Margaret Thomas
Encyclopedia
Margaret Thomas was an English-born Australia
n travel writer, poet and artist.
Thomas was born at Croydon
, Surrey
, England
, daughter of Thomas Cook, shipowner. Her date of birth is often cited incorrectly as 1843 and she was herself inconsistent about both her age and date of birth. It has also been discovered that she was originally named Margaret Cook and only later changed her surname to her father's first name. She was brought to Australia by her parents in 1852 and later on studied sculpture under Charles Summers
at Melbourne
. She exhibited a medallion portrait at the first exhibition of the Victorian Society of Fine Arts held in 1857. Thomas lived in Richmond, Victoria
and exhibited her work regularly.
Around 1867 Thomas went to Europe to continue her studies. She had a medallion shown at the Royal Academy
exhibition of 1868; after studying for three years at Rome she obtained a studentship at the Royal Academy, London, and in 1872 won the silver medal for sculpture.
Between 1868 and 1880 Thomas exhibited her paintings (mostly portraits) at the Royal Academy. In 1880 Thomas wrote a memoir of Charles Summers, her first master, A Hero of the Workshop, and in the same year completed a bust of him for the shire hall, Taunton
. She afterwards did busts of Henry Fielding
and other distinguished Somerset
men for the same place. She began contributing verse to periodicals and in 1888 Douglas Sladen
included seven of her poems in his Australian Poets.
In 1888, Thomas left England for Brittany and subsequently Rome, accompanied by her long-term companion Henrietta Pilkington (1848-1927). During the 1890s, they travelled throughout the Middle East and her book A Scamper through Spain and Tangier (1892) was dedicated to My dear friend, the companion of these wanderings. This book and Two Years in Palestine and Syria (1899), were illustrated by the author. In 1902 appeared an interesting little book, Denmark Past and Present, which was followed by How to Judge Pictures (1906), and a collection of her verse, A Painter's Pastime (1908). In 1911 appeared what was possibly her most valuable piece of work, How to Understand Sculpture. Another volume of verse, Friendship, Poems in Memoriam, was published in 1927 after the death of Henrietta Pilkington. She also did a large number of illustrations in colour for From Damascus to Palmyra, by John Kelman (1908). Thomas did not marry, although she spent much of her adult life with Henrietta Pilkington. The pair moved to Norton, Hertfordshire
in 1911, living in a cottage known as Countryside in Croft Lane, where Thomas died on 24 December 1929 and was buried with Pilkington, who had died two years before, in Norton churchyard.
Thomas' portrait in oils of Charles Summers, and a medallion portrait of Sir Redmond Barry
, are in the historical collection at the State Library of Victoria
, Melbourne. Several of her sculptures and 27 of her paintings are in the collections of Letchworth Museum & Art Gallery
, which also contains works by Henrietta Pilkington.
Thomas is also believed to have painted a number of middle eastern watercolours with a curious monogram consisting of an inverted L or Greek gamma (Γ) over a gothic M.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n travel writer, poet and artist.
Thomas was born at Croydon
Croydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, daughter of Thomas Cook, shipowner. Her date of birth is often cited incorrectly as 1843 and she was herself inconsistent about both her age and date of birth. It has also been discovered that she was originally named Margaret Cook and only later changed her surname to her father's first name. She was brought to Australia by her parents in 1852 and later on studied sculpture under Charles Summers
Charles Summers
Charles Summers was an English-born Australian sculptor, creator of the memorial to the explorers Burke and Wills.-Early life:...
at Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. She exhibited a medallion portrait at the first exhibition of the Victorian Society of Fine Arts held in 1857. Thomas lived in Richmond, Victoria
Richmond, Victoria
Richmond is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Yarra...
and exhibited her work regularly.
Around 1867 Thomas went to Europe to continue her studies. She had a medallion shown at the Royal Academy
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
exhibition of 1868; after studying for three years at Rome she obtained a studentship at the Royal Academy, London, and in 1872 won the silver medal for sculpture.
Between 1868 and 1880 Thomas exhibited her paintings (mostly portraits) at the Royal Academy. In 1880 Thomas wrote a memoir of Charles Summers, her first master, A Hero of the Workshop, and in the same year completed a bust of him for the shire hall, Taunton
Taunton
Taunton is the county town of Somerset, England. The town, including its suburbs, had an estimated population of 61,400 in 2001. It is the largest town in the shire county of Somerset....
. She afterwards did busts of Henry Fielding
Henry Fielding
Henry Fielding was an English novelist and dramatist known for his rich earthy humour and satirical prowess, and as the author of the novel Tom Jones....
and other distinguished Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
men for the same place. She began contributing verse to periodicals and in 1888 Douglas Sladen
Douglas Sladen
Douglas Brooke Wheelton Sladen was an English author. He studied at Trinity College, Oxford, and went to Australia , where he became the first professor of history in the University of Sydney. Subsequently he traveled much and settled in London as a writer. Poems by Margaret Thomas were...
included seven of her poems in his Australian Poets.
In 1888, Thomas left England for Brittany and subsequently Rome, accompanied by her long-term companion Henrietta Pilkington (1848-1927). During the 1890s, they travelled throughout the Middle East and her book A Scamper through Spain and Tangier (1892) was dedicated to My dear friend, the companion of these wanderings. This book and Two Years in Palestine and Syria (1899), were illustrated by the author. In 1902 appeared an interesting little book, Denmark Past and Present, which was followed by How to Judge Pictures (1906), and a collection of her verse, A Painter's Pastime (1908). In 1911 appeared what was possibly her most valuable piece of work, How to Understand Sculpture. Another volume of verse, Friendship, Poems in Memoriam, was published in 1927 after the death of Henrietta Pilkington. She also did a large number of illustrations in colour for From Damascus to Palmyra, by John Kelman (1908). Thomas did not marry, although she spent much of her adult life with Henrietta Pilkington. The pair moved to Norton, Hertfordshire
Norton, Hertfordshire
Norton is a small village in Hertfordshire, one of the three original villages which were absorbed into Letchworth Garden City, the other two being Willian and Old Letchworth. The village is known to have existed by 1007, with remains of the medieval settlement visible as earthworks in a field...
in 1911, living in a cottage known as Countryside in Croft Lane, where Thomas died on 24 December 1929 and was buried with Pilkington, who had died two years before, in Norton churchyard.
Thomas' portrait in oils of Charles Summers, and a medallion portrait of Sir Redmond Barry
Redmond Barry
Sir Redmond Barry KCMG was an Irish colonial judge in Victoria, Australia.-Early life:Barry was the son of Major-General Henry Green Barry, of Ballyclough, County Cork and his wife Phoebe Drought, daughter of John Armstrong Drought and Letita Head...
, are in the historical collection at the State Library of Victoria
State Library of Victoria
The State Library of Victoria is the central library of the state of Victoria, Australia, located in Melbourne. It is on the block bounded by Swanston, La Trobe, Russell, and Little Lonsdale streets, in the northern centre of the central business district...
, Melbourne. Several of her sculptures and 27 of her paintings are in the collections of Letchworth Museum & Art Gallery
Letchworth Museum & Art Gallery
Letchworth Museum and Art Gallery is a museum in Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire, England. It has permanent displays dedicated to the natural history of North Hertfordshire, including the famous Black Squirrel, as well as its archaeology from remote prehistory to the turn of the twentieth...
, which also contains works by Henrietta Pilkington.
Thomas is also believed to have painted a number of middle eastern watercolours with a curious monogram consisting of an inverted L or Greek gamma (Γ) over a gothic M.