M. E. Aldrich Rope

M. E. Aldrich Rope (Margaret Edith Rope) (29 July 1891 – 9 March 1988) was an English stained-glass artist in the Arts and Crafts movement tradition active between 1910 and 1964. She was a cousin of Margaret Agnes Rope of Shrewsbury, another English stained glass artist in the same tradition active from 1910 until the Second World War. By comparison, she was the more prolific as an artist, with an approach that evolved in her later years from a recognisable Arts and Crafts school style into something simpler and more modern.

M. E. Aldrich Rope
Born29 July 1891
Leiston, Suffolk, England
Died9 March 1988 (aged 96)
Bungay, Suffolk
NationalityEnglish
EducationAttended Chelsea School of Art and LCC Central School of Arts & Crafts
Known forStained glass
Notable work
Stained glass windows

Life

Margaret Agnes Rope and Margaret Edith Rope were cousins, sharing a grandfather, George Rope of Grove Farm, Blaxhall, Suffolk (1814–1912) and grandmother, Anne (née Pope) (1821-1882). The younger Margaret was the fifth child of Arthur Mingay Rope (himself George and Anne's fifth child: 1850–1945) and Agnes Maud (née Aldrich: 1855–1943), born on 29 July 1891. She had a number of artistic relatives in Leiston and Blaxhall, Suffolk. Apart from her cousin Margaret Agnes Rope, she had an uncle, George Thomas Rope, R. A., a landscape painter and naturalist, an aunt Ellen Mary Rope, sculptor, and a sister Dorothy, another sculptor. Her nickname in the family was "Tor", for tortoise, and she used a tortoise to sign some of her windows, particularly in her later years. Another cousin was Henry Edward George Rope, later to become a prominent Roman Catholic priest, writer and archivist.

She was educated at Wimbledon High School, Chelsea School of Art, and the LCC Central School of Arts and Crafts, where she specialised in stained glass under Karl Parsons and Alfred Drury. From about 1911 she worked at The Glass House (Fulham) with her cousin, Margaret Agnes Rope, for example on the set of windows for SS Peter and Paul, Newport, Shropshire.[1] To distinguish herself from her namesake cousin, she used the professional name of M. E. Aldrich Rope (incorporating her mother's maiden name) or M. E. A. Rope. One of her friends was J. Harold Gibbons (church architect) and this connection led to her first major commission for St Chad's Church, Far Headingley, Leeds, which is among her greatest works.[2][3]

For much of her active artistic life she lived in various houses in Deodar Road, Putney, which was something of an artists' colony in that period. Around 1926 she moved to No. 61, also occupied by Caroline Townshend and Joan Howson. She was a close friend of Wilhelmina Geddes. Later, in World War II, she moved to No. 81, until it was bombed. In the post-war period she was at No. 89, where she had a studio, workshop and kiln (also used by Rachel de Montmorency). She shared the house with Clare Dawson, a friend and pupil. Late in life, she became a Roman Catholic. In mid-1978, at the age of 87, she left Putney and returned to live in Suffolk on the family farm. She died on 9 March 1988, aged 96, having suffered a protracted period of Alzheimer's Disease.

Works

Spanning a period of over 50 years, her artistic production was largely destined for Anglican churches (especially Anglo-Catholic), with a few Roman Catholic ones as well. Listed first are windows in the United Kingdom, followed by those in other countries, in alphabetical order of county or country. Inaccessible windows have been omitted. Asterisks indicate windows of particular importance.[4]

LocationDetailsNotes
Buckinghamshire: Edlesborough St MaryNativity 2 lights 1933
Buckinghamshire: Lane End, Holy TrinityAnnunciation and Nativity 1 light
Cambridgeshire: Ely, CathedralStained Glass MuseumVisitation, Franciscan Boy and A Vision of Heaven (2 panels)
Cambridgeshire: Ickleton, St Mary MagdaleneCrucifixion with SS.Mary Magdalene and Etheldreda (3 lights, e; 1929)**
Cambridgeshire: Molesworth,S.PeterChrist in Majesty with Nativity, Crucifixion &c (3 lights, e; 1929)**
Clwyd: Wrexham, Holy Trinity2-light window 1950
Cornwell:Polperro, St John the Baptist"No man cometh ..." (1956)
Cornwell: Polperro, St John the BaptistJesus and disciples (1959–60)**
Derbyshire: Chesterfield, St Mary and All SaintsGood Samaritan with Virgin and Child 1953 (3 lights)
Dorset:Bournemouth, Moordown, St John the Baptist2 lancets: Florence Nightingale, Edward Jenner
Dorset: Hinton Martel, St JohnEight panel painted screen
Durham: Roker, St AndrewMural, walls and ceiling with Macdonald Gill)
Hampshire: Hartley Wintney, St John the EvangelistCarol themes(4 lights,1939)
Herefordshire: Hereford, All SaintsExpulsion from Eden, Annunciation, Nativity, Crucifixion (4 lights 1933)**
Herefordshire: Hereford, All SaintsVirgin and child with St Martin of Tours, St George (5 lights 1933)**
Herefordshire: Hereford, All SaintsSt Anthony the Hermit (3 lights 1947)**
Herefordshire: Hereford, All SaintsNativity with children (3 lights 1944)**
Herefordshire:Hereford, All Saints2 lancets: SS Joseph and David**
Hertfordshire: Bishop's Stortford, St Michael2 lancets in porch: SS Botolph and John of Beverley (1950)
Kent: Whitstable, All SaintsSS Christopher & Anne (1927)*
Lancashire: Royton, St PaulAnnunciation with Joseph and John the Baptist (3 lights 1929)*
London: Bromley, SS Peter & Paul4 lancets: the archangels*
London: Bromley,SS Peter & PaulEast window (3 lights 1953)*
London: Bromley, SS Peter & PaulTe Deum (2 lights and rose 1959)*
London: Chelsea, Bourne St, St MaryEight titles of Mary (rose window)*
London: Chiswick, SS Peter & PaulSS Peter & Paul, Life of St Peter, Life of St Paul(1955)*
London: Dollis Hill, St Francis of Assissi, Gladstone ParkEcce Agnus Dei*
London: Dollis Hill, St Francis of Assissi, Gladstone ParkSS Dominic and Francis*
London: Dollis Hill, St Francis of Assissi, Gladstone ParkSt Clare*
London: Fulham, All Saints Putney Bridge RoadVirgin and child, scenes from Jesus's early life (1938)*
London: Grange, St Peter8 clerestory windows (1957–60)*
London: Grange, St Peter4 chancel windows:life of Christ (1960–63)**
London: Grange, St PeterLady chapel "Mary hath chosen that good part" (1957–60)
London: Grange, St Peter10 small Saints windows (1966–73)*
London: Haggerston, St Saviour's Priory, entranceSS Paul and Margaret originally in St Augustine, Haggerston***
London: Haggerston, St Saviour's Priory, chapel3 windows: early life of Christ*
London: Highgate, S.Augustine,Nativity**
London: Highgate, S.Augustine,Christchild with birds*
London:Highgate,S.Augustine,Christ the King
London: Munster Square, St Mary Magdalene crypt6 Saints windows from St Augustine, Haggerston***
London: Munster Square, St Mary Magdalene cryptCoronation of BVM, Mary and child*
London: Northolt Park, St BarnabasEast window (1954)*
London: Northolt Park, St BarnabasWest window (1957)*
London: Victoria and Albert MuseumSmall panels: Nativity*
London: Victoria and Albert MuseumRoundel: St Anthony preaching to fishes*
London: Putney, Christ the King Polish churchNativity: 3 lights (1951)*
London: Wapping Lane, St Peter, London DocksRose window with bells of London**
London: Wapping Lane, St Peter London Docks2 lancewts: SS.Peter & Paul (1949)
London:Wapping Lane, St Peter London DocksGood Shepherd, 3 lights (1954)**
London: Wapping Lane, St Peter London Docks4 circular lights: 1st 4 vicars*
London: Wapping Lane, St Peter London Docks7 Sacrament windows ex Haggerston***
Manchester: Ardwick, St Benedict (now deconsecrated)Window in Lady Chapel, 3 lights
Manchester: Ardwick, St Benedict (now deconsecrated)Lancet:St Francis (1935)*
Norfolk: Clippesby, St PeterSuffer little children (1919)See Gallery
Norfolk: Quidenham, Carmelite Monastery16 clerestory windows designed by cousin*
Norfolk: Quidenham, Carmelite Monastery7 roundels designed by cousin*
Oxfordshire: Oxford, SS Mary and John, Cowley Road3 lights "Bread from heaven"*
Oxfordshire: Oxford, SS Mary and John, Cowley RoadLancet: Virgin and child*
Shropshire: Wistanstow, Holy Trinity2 lancets: SS Wistan and Anne*
Somerset:Bicknoller, St GeorgeLife of St Paul(1952)*
Stirlingshire: Falkirk3 lights, Virgin and child (1929)
Stirlingshire: Falkirk4 minor windows largely decorative (c. 1935)
Suffolk: Barnby, St John the BaptistEast window (1963)***
Suffolk: Barnby, St John the Baptist4 painted roundels*
Suffolk: Blaxhall, St PeterPorch window (with cousin)** See Gallery
Suffolk: Chediston, St MarySS George and Felix (1947)
Suffolk: Earl Soham, St Mary2 lights, SS Edmund and Felix*
Suffolk: Kesgrave, Holy Family and St Michael3 English Catholic martyrs* See Gallery
Suffolk: Kesgrave, Holy Family and St MichaelVirgin & child, Walsingham (with Clare Dawson)*
Suffolk: Leiston, St Margaret3 lights, St Luke**
Suffolk: Leiston, St Margaret3 lights, St Matthew** See Gallery
Suffolk: Little Glamham, St AndrewNativity with Gospel episodes)**
Sussex: Bolney, St Mary MagdaleneHoly Sacraments, 1 light (1947)
Sussex: Chichester, former Bishop Otter College2 lancets, St Francis*
Warwickshire: Coventry, St JohnExpulsion from Eden, Annunciation*** See Gallery
Warwickshire: Leamington Spa, St MaryS.Mary and the risen Christ**
Wiltshire: Lydiard Millicent, All Saints"All ye works of the Lord" (1963)**
Yorkshire: Leeds, St Chad, Far HeadinglyCreation (1922)*** See Gallery
Australia: Geraldton, WA, St Francis Xavier Cathedraltwo windows
Australia: Mullewa, WA, Our Lady of Carmel and SS Peter and PaulGloria in excelsis
Australia: Mullewa, WA, Our Lady of Carmel and SS Peter & PaulPater Mi, Pater Mi (1923)
Malta: Sliema, Holy TrinitySt George (1947)
S.Africa, Ofcolaco2 lights (1951)
Sri Lanka: Passara, St Barnabas2 lights (1953)
Trinidad: Port of Spain, St James the Just, Sangre Grandeoriginally 5 windows, some now lost

References

  1. Cormack, Peter (2015). Arts and Crafts Stained Glass. New Haven and London: Yale University Press. p. 250. ISBN 978-0-300-20970-9.
  2. Cormack, Peter. "Margaret Edith Aldrich Rope,F.M.G.P. 1891-1988". Journal of Stained Glass. XVIII (3): 319–20.
  3. "Life of M.E.Aldrich Rope (Tor)". Two Margaret Ropes - Stained Glass Artists of the Arts and Crafts Movement. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  4. "List of works of M.E.Aldrich Rope (Tor)". Two Margaret Ropes - Stained Glass Artists of the Arts and Crafts Movement. Retrieved 8 May 2015.

Further reading

Peter Cormack: Women Stained Glass Artists of the Arts and Crafts Movement: catalogue of an exhibition at the William Morris Gallery, published by London Borough of Waltham Forest Libraries and Arts Department, 1985.ISBN 0901974226

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