Pinwill sisters facts for kids
The Pinwill sisters were amazing professional woodcarvers in Devon, England, starting in 1890. The sisters were Mary (born 1871), Ethel (born 1872), and Violet (born 1874).
In their time, it was very unusual for women to be professional woodcarvers, especially for churches. This job was almost always done by men. But the Pinwill sisters not only became super skilled, they also started their own successful business!
Their workshop created beautiful carvings in wood and stone for over 60 years. They worked on more than 180 churches in Devon, Cornwall, and other places. Their work changed over time, from detailed old-style designs to simpler, more modern looks. Today, their carvings are known for their great skill and beauty.
Becoming Woodcarvers
Mary, Ethel, and Violet were three of seven daughters. Their father, Rev. Edmund Pinwill, became a vicar in Ermington, Devon, in 1880. The girls were taught at home by governesses.
Several things helped the Pinwill sisters become professional woodcarvers. When their father's church in Ermington was being fixed up, the architect E. H. Sedding often stayed with their family. He became a good friend.
Sedding worked with his uncle, who had a team of builders and carvers. The girls' mother, Elizabeth, asked the head carver to teach her daughters. The oldest was 13 in 1884. They learned in a workshop set up in a room above the stables, with benches and tools. Their grandfather had been a carver too, and his books and tools helped them.
At that time, it was common for young women to learn skills like sewing, drawing, and even woodcarving. This was often to make them seem more accomplished for marriage. But their mother had other ideas. She wanted some of her daughters to have a career. Mary, Ethel, and Violet loved carving and became true experts. There was a big demand for church artwork then, especially in certain church groups.
Starting a Business
The three sisters carved a pulpit for Ermington church in 1889, and it got amazing reviews! They also made a beautiful three-panelled carving for Chilthorne Domer church in Somerset that same year. This carving showed scenes like the birth of Jesus and the Last Supper. It also received excellent reviews.
By September 1890, Mary opened a workshop in Plymouth. She also offered carving lessons. Soon after, architect E. H. Sedding moved his office to the same building. Sedding was part of the Arts and Crafts movement. This movement valued local crafts and was more open to women artists.
Their mother first suggested the carving lessons and arranged them. Their father also supported their choice to become professional carvers. In the 1891 census, he listed all three sisters' jobs as 'Professional carver (wood)'.
It was very rare for women woodcarvers to start their own businesses. But the sisters needed to do this to compete with male carvers. So, they started their own company called Rashleigh, Pinwill and Co. in 1890. Rashleigh was Mary's middle name. They chose this name to hide the fact that they were women. Even today, some church guides mistakenly think the business was run by two men!
From 1890 onwards, the company did a huge amount of work. They fixed old church screens and made new items. These included pulpits, font covers, altarpieces, war memorials, and more. Many early projects were designed by Sedding, who then hired the Pinwill sisters to do the carving. He was a big supporter of their work.
One big project was transforming St Carantoc church in Crantock, Cornwall, between 1899 and 1902. It went from being almost a ruin to a beautiful church with seamless design and carving. Other examples of their work include the rood screen at Lewtrenchard, Devon (see photo), and carvings at Morwenstow, Cornwall, and St Laurence, Upminster, London.
Changes Over Time
In 1900, Mary got married. At that time, women of her social standing usually stopped working after marriage. So, Mary left the business. Ethel and Violet continued to grow their company together.
Violet took over Mary's role in Plymouth. In 1901, she started teaching carving to men and boys at the Plymouth Technical School's Art School. This helped her find good apprentices. These apprentices were needed for the many large and small projects that Sedding and other architects designed for the Pinwill sisters to carve.
By 1911, Ethel had started her own woodcarving business in Kingston Upon Thames in Surrey. The 1911 census showed Violet living in Plymouth. This census also showed more women working in jobs that were traditionally for men. For example, there were about 350 women woodcarvers in England and Wales that year.
When World War I started in 1914, Violet was the only owner of the business. She slowly changed the company name to V. Pinwill Carver. She employed 29 men and boys as carvers and joiners. As the war went on, fewer people ordered carvings. Many of her skilled workers had to join the army. So, Violet closed the workshop for a while. After the war, she reopened it and worked on memorials for those who died in the war, as well as other projects.
Between the two World Wars, times were tough for the workshop. In 1921, Sedding, who had been a great supporter, passed away. But Violet was very good at creating her own designs by then. World War II again meant her employees joined the army. But it also brought more memorial commissions after the war.
Violet kept teaching until at least 1945. She also took on big carving projects into the 1950s. Just a few days before she died in 1957, at age 82, she was finishing a life-size statue of St Peter for a church.
Legacy
After Violet passed away, all her workshop items were sold or destroyed. However, hundreds of photographs were saved. These photos were given to the Plymouth and West Devon Record Office and the Women's Art Library in London.
During The Blitz in World War II, many buildings in Plymouth that held Pinwill carvings were destroyed. But even so, there are still at least 76 churches in Devon and 92 in Cornwall with their beautiful church carvings. They also completed 20 projects in 13 other counties, plus some non-church works and furniture for friends and family. This means there are about 650 individual items still existing today!
Quotes
"Their careful repairs, creative new ideas, and fresh interpretations delight the eye and make the spirit soar." Peter Beacham OBE 2020.
