Elizabeth Morley facts for kids

Elizabeth Morley was a talented English silversmith. She made many beautiful things out of silver in the late 1700s and early 1800s.

Who Was Elizabeth Morley?

Elizabeth Morley started her own silver business after her husband, Thomas Morley, passed away. He was a "plateworker," which means he also worked with metal, often making flat items like plates or trays.

Starting Her Business

During her career, Elizabeth was known by many names. People called her a "smallworker" (someone who made small metal items), a "cutler" (someone who made knives and other cutting tools), a "toy dealer," a "goldsmith" (someone who worked with gold), and, most commonly, a "silversmith." This shows she was very skilled and made many different kinds of things!

To show her work was hers, Elizabeth registered special marks. She first registered one on August 8, 1794. She registered more marks later, on July 19, 1796, and October 1, 1800. These marks were like her signature on her silver creations.

Her Workshop and Business

Running a business meant she also needed insurance. Elizabeth got an insurance policy in 1797 and another in 1807. Her workshop and home were located in London, at 7 Westmoreland Buildings on Aldersgate Street.

Where You Can See Her Work

Today, you can find Elizabeth Morley's amazing silver pieces in several famous museums around the world.

The Victoria and Albert Museum in London has many of her works. This includes a collection of "bottle tickets," which were small labels for bottles.

Three of her pieces are in the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C. These include two "tea caddy spoons" from 1797 and 1798, and a "toddy ladle" from 1802. A tea caddy spoon was used to scoop tea leaves, and a toddy ladle was used to serve a warm, sweet drink called toddy.

The Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute also owns several pieces made by Elizabeth Morley.