Morris, Kenneth Vennor
(1879-1937). Born near Ammanford, in the south-western part of Wales, Morris was educated at London’s Christ’s Hospital (founded by Edward VI in 1533) graduating in 1895 as a Senior Deputy Grecian proficient in classical languages. The following year he attended meetings of the Dublin Lodge of the Theosophical Society (TS) whose members included Charles Johnston, Mr. and Mrs. Fred J. Dick, Charles Weekes and G. W. Russell (AE). There Morris joined the TS and, in 1908, at Katherine Tingley’s invitation, he moved to the headquarters of the Theosophical Society at Point Loma, California, where he taught history and literature as well as contributing essays, poetry and short stories to its theosophical magazines. Morris’ two volumes retelling the Celtic Mabinogion (The Fates of the Princes of Dyfed and Book of the Three Dragons) also The Chalchiuhite Dragon: A Tale of Toltec Times and The Dragon Path are classics of the fantasy genre. Modern critics have ranked Morris alongside J. R. R. Tolkien as a master stylist, his writings “filled with . . . an inner wisdom as rare as it is profound.”
Returning to Wales in 1930, Morris became President of the Welsh Section of the TS (Pasadena), founded several lodges, edited a section periodical, Y Fforwm Theosoffaidd and hosted a European International Theosophical Convention in Cardiff in August 1935.
© Copyright by the Theosophical Publishing House, Manila
