Margaret Traherne (23 November 1919 — 30 June 2006) was an Essex-born artist active in the twentieth century. She was regarded as a leading artist of her generation. Noted for her stained glass designs, she also worked in sculpture as well as embroidered textiles and mixed media, examples of which are held in the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Early life Born in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, Traherne moved with her family to Long Island, New York in 1925, aged six. She later attended Southend High School after returning from eight years spent in New York.
Education Traherne attended Croydon School of Art from 1936, where she studied under Ruskin Spear. It was here that she met her future husband, David Thomas, and the pair married in 1943. Traherne joined the Kingston School of Art during the Second World War, before joining the Design School at the Royal College of Art in 1945. In 1953-54 she spent a year of experimentation at the Central School of Arts and Crafts in the stained glass department run John Baker and Tom Fairs.
Stained glass windows Margaret Traherne's designs for stained glass appear across England, including the examples below,
Fire Window, Manchester Cathedral (1966). The window was reconstructed using glass from Germany after it was destroyed by an IRA bomb in 1996. Chapel of Reconciliation and The Lady Chapel, Liverpool Cathedral Bapistry windows, St Peter's Church, Nottingham (1976) Chapel of Unity, Coventry Cathedral North chancel window, St Peter's Church, Chailey, East Sussex (1978) St Cuthberts, Rye Park. Traherne wrote of this design, "I found St. Cuthbert a sympathetic character and one that people today will relate to. I hope that my feeling will come through the design." Michelham Priory of Upper Dicker, Hailsham in Sussex features Traherne's earliest known glass design, a depiction of the Virgin and Child (1956). St Kenelm window, St Peter's, Wootton Wawen (1958) St Margaret Mary Church, Park Gate, Hampshire (1966)
Works in public collections A range of works by Margaret Traherne are held in public British collections, including the following, TitleYearMediumGallery no.GalleryLocationCope1950swool with appliquéd embroidery, padded, silk threadCIRC.302-1961Victoria and Albert MuseumLondonFret1956jacquard-woven fabricCIRC.680-1956Victoria and Albert MuseumLondonFret1956jacquard-woven fabricCIRC.680A-1956Victoria and Albert MuseumLondonFret1956jacquard-woven fabricCIRC.680B-1956Victoria and Albert MuseumLondonLight Box1974glass & acrylic plasticAH01527/75Abbot Hall Art GalleryCumbria, EnglandLight Box1974glass & acrylic plasticAH01528/75Abbot Hall Art GalleryCumbria, EnglandLight Box -glass & perspexL.F461.1976.0.0New Walk Museum & Art GalleryLeicestershire, EnglandPoppy head on a blue ground1980watercolourP.15-1981Victoria and Albert MuseumLondonStanding Stonesc.1959moulded concrete008Loughborough UniversityLeicestershire, EnglandYellow Nude Collage1974gouache & cut paper collageP.16-1981Victoria and Albert MuseumLondon
References
External links
Obituary, The Independent, 18 July 2006 Obituary, The Guardian, 10 August 2006