New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-03

Chipping Campden. Gloacestershire. England.
December 10 1905
President Roosevelt's picture came pretty near
getting into an edition of Protestant Episcopal
-r,,,a-g,ool,s orsarAd YOUR. correspondent is in
formed by Mr.. Morgan. the New-York banker LOT
distribution among several parishes IL inc Ohileo
States The prayerbooks were prepared pS "e
Guild of Handcraft (of which Charles L. -AsiOeo
was the founder which now is enjoying ooth iaihe
snd prosperity at this place. The guild mas pro-
0uced an illustrated edition OF the praEeroooh'
Apparently il came to the notice of MI. Morgan,
whose agent ordered supply for use In me OiiceU
States At the paragraph containing prayer TOT
the King Mr.. Ashbee has an engraving OF MING
Onward In the edition for the United states
where Episcopalians pray for the President thele
was inserted the portrait OF President hooseNei''
when the matter came TO the attentloh Vi ,
agent in the United States, letter was promptly
mailed 10 Mr. Ashbee protesting against the IA
ar+on Of the Presidents picture, as the writer saio
n Was the office. and not the man. the American
Church prayed for. Before the error was slraieh'-
ened out there was amusing discussion ana specu-
lstion over the possible comment that woulo nave
been provoked by the appearance IN Ne"-h oIh o. .
praver-book provided by Mr.. Morgan. containing
the picture Of President Roosevelt.
A visit to the Handicraft Guild here well repays
the visitor for che time spent In making IL IN
she wears lsS6-'& Charles R. Ashbee, young ana
enthusiastic conducted small Ruskin Class at
rrovnbee Hall. London. There were only three IN
ahis class but from it sprang small CLASS hor 'he
study Of design which gradually increased Its num-
hers to thirty Then IL was felt that the designs
must he worked out and from this sprang the pres
. en- Guild and School Of HandIcraft.
The idea Mr. Ashbee had was that school
should be carried IN connection with q work
shop-that the in this workshop should De
teachers in the school, and that the pupils in the
school should be drafted into the workshop as it
grew in strength and certainty. The guild and
school were opened in June. 1855. and the guild
then took up woodwork metal work and decorative
painting.
Essex House. IN East London. leased and
little workshops were built around in It's gardens.
Here the guild and school ourished for nine years,
when owing the failure OF the Technical Educa-
ton Board Of the London County Council to CO.
operate as Mr.. Ashbee wished. and tho imposs-
blty Of carrying on costly educational work in the
teeth Of State aided competition. IL was thought
best TO close the school Since the closing OF the
school as a public undertaking the educational
work has been limited to the pupils and apprentices
Of the guild and TO those who might be willing to
have special teaching at Essex House and were
ready TO pay the fees necessary for the purpose.
Instructors were sent from the guild all over
the United Kingdom. Mr.. Ashbee says all OF three
hundred different centres have been visited by
Essex House workmen, acting either teachers
or inspectors OF local teaching, and the work
from the guild shops has been sent the round OF
exhibitions in Europe and 10 the Cape At the
time Of William Morris's death Mr.. Ashbee opened
negotiations with the trustees OF The Keimscott
10 Essex House and secured the services OF some
of the principal members OF the staff who had
worked for many years with William Morris and
under his personal influence. AS the blocks We're
deposited at the British Museum and the type not
20 be sold Mr.. Ashbee purchased a fine eighteenth
century CASTOR fount and designed a type of his
own Thus the art OF printing added TO tho
industries already mentioned. The guild had grown
so that the workshops around the little garden
were crowded. They dreaded leaving the old house
IL would be much better TO out INTO the country
and the village Of Chipping -Campden. in Glou-
cestershire. moved guild men, boys; in fact.
ali movable Of Essex House and the guild.
This little village OF Chipping-Campden is stu
ated in q hollow Of the most northsrly and pic
turesQue spur OF the Cotswold Hills
There is scarcely q house in IL but speaks OF
some tradition. The Hgh-st. IS most extraordinary
with its open Market Han QSSo). medieval Town
Hail and double curve leading up 10 the church
Oss0
Many o: the houses and cottage stand out in the
green lanes. Little matched farnhouses, with
groups OF poplars. are here and there.
This little village the centre OF the great
wool trade OF the Middle Ages and the silk trade
OF the eighteenth century. Mr.. Ashbee is at pres
ent living I'm Woolstaplers Hall. which was built
in 1885, and he has reconstructed the old silk mills
brought them up to date-but preserved the char
acter Of the old work-and there you see the
green twinkle OF the lattice windows OF the old
silk weavers to which have been added electric
Nights.
The works produce quaint jewelry. cigar boxes
IN silver, with enamel tops: all sorts of silver for
table, and the guilds hammering up the
silver and gold and enamel work In the wood de-
partHent there are being carved panels for a
church, cabinets and all sorts OF furniture some
on order for THE Cape"
The married OF the guild live in homes OF
their own. and the unmarried men live in Bra.th-
waite IIouse Woolstapler's Hall The guilds
men go 30 WoOlstapler's Hall one two evenings
a week discuss matters OF importance Two
evenings recently IL Mr.. Balfours fiscal policy
which read by Mr.. Ashbee and discussed by
tie young men.
There is a technical school in connection with
the guild. where there is loan OF exhibits from
the board Of education. and they have the nucleus
OF a good library
Last year. at Christmas time. the guild people
1870 nnA Of Ben Jonson's Dlays in the Town Hall