop celebrating our birthdays together: his was January 20th and mine is January 21st!
With love I miss you terribly pop!
5 comments:
That's a lovely blog, Kimberley. I'm please I popped in as I haven't seen your stuff up on Facebook etc for ages. I went to see Morris and Janey's house, Kelmscott Manor, recently...a lovely place and one could just imagine them all living there..all these creative people!
Sad about your Pop..and an interesting coincidence that you shared birthdays just like Morris and May.
Hi Loretta,
So lovely to see you here. Thanks for finding me and commenting! I thought it an interesting coincidence. Oh, lucky you for going to Kelmscott Manor. I hope to visit one day :)
I agree, a lovely blog which evoked cherished memories for you.
I had to share my childhood birthdays with my brother, we were born in the same year, me on Jan 8th and he on Dec 31st.
Yes, thank you Kevin. I wasn't sure at first whether to make it as personal but in the end I'm glad I did! So nice to know someone else who experienced shared birthdays. I suppose it is more common that I thought!
Enjoyed reading this. There was a William Morris exhibition at the National Portrait Galley a few months' ago and while I never got around to see it, there is a permanent display of some of his works at the V&A.
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