20 Facts About Mary Lowndes

Mary Lowndes was a British stained-glass artist who co-founded the stained glass studio and workshop Lowndes and Drury in 1897.

Mary Lowndes was an influential leader in the Arts and Crafts movement, not only for her stained glass work and successful studio-workshop, but for opening doors for other women stained glass artists.

Mary Lowndes was an active participant in the suffragette movement, acting as Chair of the Artists' Suffrage League, and creating poster art to assist the movement.

Mary Lowndes was born in 1857, the daughter of Richard Lowndes, the rector of St Mary's Church, Sturminster Newton in Dorset, and his wife Annie Harriet Kaye.

Mary Lowndes received her art training at the Slade School of Fine Art in London.

When Lowndes completed her art classes, she became an assistant to prominent stained glass designer, Henry Holiday.

Mary Lowndes worked at his studio-workshop where she drew cartoons for stained glass commissions.

Mary Lowndes lived and worked in Chelsea, where she had her own studio to work on designs, but there was no workshop nearby to complete her stained glass work.

Mary Lowndes was one of the first women to work professionally in stained glass in the 1890s.

Mary Lowndes admired his innovative stained glass, and her early work shows his artistic influence.

In 1897, with the encouragement of Whall, Lowndes established her own studio-workshop with Alfred J Drury.

Mary Lowndes managed the new business with Drury, but chose not to be chief designer of the workshop.

Mary Lowndes's stained glass was highly regarded and in great demand at the time, and her work can be seen in parish churches throughout England and Wales.

Mary Lowndes became involved in the Women's suffrage movement in the 1890s.

In January 1907, Mary Lowndes established The Artists' Suffrage League to create dramatic posters, postcards, Christmas cards, and banners for suffrage events.

Mary Lowndes became its chair and Barbara Forbes, her companion, was the secretary.

Mary Lowndes was personally active in the national Suffragette movement, including her leadership of the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies executive committee.

Mary Lowndes was a member of the committee of the feminist magazine The Englishwoman's Review and contributed regularly to it.

Mary Lowndes died in 1929 and was buried in Buxted, East Sussex, England.

Mary Lowndes left Forbes a sum of money, all her pictures, prints, cartoons, studio effects and her shares in The Englishwoman Ltd.