Dame Hildelith Cumming was a British nun and musician. Born as Barbara Theresa Cumming, she was a convert to the Roman Catholic faith.

She was head printer for Stanbrook Abbey

Stanbrook Abbey

Stanbrook Abbey is an abbey built as a contemplative house for Benedictine nuns. It was founded in 1625 in Cambrai, Flanders, then part of the Spanish Netherlands, under the auspices of the English Benedictine Congregation.-History:...

 from 1956 until her death in 1991. She is considered responsible for earning the Stanbrook Abbey Press a sterling reputation as an excellent private press.

By 1952 the Abbey's Press, the oldest private press in England, was in decline. In 1955 Cumming became the head printer. Under her leadership the Press flourished. She sought the assistance and advice of others such as Sir Sydney Cockerell

Sydney Cockerell

Sir Sydney Carlyle Cockerell was an English museum curator and collector.-Life:Sydney Cockerell made his way initially as clerk in the family coal business, George J. Cockerell & Co, until he met John Ruskin. According to John Ruskin by Tim Hilton , around 1887 Cockerell sent Ruskin some sea...

, John Dreyfus, and typographer Jan van Krimpen

Jan van Krimpen

Jan van Krimpen was a Dutch typographer and type designer. He worked for the printing house Koninklijke Joh. Enschedé.- Type designs :...

. She also hired Margaret Adams, a laywoman who happened to be a talented calligrapher and gilder. Dame Felicitas Corrigan

Felicitas Corrigan

Dame Felicitas Corrigan OSB was an English Benedictine nun, author and humanitarian.She was born Kathleen Corrigan into a large Liverpool family, and developed a talent as an organist. In 1933, she entered Stanbrook Abbey in Worcestershire as a nun, and eventually became director of its choir...

was also a printer at Stanbrook Abbey.

External links

• http://www.lib.umd.edu/RARE/SpecialCollection/stanbrook.html
• http://www.kellerbook.com/STANBR~1.HTM
• http://www.oxforddnb.com/index/101049617/