William Frend De Morgan (16 November 1839 – 15 January 1917) was an English potter, tile designer and novelist. A lifelong friend of William Morris, he designed tiles, stained glass and furniture for Morris & Co. from 1863 to 1872. His tiles often recall medieval or Islamic design patterns. He applied innovative glazes and firing techniques. Galleons and fish were common motifs, as were "fantastical" birds and animals. Many of De Morgan's tiles were designed to create intricate patterns when several were laid together.
Life and work
Born in Gower Street, London, De Morgan was the son of the distinguished mathematician Augustus De Morgan and the highly educated writer and social reformer Sophia Elizabeth Frend. He was named William Frend De Morgan after his maternal grandfather, the clergyman, mathematician and social reformer William Frend (1757–1841).
De Morgan grew up in an intellectually liberal household. His father was the first Professor of Mathematics at University College London, while his mother, Sophia Elizabeth Frend, was involved in social reform and women's education. Her activities included work connected with Bedford College, prison and workhouse reform, abolitionism and women's suffrage.
The Victoria and Albert Museum describes De Morgan as having grown up in a liberal household in which his artistic abilities were encouraged by his parents. His maternal grandfather William Frend had been a prominent religious dissenter and political and social reformer, and the Frend name was retained in William Frend De Morgan's own name.
