ith ▁were ▁married ▁in ▁the ▁F let ch ers ' ▁local ▁church ▁at ▁Br ath ay ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 8 7 8 , ▁in ▁a ▁service ▁conducted ▁by ▁Dr um mond ▁Ra wn s ley . ▁The ▁couple ' s ▁only ▁child , ▁No el , ▁was ▁born ▁at ▁W ray ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 8 8 0 . ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁bi ograph er ▁Graham ▁Mur phy , ▁" because ▁of ▁his ▁parents ' ▁numerous ▁activities ▁and ▁love ▁of ▁travel ▁[ No el ] ▁suffered ▁a ▁somewhat ▁solit ary ▁child hood ". ▁ ▁By ▁this ▁time , ▁Rus kin ▁had ▁made ▁his ▁home ▁in ▁the ▁Lake ▁District ; ▁since ▁ 1 8 7 3 ▁he ▁had ▁lived ▁at ▁Br ant wood ▁on ▁the ▁shore ▁of ▁Con ist on ▁Water , ▁ 2 2 ▁miles ▁from ▁W ray . ▁He ▁had ▁already ▁been ▁involved ▁in ▁a ▁conservation ▁campaign , ▁un success fully ▁oppos ing ▁the ▁dam ming ▁of ▁Th irl m ere ▁ ▁to ▁create ▁a ▁res er voir ▁for ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁Manchester , ▁nearly ▁ 1 0 0 ▁miles ▁away . ▁Ra wn s ley ▁visited ▁Rus kin ▁frequently , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 0 ▁they ▁discussed ▁" how ▁to ▁add ▁happiness ▁to ▁the ▁country ▁labour er ' s ▁lot ". ▁The ▁two ▁agreed ▁that ▁" id le ▁hands ▁should ▁have ▁something ▁found ▁for ▁them ▁to ▁do ▁by ▁other ▁than ▁the ▁Dev il ▁… ▁We ▁must ▁bring ▁joy , ▁the ▁joy ▁of ▁eye ▁and ▁hand - sk ill