On the 13th December 1879, William Morris wrote to Rosalind Howard (future Countess of Carlisle) about some of the planned decorations for the home designed for her and her husband, George Howard, by Philip Webb – 1 Palace Green, Kensington: ‘I, knowing that it would be impossible to get the work done unless we began at once, have set Leach’s men at work to forward the job, so that the Drawing Room will be finished next week in the way you wished’.

Leach’s men had been working at the house, for Morris,  since the previous year, evidently in conjunction with work at other houses in the area. In June 1878, David Parr recorded that he went to work at Westminster Hospital, No. 40 Montague Square W. and No 1 Palace Green, Kensington and on the 30th August 1878 Frederick Leach travelled to London to meet ‘Messrs Morris and Webb at Mr Geo Howard’s house 1 Palace Gardens [sic]’.

On 10th January 1880, David Parr wrote that he went to work in London for three months ‘Tilney St, Mrs Cassavetti’s 6 Addison Rd and at Mr Howards No 1 Palace Green’. And on May 23rd 1882, David Parr noted leaving London after ‘working at Lady Maines, Mr Howards, Mr Beaumonts, Old Swan House, St James Palace, Mr Rawlings, Mr Fergusons, Old Swan House 2nd time and Miss Gearys’.

On 10th February 1881, Frederick Leach caught the train to London and did the rounds of the Maines’ house at Cromwell Gardens,  Richmond House and 1 Palace Green and was again in London in March 1881 at 1 Palace Green and at Old Swan House in Chelsea, also for Morris.

See also

Caroline Dakers, The Holland Park Circle Artists and Victorian Society (Yale, 1999)

https://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-london/vol37/plate-109