Synopses & Reviews
Charles Robert Ashbeeand#151;architect, designer, social reformer, and a major force behind the Arts and Crafts Movementand#151;was one of the most significant figures in British artistic and cultural life at the turn of the century. Inspired by the Romantic anti-industrialism of John Ruskin and William Morris, Ashbee started a small craft workshop in the East End of London in 1888 called the Guild of Handicraft. He not only made it a place where work could be satisfying and creative, but in 1902 boldly moved the Guildand#8217;s workshops out to the idyllic Cotswold town of Chipping Campden. Utilizing the often vivid journals kept by Ashbee and his wife, Janet, the book documents Ashbeeand#8217;s life and work, the story of the Guild, and the part Ashbee played in a wide range of reform movements.
About the Author
Alan Crawford is a freelance writer.