Margaret Calkin James facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Margaret Calkin James
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Margaret Calkin James
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| Born |
Margaret Calkin
June 1895 West Hampstead, London
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| Died | 1985 (aged 89–90) |
| Nationality | British |
| Education |
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| Known for | Painter and graphic designer |
| Spouse(s) | Charles Holloway James |
Margaret Calkin James (born June 1895, died 1985) was a talented British artist. She was known for many things, including calligraphy (beautiful handwriting), graphic design, and painting. She is most famous for the eye-catching posters she created for the London Underground and London Transport between 1928 and 1935.
Contents
Margaret Calkin James: An Artist's Story
Her Early Life and Education
Margaret Calkin James was born in June 1895 in West Hampstead, London. She was one of seven children. Her father, Harry Bernard Calkin, worked at Lloyd's of London. Her grandfather, Penry Powell Palfrey, was a well-known artist who worked with stone and stained glass.
Margaret attended North London Collegiate School from 1909 to 1913. She then studied at the Central School of Arts and Crafts from 1913 to 1915. Here, she focused on calligraphy, which is the art of beautiful writing. She even won the Queen's Scholarship in her final year! After this, she went on to study at the Westminster School of Art.
In June 1922, Margaret married Charles Holloway James. He was a famous architect who learned from Sir Edwin Lutyens. After getting married, Margaret worked from a studio in her home. She and Charles had a son and two daughters.
Her Creative Career
In 1920, Margaret Calkin James opened her own art space called The Rainbow Workshops. It was located in Great Russell Street in Bloomsbury, London. This was one of the first galleries started by a woman to show and sell art, crafts, and designs.
During World War II, Margaret lived and worked at Lapstone Farm in Chipping Campden. She designed many different things for various organizations. She created posters for London Transport, which helped people find their way around the city. She also designed book covers for the publisher Jonathan Cape.
Margaret made decorative papers for the Curwen Press and created programs and booklets for the BBC. She even designed a special greetings telegram for the GPO. Some of her textile designs were used in the new Norwich City Hall in 1938.
Later Years and Legacy
In the late 1960s, Margaret Calkin James had a stroke. This made it hard for her to move her right side and to speak. But she didn't give up! She started creating new wool embroidery designs using only her left hand. This showed her amazing strength and creativity.
Margaret Calkin James passed away in 1985. Her grandchildren, Alison, Jennifer, Nicholas, and Jeremy, continue to share her artistic work and keep her memory alive.
See also
Images for kids
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Margaret Calkin James
