Biographies: Joseph King

Joseph King’s role in the Peasant Arts movement was as financier, provider of buildings and promoter of the cause through the Peasant Arts museum and the support of his wife, Maude Egerton King’s, role in the movement.

King was born in Liverpool in 1860, the eldest son of Joseph King and his wife Phoebe (nee Powell).  Phoebe’s younger sister Louisa married George MacDonald, making Greville MacDonald and Joseph King cousins.  His father was a surgeon and his grandfather was a co-founder of the Liverpool Stock Exchange.   The family are described as ‘non-conformist stock’, Joseph went to Trinity College Oxford were he was active in founding the non-conformist union that aimed to bring free churchmen together.   After graduating he entered into the Temple with the intention of studying for the Bar.   However he continued his theological studies studying at Geissen University in Germany in the summer of 1885.   For family reasons Joseph returned to the UK and completed his legal training (The Congregationalist March 23^rd 1911).  Interestingly both King and Blount had considered becoming non-conformist ministers, but instead had decided upon more orthodox career paths.

Joseph King from Swanton, E, W A Country Museum Haslemere Educational Museum, 1947

In 1881 King was living in Welford House, Hampstead as the head of the household with his sister.  By 1885 King was engaged to Maude Egerton Hine who was also living in Hampstead at the time.  Greville MacDonald first met Maude that year when he sat beside her at a dinner party and discovered that she was engaged to his cousin, Joseph King, who was at the time a young barrister (MacDonald, Reminiscenes of a Specialist, Allen & Unwin, 1932).  In 1887 Joseph and Maude married.  On the 1891 census they were living together at Wedderburn Road, Hampstead.  The Kings moved to Lower Birtley, Witley in 1894.  In 1895 Maude’s brother, William Egerton Hine painted a pencil and watercolour picture ‘A House at Lower Bertly, Witley’ (Christie’s, Watercolours by Henry George Hine and other artists of the Hine family, 1988, London) which doubtless was painted whilst visiting the Kings.   The Kings must have then moved to Upper Birtley where they are recorded as living on the census in 1901. 

By 1892 King was drawn into politics, unsuccessfully standing as a Liberal candidate for the New Forest constituency.   In 1894, shortly after moving to Haslemere, King served on Surrey County Council, eventually losing his seat six years later.  His Parliamentary career continued unsuccessfully losing two elections in 1904 and 1906 until in 1910 he was finally elected MP for North Somerset in the landslide Liberal victory that year holding the seat until 1918.  In common with his friend, Arthur Ponsonby (1^st Baron Ponsonby of Shulbrede), of nearby Shulbrede Priory, King defected to Labour.

Joseph King, from Haslemere Educational Museum

MacDonald described King as “Keenly appreciating genius, though his inclinations embraced rather politics and non conforming orthodoxies, gave her (Maude Egerton King) every opportunity for her hopes in spinning-wheel and loom” (Reminiscences of a Specialist Greville MacDonald p375).  King owned the land on Kings Road that was then called Foundry Meadow, and it was here that the Peasant Arts buildings were erected, with Francis Troup designing them.  Around 1902 Sandhouse was completed, designed by Francis Troup, where the Kings lived until 1922 when they moved to Hill Farm, Camelsdale until Maude’s death in 1927.

King donated Foundry Meadow to the Peasant Art Guild in 1914.  This was the land where the weaving houses and workshops were. 

Peasant Arts Museum room at Haslemere Museum c.1927 from The Lost Arts of Europe, Haslemere Educational Museum, 2000

It also housed the Peasant Arts museum from 1912.  On several afternoons Joseph took groups of children in the Peasant Art Galleries, in order to stimulate their interest in folk history and the appreciation of art and handicraft.  During the development of the Haslemere Educational Museum Joseph King spoke to the Museum committee on the peasant arts collections and supervised the move from the King’s road site to the museum in 1926.  The Guild offered the collection to the Museum committee as a free gift together with a building fund of £500 which King matched using his own private funds.  The Guild furnished, fitted and decorated two rooms to house the collection and King authored a handbook describing the collection.  He was appointed Honorary Curator of the collection until his death in 1943 (Swanton, E, W. 1947 A Country Museum Ch. 10 Educational Museum Haslemere, Haslemere).

Arnold Dolmetsch in 1916

In 1928 King re-married, a year after Maude’s death, Helena Gertrude Martins and went to live in Brownholme, Tilford.   Helena appears to have been musical, being the Honorary Secretary and Treasurer of the The Dolmetsch Foundation.  The Musical Times in May 1951 advertizes a Dolmetsch early music concert and reception, where tickets are ‘obtainable only from Mrs Joseph King, Brownholm, Tilford’.  The Dolmetsch link here is interesting seeing as according to Trotter King's "greatest contribution may well have been his influence in persuading Arnold Dolmetsch to settle in the Grayswood Road in 1917, and introduce the community to the delights of early music" (Trotter, The Hilltop Writers, The Book Guild, 2003).

Biographies: Greville MacDonald

Greville Matheson MacDonald was born in 1856 in Manchester, the first son of George MacDonald (the famous Scottish writer) and Louisa MacDonald (nee Powell).  Louisa's elder sister Phoebe was Joseph King's mother.  Greville's involvement with the Peasant Arts movement included partly financing the movement and launching the Vineyard magazine.

Greville and Joseph being cousins explains how Greville was linked to the Peasant Arts movement in Haslemere.  Out of the five main members of the Peasant Arts movement, it is possible to know the most about Greville as he published his autobiography, ‘Reminiscences of a Specialist’ in 1932.

Greville MacDonald, from Reminiscences of a Specialist, 1932

Aside from Greville’s involvement in the Peasant Arts movement, his family life is very interesting due to his experiences as George MacDonald’s son, his father being one of the most famous writers at the time.  His reputation and lifestyle led Greville to friendships with a number of well-known people.

The family left Manchester when Greville was 3 weeks old due to George MacDonald’s health – he was diagnosed as ‘dying of haemorrhage from the lungs’ when Greville was born, and it was advised that the family leave the ‘fogs of an over-chimneyed city’ (MacDonald, 1932, Reminiscences of a Specialist, London, George Allen and Unwin) – and spent the Winter in Algiers with ‘much help’ from Lady Byron who Greville describes as an ‘unfailing friend’ of his father, having been attracted to his father’s first book ‘Within and Without’.

George MacDonald with Greville MacDonald, from Reminiscences of a Specialist, 1932

In 1861 the MacDonald’s are living in Hastings, they then moved to Kensington and from there in 1867 to Hammersmith, London.  Greville describes this house, recorded on the census as ‘The Retreat’ as facing the river with an acre of old garden, the family however decided to move as they believed the location was responsible for Greville’s sister Mary contracting tuberculosis.  They sold the house to William Morris in 1878, who lived there until his death in 1896.  Morris renamed the house Kelmscott House and made it a famous address.

Greville MacDonald drawn in kilt by Lewis Carroll, Reminiscences of a Specialist, 1932

Greville is famous for having read ‘Uncle Dodgson’s’ (Reverend Charles Dodgson, otherwise known as Lewis Carrol) Alice in Wonderland when Dodgson was wondering whether to publish it.  Greville’s mother read the book to the children to gauge its worth if published, and Greville remembers his ‘braggart avowal that I wished there were 60,000 volumes of it’.  The above picture was sketched by Lewis Carroll whilst Greville was modelling for Alex Munro, whose resulting statue now resides in Hyde Park.  It refers to a joke that they were having about the advantage of having a marble head, 'for then it would never suffer from combing its curls and could not be expected to learn lessons', and that such a head would terrify the sculptor Alex Munro.  Greville is shown holding the said marble head.

Greville attributes his understanding of Latin to Octavia Hill (who became a co-founder of the National Trust in 1895, along with Haslemere’s Sir Robert Hunter) who joined the family on holiday in 1867 at Bude, and became a life-long friend of Greville. 

Greville went to Kings College School and then went to train at Kings College Hospital.  Despite suffering from partial deafness which degenerated with age, Greville became an ear, nose and throat doctor of some distinction, residing at 85 Harley Street until he moved to Wildwood, Weydown Road, Haslemere in 1919.  Greville’s autobiography describes him as a ‘consulting physician to Kings College Hospital’ and ‘Fellow and Emeritus Professor, Kings College, London’.   Greville married his wife Elizabeth Phoebe Winn in 1887, they had no children, but from a dedication in one of his books, it would appear that he adopted a girl, ‘Mollie Gamble’.

Statute that Greville modelled for as a boy, Reminiscences of a Specialist, 1932

Greville was no stranger to Haslemere, in 1900 Greville’s parents moved to St George’s Wood, Grayswood Road, Haslemere, into a house that he had had built for them, where his frail father spent his final few years.  What Greville describes as his ‘best friends’ Joseph King, Maude Egerton King, Godfrey Blount and Ethel Blount lived there, and he had visited and stayed with them often.  In 1913 Greville’s wife ‘lost a leg’ and that seems to be part of the reason behind his move to the country.  Greville describes his involvement in the Peasant Arts movement as ‘happy that I might possibly help them, I soon assigned my scanty leisure, along with some too easily earned money, to the support of their Society.’ 

It was Greville who negotiated the purchase of the Museum of Peasant Arts from Reverend Gerald Davies in 1908, ‘at a price well below its value, but on the condition that it should never be displayed in any City Museum, where, he thought, its beauties might be swamped, and its materials damaged by smoke.  Realizing the national worth of the collection I put it, by Trust Deed, in the hands of the Founders of the Peasant Arts Guild for the public benefit, thus protecting it against any possible mishap to the Guild’.  Greville describes himself as launching The Vineyard Magazine in 1910. 

Greville wrote a number of books on widely varied subjects, including a biography of his father and mother ‘George MacDonald and his Wife’, some complex works such as ‘The Sanity of William Blake’, ‘The Religious Sense in its Scientific Aspect’, and fairy tales such as ‘Count Billy’ and ‘The Magic Crook Or the Stolen Baby’.   Greville's autobiography 'Reminiscences of a Specialist' has proved invaluable in providing these insights.

Biographies: Maude Egerton King

Maude Egerton Hine was born in 1876, and was the youngest of the 15 children of Henry George Hine (1811-1985) the watercolour landscape painter and Mary Ann Eliza Egerton, her mother’s maiden name of Egerton appears in most of the children’s middle names.  Maude was an author, editor of The Vineyard journal and is accredited with instigating the Peasant Arts movement in Haslemere.

Maude is first recorded on the census at 4 years old living at 26 Park Road, Hampstead.  It is interesting to note that Maude’s eldest sisters, Mary and Esther, are 25 years older than her.  In 1881 the family were living at 130 Haverstock Hill and Maude is described as a scholar in the census.

In 1887 Maude married Joseph King.  In 1891 the Kings are living in 6 Wedderburn Road, Hampstead where they have a cook and a housemaid.  Maude’s  sister Marion Hine (who in 1901 is living at Greenbushes, Foundry Lane) is visiting, whilst Maude’s husband, Joseph King, is visiting his brother, John Godwin King in Lymington.  In 1894 the Kings moved to Lower Birtley, Witley, near Haslemere.  In approximately 1897 Maude had a daughter, Katherine King, their only child.  In 1901 the Kings were living at Upper Birtley with Maude’s mother, Mary Ann Hine, who by then a widow of 84.  The Kings have three servants: a parlour maid, housemaid and betweenmaid, as well as a trained sick nurse, presumably to look after Mrs Hine, and a Swiss governess.  Maude is described as a ‘writer’.

Maude is accredited with instigating the Peasant Arts movement through her weaving skills.   The Surrey Times in 17^th November 1900 writes of Joseph King’s address to visitors to the Weaving House explaining that “it was about eight years since the work was commenced, largely through the fact that Mrs King had been very interested in the working of the handlooms of some Swedish ladies.  She had a loom in her own in London, and on moving to Lower Birtley (sic?  As census has the Kings living at Upper Birtley in 1901) they had first a room in the house set apart for the work, then an outhouse, and later the present premises (in Foundry Lane / Foundry Meadow, now Kings Road) were designed and built in order to be near a centre of population.”

Maude wrote a number of books which are still available: My Book of Songs and Sonnets (1893), Round about a Brighton Coach Office (1896) and Bread and Wine: A Story of Graubunben (1902).  Maude edited ‘A Cottage Wife’s Calendar’ with Elizabeth Stedman.  Maude also published numerous short books (perhaps as Peasant pamphlets) ‘The Christmas Tree.  A tale’ (1898), ‘The Conversion of Miss Caroline Eden’ (1900), ‘Studies in Love. Tales’ (1900), ‘Gothic Ruin and Reconstruction’ (1910), ‘The Country Heart and ther stories’ (1911) and ‘How the Children Met the Three Kings.  A little Christmas play for home or school acting’ (1912).

Maude was the editor of The Vineyard which launched in 1910, a journal launched to promote the principles of the Peasant Arts Society, citing itself as "A Monthly Magazine devoted to the Literature of Peasant Life".  It was primarily dedicated to non-fiction, supplemented by works of fiction and poetry.

Originally published monthly, the magazine went on hiatus during World War I, after the September 1914 issue. It resumed quarterly publication with a Christmas 1918 issue, before ceasing again two years later, in September 1920. It returned after several months under the name The Country Heart, but permanently ceased publication at the end of 1922 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Vineyard_(magazine).  On some of these edition Maude is joint editor with Greville MacDonald. 

In 1911 the Kings had moved to Sandhouse, Witley, the large new arts and craft mansion designed by Francis Troup.  Now at 43 years old, Maude is described in the census as an ‘authoress’.  The household’s servants comprise: a housekeeper, cook, parlourmaid, kitchenmaid and two housemaids.

As Maude became ill and died in 1927, so too was the Peasant Arts movement was coming to the end of it’s life.

Biographies: Godfrey Blount

Godfrey Blount was born on 29^th June 1859 in Bagshot, the fourth of five children to John H. Blount and Sarah Catherine Blount (nee Robins), residing at 6 High Street, Bagshot.  Blount was an accomplished artist, designing the striking peasant tapestries for the Peasant Arts movement, and a deeply religious man, founding the Country Church in St George's Hall, Kings Road.


His father was a doctor.  In 1871 he is found on the census at the Waterloo Place Gentleman’s School, Leamington.  He went on to Winchester College where he distinguished himself at football and from there he studied at Pembroke College, Cambridge University, where in the 1881 census he is listed alongside Professor John N. Keynes, John Maynard Keynes’ father.  It is understood that he considered entering the church or becoming a doctor, but that a great friend, James Archibald Campbell,  encouraged him to follow his talents by being an artist.

Godfrey Blount from Haslemere Educational Museum

Blount then went onto study for a short time at Herkomer’s Art School in Bushey, run by the notable oil and watercolourist Sir Hubert von Herkomer (1849-1914).  He then studied at the Slade School of Art in London, under Alphonse Legros (1837-1911), while other art schools advocated detailed compositions, placing great emphasis on shading, Slade students were encouraged to make rapid linear sketches from the life model.  It was here that he met his wife, who he married in 1887.  In 1891 the Blounts were living together in 1 Church Row Mews, Hampstead.

Godfrey Blount Talisman Tablet, 1925 (sold by Hill House Antiques)

The Blounts moved to Haslemere around 1896, from a village near Oxford.  In 1899 he published his most notable work, ‘Arbor Vitae’, ‘a book on the nature and development of imaginative design for the use of teachers and craftsmen’.  Numerous other works are attributed to Blount, but out of these, only ‘The Science of Symbols’ and ‘The Founding of a Folk Church Being a Letter to the New Crusade’ is still in circulation.  His other works include Peasant Arts pamphlets, leaflets and symbolic verses.

Godfrey Blount from W.R.Trotter, The Hilltop Writers, The Book Guild Ltd, 2003

In 1900 Blount founded the Fellowship of the New Crusade, preaching simple life and the revival of handicrafts, folk music and dance and the restoration of country ways and customs.  In 1901 the Blounts are recorded living in Foundry Cottage, Foundry Lane, close to the weaving houses.  In 1902 the St Cross School of Handicraft was established in Weydown Road by the Blounts, making talismans, religious emblems, toys and model cottages which were intended to express true feelings in beautiful colour and form.  Around this time Blount founded the Country Church in the Hall of St George on Foundry Meadow, where he would preach every Sunday, and which then transferred to the grounds of St Cross.  He was Master of the Guild of Country Players, whose objective was the revival of the pleasures of country life, and Chairman of the English Handicraft Society.

Arbor Vitae, Godfrey Blount, 1899

His artwork included oil and watercolours, wall frescoes, decorative plasterwork on walls and ceilings, stucco and cement work decoration external to houses, panels on furniture, wood carvings on dressers, cupboards, wardrobes and bedsteads.  During the war, Blount acquired a printing press and produced varied pamphlets and broadsides.  He also produced greeting cards and motto decorative plates.

The 1911 census records the Blounts residing at St Cross on Weydown Road.  In 1927 Blount founded the Supernatural Society to fight materialism with Christianity and simple living.  Blount died on 6^th July 1937.  A number of memoriums were produced upon his death which provide an overview of his life (and have informed this piece).

Box designed by Godfrey Blount, from Studio International, Vol. 29

Biographies: Ethel Blount

Ethel Egerton Blount (nee Hine) born in 1864 was one of fourteen children of Henry George Hine (1811-1985) the watercolour landscape painter and Mary Ann Eliza Egerton, her mother’s maiden name of Egerton appears in most of the children’s middle names.  Ethel was born in St Pancras, London.  For the next twenty years Ethel was living in Hampstead:

• In 1871 she is recorded on the census as living at 26 Park Road, Hampstead.
• In 1881 the family were living at 130 Haverstock Hill, Ethel then 17 was recorded on the census as an ‘art student’. 
• In 1891 she had married the artist Godfrey Blount and they were living together in 1 Church Row Mews, Hampstead.

The Blounts moved to Haslemere around 1896.  In 1901 they are recorded living in Foundry Cottage, Foundry Lane.  Here the Blounts produced a Peasant Tapestry range of work to advertise and promote their experimental rural idyll, this was an applique design by Godfrey Blount, that was produced by his wife Ethel. The Studio in 1908 reported ‘Mr. Godfrey Blount is largely responsible for the exquisite designs, though Mrs. Blount often suggests the harmonies in colour, and besides teaching the girls, herself weaves at the hand looms. The great difficulty at Haslemere has been that of trying to wed cheapness to beauty…’.

Applique work portiere, designed by Godfrey Blount, Executed by the Class, Haslemere, Studio International 11-13, 1898

Ethel has been linked with the Healthy and Artistic Dress Union, along with C.R.Ashbee’s wife Janet, Ethel is reported to have been a prominent member (Cumming & Kaplan, 1991).  The Union promoted the wearing of "unusually comfortable, loose-fitting clothes made of hand-woven cloth", and had connections with the suffragette movement.

from The Story of the Homespun Web

Ethel published ‘The Story of the Homespun Web: A simply Guide to Spinning and Weaving’ in 1910.  Unlike her sister Maude, her published name was ‘Mrs Godfrey Blount’, perhaps reflecting upon her husband’s reputation, but also her position as a female at the time.  This small book is ‘fully illustrated by the author’.  Whilst containing instructions on how to weave, from the initial scouring of the fleece to the final waulking, it is peppered with her opinions on the importance of weaving within the home.

In 1911 the Blounts had moved to St Cross on Weydown Road.