Ann Macbeth

Ann Macbeth was a celebrated embroiderer, designer, teacher and author, she was a member of the Glasgow Movement and an associate of Charles Rennie Mackintosh. She lectured and exhibited her work in many countries, including America.

Although her parents were Scottish, Ann was born in Bolton in Lancashire. She came from an artistic background: her uncles included the artists Robert Walker Macbeth and Henry Macbeth-Raeburn and her paternal grandfather was the portraitist Norman Macbeth. She studied at the Glasgow School of Art and then went on to teach a variety of subjects there, including metalwork, bookbinding, ceramic decoration as well as her main passion, embroidery. She was very supportive of Women's Suffrage and produced a number of well publicised embroidered banners for them, she even spent two weeks in prison (apparently under a false name). The School's Governors must have been supportive of the movement as, in 1912, she was appointed Director of Studies in the Needlework-Decorative Arts Studio.

Her connection with Patterdale began some time between 1917 and 1920, when she boarded with Miss May Spence, a talented Wood Carver, who was living at Howe Green in Hartsop (though by 1925 they had moved to High Beckside - also in Hartsop).  It was here that they wrote a book together, entitled 'School and Fireside Crafts', which was published in October 1920. In 1921 they established a branch of the Women's Institute in the dale (which is still going strong over 100 years later). Ann continued to lecture part time at the GSA until she resigned in 1928. In 1930 she gave a series of 15 minute talks about 'Hobbies and Handicrafts' on the BBC Wireless service. In 1934 she was living alone at High Bield in Hartsop but had moved from Hartsop to Wordsworth Cottage in Patterdale by 1938. In the late 1930's she worked on two large embroidery panels, first 'The Good Shepherd' and then 'The Nativity'.

Ann Macbeth died in Carlisle on the 23rd March 1948 at the age of 72 years.

Below are the six books that Ann Macbeth wrote or co-authored. Click on the book to read or browse through them.