Hammersmith Socialist League
The Hammersmith Socialist League 1885 (click to see full size)
I have acquired an original photograph of the Hammersmith Socialist League in 1885. The photo is of considerable historical interest, including William, Janey and May Morris and many other leading figures of the time.
Recent research – see below – has uncovered quite bit about it. The V&A (my favourite museum incidentally, I have just become a ‘friend’) have a copy with a tracing paper outline of all 36 figures in the picture in their archive, but have lost the key!
Following tip-off from the Emery Walker Trust I approached the National Portrait Gallery, who have Walker’s photographic archive. A search of the archive in November 2011 reveals that it was almost certainly him who took the picture as there is also a copy of it there, along with some circumstantial evidence, but no definite attribution. The conclusion is that it was taken by Walker in the garden of Kelmscott House in Hammersmith.
If you think you know more about photo, especially who is in it, both the V&A the NPG and I would be very grateful to know. Please contact me if you have any information.