Apologies for cross-posting, but I thought many of you would be interested 
in this appeal for help.
  
THREAT TO THE WILLIAM MORRIS GALLERY
 
The William Morris Gallery in Walthamstow, London, is the only public 
museum in the world devoted to William Morris’s life, work and influence, 
and has internationally important collections reflecting the enormous range 
of his activities as an artist, craftsman, writer and campaigner. Morris’s 
original designs and book arts, textiles, wallpapers, furniture, stained 
glass, tiles, are shown alongside works by Burne-Jones, Rossetti, Webb, May 
Morris, and many others. The museum also has applied arts by Morris's 
followers in the Arts & Crafts movement, as well as paintings and drawings 
by the Pre-Raphaelites and by Sir Frank Brangwyn, who generously gifted his 
own significant collections to form the nucleus of the Gallery. In addition 
is an important library and archive which includes signed presentation 
copies of all of Morris's literary works and the full series of Kelmscott 
Press books. 
 
For the over 50 years since the museum was opened by Clement Attlee, many 
thousands of people – locals and visitors and researchers from every corner 
of the world – have made the pilgrimage to Walthamstow to visit for free 
this museum in Morris’s boyhood home, a beautiful Georgian house set in a 
Victorian park. 

In January 2007 Waltham Forest Council proposed cutbacks to severely limit 
the opening hours of the William Morris Gallery and also of the local 
Vestry House Museum & Archives and to terminate the contracts of all staff 
as part of a drastic restructuring – who learned about the threats to 
their jobs and museums in the local newspaper.  The internationally 
renowned Curator of the William Morris Gallery has worked tirelessly for 
thirty years to build up the collections, to hold inspiring exhibitions, to 
educate visitors and to assist researchers. Now, the so-called consultation 
period is over and many fear this will be the beginning of the end of this 
unique museum – and damaging to William Morris’s legacy. 

The Friends of the William Morris Gallery are asking for your help. Please 
visit http://www.keepourmuseumsopen.org.uk/ where there is A LINK TO AN 
ONLINE PETITION. 

Every single name and comment helps! Please tell your contacts. 

See also Jonathan Glancey's recent piece in The Guardian: 
http://arts.guardian.co.uk/art/design/story/0,,2058882,00.html

Time is of the essence and we are very concerned that this will be yet 
another cultural disaster in the UK, and another loss of precious 
historical resources for students and researchers.

Thank you for your support. As Morris said: FELLOWSHIP IS LIFE