Born on the 20th November 1900 at Lees Near Oldham, Lancashire and died on the 1st. of July 1979 at Wilmslow, Cheshire. Attended Oldham Art School 1913-1914 Awarded the M.B.E. in 1978 for services to the arts. Started painting the subjects she is known for in 1962-3 at the age of 65, to show her grandchildren what life was like when she was a child. Her paintings illustrate the everyday events of the period around 1904-1908. Many of her characters recur frequently and are characters in the books that she wrote; such as Miss Carter (who wore pink) Mr. Taylor, the Bank Manager, Mother, Helen's three maiden Aunts, Helen herself, her brother George (who died on the 30th of November 1989), the dogs Gyp and Barney and the despised Willie Murgatroyd.

As a record of an Edwardian childhood her work is invaluable, for she included what has so often been left out of academic history - the minute details of people's ordinary experiences. In her paintings we see mill towns, markets, processions, suffragette meetings, funeral teas and holidays in Blackpool.

EXHIBITIONS:-
1965 Saddleworth Art Gallery Saddleworth
1966 Mercury Gallery London
1967 Carter Gallery Los Angeles
1970 Mercury Gallery London
1971 Mercury Gallery London
1973 Salford Art Gallery Salford
1975 Oldham Art Gallery Oldham
1977 W.H.Patterson Gallery London
1979 W.H.Patterson Gallery London
1980 Blackburn Art Gallery Blackburn
1981 W.H.Patterson Gallery London
1989 Abbot Hall Art Gallery Kendal
1991 Warrington Art Gallery Warrington
1993 Hankyu Dept. Store, Osaka, Japan
1996 Harris Art Gallery, Preston


Other venues including the Howarth Art Gallery, Accrington, Stirling University, Portico Library Manchester, Harrods London, Foyles Book Shop Gallery London, and Bolton Art Gallery.

Three paintings have been exhibited at the Royal Academy London.

Original works are in private and public collections including Oldham Art Gallery, Salford Art Gallery and Southport Art Gallery.

PRINTS PUBLISHED:-
30 Signed Limited Editions
3 Unsigned Limited Editions
11 Unlimited Prints


BOOKS PUBLISHED:-
1971 And Miss Carter Wore Pink
1973 Miss Carter Came With Us
1975 In the Beginning Said Great Aunt Jane
1978 The Queen Who Came to Tea

www.kingsgallery.co.uk - 8th September 2010