 In summer 1876 Jenny Morris was diagnosed with epilepsy . Refusing to allow her to be societally marginalised or institutionalised , as was common in the period , Morris insisted that she be cared for by the family . When Janey took May and Jenny to Oneglia in Italy , the latter suffered a serious seizure , with Morris rushing to the country to see her . They then proceeded to visit a number of other cities , including Venice , Padua , and Verona , with Morris attaining a greater appreciation of the country than he had on his previous trip . In April 1879 Morris moved the family home again , this time renting an 18th @-@ century mansion on Hammersmith 's Upper Mall in West London . Owned by the novelist George MacDonald , Morris would name it Kelmscott House and re @-@ decorate it according to his own taste . In the House 's grounds he set up a workshop , focusing on the production of hand @-@ knotted carpets . Excited that both of his homes were along the course of the River Thames , in August 1880 he and his family took a boat trip along the river from Kelmscott House to Kelmscott Manor . 
