Frances Lennon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Frances Lennon MBE
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Frances at home in February 2006
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| Born |
Frances Mooney
12 September 1912 Stretford, Lancashire, England
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| Died | 24 January 2015 (aged 102) Manchester, England
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| Nationality | British |
| Known for | Painting |
| Awards | Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire Honorary degrees from University of Salford and Manchester Metropolitan University |
Frances Lennon (born September 12, 1912 – died January 24, 2015) was a famous British artist. She won many awards for her paintings. Frances was from Greater Manchester, England.
She is most famous for being the official artist for the 2002 Commonwealth Games. People often compared her art to another artist, L. S. Lowry. They said her paintings were like his, but with more funny details. Even important people like former Member of Parliament Winston Churchill collected her artwork.
Contents
Early Life and Discovering Art
Frances Lennon was born Frances Mooney on September 12, 1912. She grew up in Stretford, England, with her older sister and younger brother. Frances went to a Catholic school called St Ann's.
Later, she studied at Adelphi House Convent School in Salford. The teachers there noticed her amazing talent for art. She even started drawing funny pictures for a famous magazine called Punch Magazine.
In 1928, Frances started working at a factory called Metropolitan-Vickers. She was a draughtsman's assistant, which means she helped draw technical plans.
Family Life and Wartime Work
Frances married William Lennon on February 19, 1938. He was a fireman. They lived in Bradford, in east Manchester.
In 1943, they moved back to Stretford. This was because William was hurt during the Manchester Blitz, which was when bombs were dropped on Manchester during World War II. Frances had to go back to work to support her family. She got a job with the Ministry of Defence. She worked as a draughtsman, drawing plans for new war planes.
Frances and William lived in Stretford until the late 1970s. Then, they retired and moved to Flixton, Greater Manchester.
Becoming a Full-Time Artist
Frances Lennon began painting full-time after her husband passed away in 1982. She created several popular books filled with her artwork. These included A Trafford Childhood (1986) and A Manchester Childhood (2001).
In 2002, Frances was chosen to be the official artist for the 2002 Commonwealth Games. This was a very special honor! She made a unique book of paintings all about the games and different sports.
Awards and Later Years
In 2003, Frances Lennon received a special award called an MBE. Prince Charles gave her this award. She earned it for her amazing contributions to art and for her charity work. She did a lot of work for the St Francis House Hospice in Didsbury.
Frances also received two special honorary degrees in 2004. These were from Salford University and Manchester Metropolitan University. An honorary degree is a special award from a university, even if you didn't study there.
Frances Lennon passed away on January 24, 2015, in Longsight, Manchester. She was 102 years old.
