Other Known Marguerite Howarth Works

Marguerite Howarth, was a Lancashire born artist who lived in Woking from the 1940’s until she retired with her husband to Grassington in 1973. During her time in Surrey she produced numerous pictures of buildings and landscapes of the county principally water colours with the occasional black and white drawing.

The best evidence for the existence of a drawing or painting is the work itself but an image of the work is reasonable evidence that it exists or has existed at some time in the past. Evidence of the artist’s early work drawn or painted before her marriage is more difficult to find principally because this was commercial work where the original went to the printer without the artist having retained a copy. We do have, however, the commercial product signed with the artist’s trademark signature. An image here of say, a postcard is sufficient evidence of what the original artwork would have looked like.

In April 2014 Surrey History Centre acquired the archive of the artist’s work which had been purchased by a couple at public auction and which the purchasers were happy to see under the care of this repository for the heritage of the town where the artist had lived since the early days of the 1939/45 war until she retired to Grassington in 1973

This list is of works known to exist but not shown in the database (MH Images). It has been compiled from:-

  • The minutes of the Woking Society of Arts (WSA) 1946-1956,
  • Booklets listing works for sale at WSA exhibitions 1958-66,
  • The Guildford Art Society (GAS) catalogues (1954-1972)
  • The record at the V & A (SWA). (The Society of Women Artists Exhibitors 1855-1996, Volume 2 E-K kept by the Archive of Art and Design at the Victoria and Albert Museum).
  • Auctions.

In addition as Mrs Howarth only very occasionally dated her work, the opportunity is taken to include a note of those works where we have a date or it can be stated with reasonable certainty that the work concerned was drawn or painted within a particular period. The artist often wrote her address on the back of a picture and since we know when she moved from one address to another this gives a period during which the work was probably drawn or painted. There may be some duplication.

1926

The Footbridge Linton pen and ink or pencil
Bird’s Eye pen and ink or pencil

October 1927

Mummy pencil
Daddy pencil

1929

Keighley School of Arts Small black and white poster

1930

The Dissertation pen and ink

1936

Bolton Abbey postcard based on artist’s original pen and ink drawing
Barden Tower postcard based on artist’s original pen and ink drawing
Burnsall postcard based on artist’s original pen and ink drawing
Burnsall postcard based on artist’s original pen and ink drawing
Water Street (Garr’s Lane) postcard based on artist’s original pen and ink drawing
Kilnsey Crag postcard based on artist’s original pen and ink drawing
Linton from Three Bridges postcard based on artist’s original pen and ink drawing
Castle Gateway Skipton postcard based on artist’s original pen and ink drawing



1938

Bridgend Medici post card based on artist’s water colour
Burnsall Medici post card based on artist’s pen and ink drawing

1939

Priest’s Bank Kildwick

1946 WSA Exhibition

Wintry Willows £2 2s 0d
Oast Barn £2 2s 0d
Street Scene £2 2s 0d
Whipping Post House Rottingdean £3 3s 0d
Rottingdean Church £3 3s 0d

1948

Chertsey Bridge

1950 WSA exhibition

Appletreewick Yorkshire Dales £10 10s 0d
Portrait of a Husband NFS
Looking towards Weybridge £6 6s 0d
New Zealand Golf Course Woodham £2 12s 6d

1951-66 Living at Appletreewick

Old Tokefield Cranleigh pen and ink
Old Houses in Park Street Guildford pen and ink
Dark Wood Horsell water colour
The Old Vicarage, Send pen and ink
Lodge to Shalford House pen and ink
The Horse and Groom Merrow pen and ink



1951

Chertsey Bridge

1951 WSA exhibition

Chertsey Bridge

1951

The Observer Ximenes Prize pen and ink

1951 WSA exhibition

Old Woking £ 3 13s 6d probably drawing with wash with wash presented to Surrey History Centre by Marguerite Statham
Cartbridge Send £ 4 15s 0d
New Zealand Golf Course Woodham £ 6 6s 0d price suggests not the work shown in 1950
Garmish Bavaria £ 3 3s 0d probably water colour in possession of Peter Howarth



1952

Gerlostal



1952 GAS

Guildford Cathedral from the Castle £ 7 7s 0d probably Towards the Cathedral
Mudeford Ferry near Christchurch £ 6 6s 0d

1955

Newark Mill water colour painted as a wedding present for Mrs Sylvia Hand

1955 WSA exhibition

Boats at Worthing £ 5 5s 0d
Harvest near Chobham £ 6 0s 0d
Findon Sussex £ 5 5s 0d
Hatchlands Addlestone (AM) £ 5 5s 0d Possibly Hatch Farm Chertsey Rosd 17th
century with 18th century alterations



1955 GAS

Findon Sussex £ 5 5s 0d
The Old Mill Chobham £ 5 5s 0d
No title £ 6 6s 0d



1956 WSA exhibition

December afternoon £ 4 4s 0d
Spring morning £ 6 6s 0d
Reflections £ 6 6s 0d



1956 GAS

Pyrford Lock and the Anchor £ 6 6s 0d
Park Street Guildford £ 3 13s 6d*
Royal Grammar School Quadrangle Guildford £ 3 13s 6d*
Spring Morning Postford Farm Albury £ 6 6s 0d

1957 WSA exhibition

The Barley Mow £ 3 13 6d*
Boats at Lancing £ 5 5s 0d
Chobham Clump from Horsell Common £ 6 6s 0d
Autumn Posy £ 4 4s 0d

1957 GAS

Pigeon Cote £ 6 6s 0d
Open Air Exhibition £ 3 13s 6d*
Wonersh £ 3 13s 6d*
Autumn Posy £ 5 5s 0d
The Wheel Newark Mill £ 6 6s 0d

1958

Woking Review Calendar four monthly groups

1958 WSA exhibition

The Sandpits Horsell Common £ 4 4s 0d
Charmouth Dorset No price
Stainforth Yorkshire Dales £ 7 7s 0d
Packhorse Bridge Stainforth £ 3 13s 6d*
Red Lion Horsell £ 3 13s 6d*
The Wheel Newark Mill £ 3 13s 6d*

1958 GAS

December Afternoon £ 5 5s 0d
Bunyan Cottages Guildford £ 3 13s 0d
The Angel Yard Guildford £ 3 13s 0d
Shalford Mill – Interior £ 3 13s 0d
St Catherine’s £ 5 5s 0d

1959 WSA exhibition

The Angel Yard Guildford £ 3 13s 6d*
Church Porch Pyrford £ 3 13s 6d*
Farm in Zillertal Tyrol No price
Mudeford Ferry £ 7 7s 0d
Surrey Farmhouse £ 6 6s 0d
December Afternoon £ 6 6s 0d

1959 WSA exhibition – there were two exhibitions this year.

Newark Mill £10 10s 0d
Haytime in Tyrol No price
Below Parris Lock West Byfleet t £ 6 6s 0d
Variations on Quarry Street t £ 6 6s 0d
Bunyan Cottages Guildford £ 3 13s 6d*
Old Crown Court Godalming £ 3 13s 6d*

1959 GAS

Vanishing Guildford £ 7 7s 0d
Variations on Quarry Street £ 6 6s 0d
Chertsey Street Guildford £ 3 13s 6d*

1960

Charmouth No price
High Street Charmouth No price
Bridge over River Char No price

1960 WSA Spring exhibition

RHS Gardens Wisley £ 4 4s 0d
Above Lyme Regis £ 6 6s 0d
Newark Mill £ 3 13s 6d*
Friary Arch Guildford £ 3 13s 6d*

1960 WSA Autumn exhibition

West Clandon Church £ 3 13s 6d*
St Catherine’s Guildford £ 3 3s 0d
House in Tyrol £ 6 6s 0d
Alpine Village £8 8s 0d

1960 GAS

Old Woking £ 4 4s 0d
St Catherine’s £ 3 3s 0d
House in Tyrol £ 6 6s 0d

1961 WSA June exhibition

Variations on Ripley £ 6 6s 0d
Lucas Green Manor £ 8 8s 0d
Shere £ 8 8s 0d
Alpine Village £ 8 8s 0d

1961 GAS

Chiddingfold £3 13s 0d
Shere £8 8s 0d

1962 WSA May exhibition

Newark Mill £ 6 6s 0d
Old Manor House Old Woking from the Garden £ 7 7s 0d
Old Houses Clandon £ 7 7s 0d
Site of New Public Library £ 4 4s 0d

1962 GAS

Rosemary Alley Guildford £ 4 4s 0d
Chertsey Street Guildford £ 4 4s 0d
Farmyard Pirbright £ 8 8s 0d
Ferry Lane St Catherine’s £ 6 6s 0d

1963 GAS

Near Bramley Surrey £ 8 8s 0d
Solden Tyrol £ 8 8s 0d

1963 SWA exhibition

271 Near Bramley Surrey – water colour £13
273 Still November – water colour £13

1964 GAS

Shoreham £ 8 8s 0d
Shere £ 8 8s 0d
Old Guildford £ 4 14s 6d

1964 SWA exhibition

196 Shoreham – water colour £13
250 At Enton Surrey – water colour £13

1965 SWA exhibition

262 Bruges – oil pastel £13

1965 GAS

Village Church Tyrol £ 8 8s 0d
Newark Mill £12 12s 0d

1966-73 Living at Woodend

7/11 Josephs Road Stoke Guildford pen ink and wash
Old House in Park Street water colour
Winter – Grovers Farm Woodham water colour
Old Tyrolean Farmstead Biro
Street in Amsterdam water colour
Star Little Shepherd and Crib black and white for card

1966

Newark Mill water color

1966 WSA exhibition

Near Fittleworth £ 8 8s 0d
Virgen East Tyrol £10 10s 0d
Old Alpine Farmstead £ 4 4s 0d

1966 GAS

Near Millmead £ 8 8s 0d
Mattrei in East Tyrol £10 10s 0d
Puttenham – Surrey Best Kept Village 1966 £10 10s 0d

1967

Sundial Cottage The Riding Woodham water colour
Solden Tyrol Line and wash

1967 GAS

The Old Mill Fittleworth £12 12s 0d
Grossglockner £ 5 5s 0d

1967 SWA exhibition

188 Grossglockner from the Lucknerhaus £16
396 Surrey Farm £16
492 Tyrolean Farm £5

1968 GAS

Surrey Farm Shalford £12 12s 0d
Grossgrockner £12 12s 0d
Waggoners Wells £12 12s 0d

1969

Folk Museum Three Chimneys Dunvegan Isle of Skye. drawing

1969 SWA exhibition

528 Above Kals £7
567 Near Hinterbichi £21

1970-83 Member of SWA

Hotel Taube Zee am Zee water color
Alpine scene for Card water color
Tyrolean Ski Sports water color
The Magi pen and ink
The Crib pen and ink
Untitled water colour with Wash water color

1970 SWA exhibition

171Trees at Wisley£21

75 Naunders Tirol £21
151 Chiddingfold £21

1970 GAS

Old Shoreham SWA £15 15s 0d

1971 SWA exhibition

45 No titles shown
49 No titles shown
79 No titles shown
707 No titles shown

1971 GAS

Old Guildford Site of Library SWA £15 15s 0d
Old Guildford Park SWA £15 15s 0d
Village Street in the Stubaital £ 6 6s 0d

1972 SWA exhibition

253 Bosham £20
254 Clandon Park (National Trust) £20
255 Old Guildford £20
256 Alphine Mists £20

1972 GAS

Old Guildford – from the Castle Grounds SWA £15 15 0d
Alpine Mists SWA £15 15 0d

1972

Portrait of a Lady pencil

1973-81

Looking across River Wharfe Grassington – Autumn miniature water colour
Looking across River Wharfe Grassington – Summer miniature water colour
Looking down Main Street Grassington miniature water colour
Threshfield miniature water colour
Flowers miniature water colour

1973 SWA exhibition

224 Skis for Hire £10
225 14th century Chapel East Tyrol £10
226 Lienz East Tyrol £10
227 Old House Gargellen £10

1974 SWA exhibition

238 Linton Yorkshire Dales £30
239 Thorpe the Hidden Village Yorkshire Dales £30
240 Grass Woods Yorkshire Dales £30
241 Wharfe Valley Yorkshire Dales £30

1975 SWA exhibition

262 Signs of Spring (1) – water colour £10
263 Signs of Spring (2) – water colour £10
264 Signs of Spring (3) – water colour £10
265 Signs of Spring (4) – water colour £10

1976 SWA exhibition

268 Appletreewick Yorkshire Dales water colour and line £35
269 Yorkshire Dales Cottage – water colour and line* £35
270 Hetton Yorkshire Dales – water colour and line £35
271 Farm Yard Yorkshire Dales – water colour and line £35

1977 SWA exhibition

257 Taverna near Dubrovnik – water colour and line £35
258 Bridge at Mostar Jugoslavia water colour and line £40
259 Old Mill Pyrford Surrey – water colour and line £35
260 Jugoslav Sketchbook – black and white £40

1978

Petra by Granny pencil
Ploversfield Ben Rhydding image from Christmas card
Parish Town Hall Ilkley pen and ink

1978 SWA exhibition

282 Grassington Bridge Yorkshire Dales – water colour £15
283 Bolton Abbey Yorkshire Dales – water colour £15

1979 SWA exhibition

274 Kilnsey Crag Yorkshire Dales – water colour and line £15
275 Bolton Abbey Yorkshire Dales – water colour and line £15
276 Grassington Bridge Yorkshire Dales – water colour and line £15
277 Arncliffe Yorkshire Dales – water colour and line £15
278 Winter Posy – water colour and line £15
279 Spring Flowers – water colour and line £15

1980 SWA exhibition

280 Moss – water colour £25
281 Packhorse Bridge – water colour £20
282 Linton Yorkshire Dales – water colour £20
283 Thorpe Yorkshire Dales – water colour £20
284 Hetton Yorkshire Dales – water colour £20
285 Moss and Lichen – water colour £20

1983

Fountain Inn Linton water colour and line £70

1988

The Last House John O’Groats pen and ink

1991

Sampler of Family at Appletreewick embroidery

1992

Poetry Book pen and ink

Auctions

Marguerite Howarth “By the Wey, Millhead*, Guildford”, signed and inscribed on reverse.
Clarke Gammon Wellers, UK watercolour 14 x 10 inches *Millmead		 Auction 2003
Margaret Howarth, “By the Way*, Guildford” Watercolour heightened with white Signed lower
left 25cm x 36.5cm4 Dreweatts Newbury * Wey not Way see above and below		 Auction 2005
Marguerite Howarth, water colour, Swiss scene and a watercolour of a winter scene. Wellers Auctioneers UK. Auction 2006
Marguerite Howarth, Arched bridge over a river, Watercolour, signed. Gilding`s Ltd, Market Harborough. Auction 2006
Margaret Howarth, “By the Way*, Guildford” Watercolour heightened with white Signed lower left 25cm x 36.5cm Dreweatts Marlborough * Wey not Way see above Auction 2007
Marguerite Howarth, Virgen22, East Tyrol, signed. Hartleys, Ilkley., 13¼ x 9¾, inches Auction 2009

 

In November 2011 a further copy of the black and white drawing of Pyrford Place – measuring 165mm by 112mm – emerged which is almost certainly an original. This notwithstanding Peggy usually retained the copyright and original of her drawings. Both front and back of the drawing are shown in MH Images.

Again in January 2012 Kevin Smith produced a pen and ink original drawing by Mrs Howarth – measuring 18cm by 13.5 cm – of The House in the Wood with Appletreewick on the back indicating that the drawing was made when the artist was living at West Byfleet. The house featured was on Horsell Common to the left of Monument Road after the Six Crossroads, but it was incorrectly titled. It is, in fact, Thistle Cottage another house on the same site.

In October 2012 a search of the Internet revealed the sale of a watercolour (11 x 14.5 inches) by Walker Auctions of Ottawa, Ontario entitled Old Mill. This painting appears to be copy of an earlier picture of Newark Mill. The only difference apart from size is that the palate used in the Canadian version is seems to be that used after the artist retired to Yorkshire. It follows, therefore, that the picture was painted after she retired.

In April 2013 David Busfield who lives in Northamptonshire sent an image and details of a water colour miniature (68 x 49mm) of Waverley House at the top of Main Street in Grassington which had been the property of his parents. This bears the artist’s Bridge End label and was, therefore, painted post-1973.

At the end of September at the exhibition of the artist’s works at the Lightbox, Mrs Eileen Dobson brought in four miniature water colours which she had inherited from her mother, Mrs Hilda Strain who had been friendly with the artist. These pictures each measuring 7½x 5½cms were of views across the Wharfe in autumn and summer, a view looking down Main Street – all three from Grassington – and the village of nearby Threshfield. Knowing that Mrs Howarth retired in 1973 and Mrs Strain left Grassington in 1981 the miniatures must have been painted between those dates. During this time a Helen Anderson ran a painting group at Hetton. Subsequently Mrs Dobson found a further miniature this time the subject was Flowers, the painting being in an oval frame.

In 2015 Diana Pliska wrote to me from California saying that her parents George and Mary Pliska now living at Austin, Texas had a water colour by Marguerite Howarth of Moorhatch in Church Hill, Horsell painted when they rented the house between January 1969 and July 1970. Diana subsequently provided me with an image which can be found in Images.

Also in 2015 Olivia Donnelly of Ojai California advised she had a Marguerite Howarth water colour entitled Rooftops Over Grassington. This picture appeared to be a reworking of another known painting Grassington from Low Lane 1950. A label on back reads inter alia The Lord Mayor’s Art Award Mrs Marguerite Howarth Woodend, Anthony’s, Woking (formerly The Cottage, Hetton). The price is shown in Guineas as £12.G guineas.

Belinda Johnson wrote to me in January 2016 about a water she had of Magnolias. This is unaccredited due to the absence of a frame and unknown signature (Signed M.Howarth in capitals but not in the small capitals used by the artist). The immediate family do not recognise the signature or style. If the work did prove to be authentic it could be from the period post marriage and pre-move to Woking.

Sarah Sharp wrote from Tauranga, New Zealand in July 2016 regarding a water colour she possessed of An Archway at Hampton Court. She supplied images of the front and back of the painting. These showed that the artist signed SWA and she inscribed her Wood End address on the back indicating that the work was painted before she left Woking. The picture had been offered for sale for £15 at an exhibition.

Mark Curtis from Gerrards Cross in Bucks reported in November 2016 that he had two water colours, The Square, Grassington and Grassington Bridge apparently, the work of Mrs Howarth. The two works both measure approximately 58 X 48 mm and bear the artist’s trademark signature in faint small capital letters as well as a note of WJ Anderson of Hetton as being responsible for the framing mounting (see reference to Helen Anderson above). Mrs Howarth’s address in Bridge End on the back suggests the water colours were painted post 1973 when she retired to Grassington. I have no doubt the pictures are authentic.

Mark found the two paintings in a saleroom in Ruislip, Middlesex, liked what he saw and purchased both for £20. There is no information on how the water colours found their way from Yorkshire to Middlesex but perhaps these were purchased by someone holidaying in the Yorkshire Dales. There is some evidence of the pictures being exposed to sunlight and perhaps stored in the faintness of the signatures and the appearance of fox marks.

Eventually Mark kindly gave the two paintings to me.

During research in November 2016 for a report on Castle House, Castle Road, Horsell I noticed Claire Jenkinson, who had allowed me access to her father’s collection of photographs, possessed an original pen and ink drawing of the house by Marguerite Howarth. Claire’s sister Tricia Sturgeon was good enough to photograph the original drawing because of which I was able to add this to the artist’s drawing of the panelled dining room.

In December 2016 Anthony Cooper advised me he had a Marguerite Howarth water colour of Newark Mill measuring approximately 11 X 15 inches and bearing the artist’s Wood End address. This would indicate that the picture had been painted during the period 1966-1973 although the 15 guinea price shown would suggest the work belonged to the early part of this period.

Carmel Bridson wrote to me on 9th June 2018 saying My parents Jo and Josie Pope commissioned a number of paintings by Mrs Howarth. I am the proud owner of one of Hatchery Cottage Kilnsey. It has had pride of place in our home above the fireplace for the past 35 years. My niece and nephews have the other three. Carmel’s water colour has been added to the website. I have also heard from the niece, Lucia Hodgson, and as a result the two water colours she has, another of Hatchery Cottage and one of Kilnsey Crag have been added. The remaining picture of Kilnsey Trout Farm is held by the nephew and I am hopeful he will provide details of his painting.

Lesley Dunlop assistant editor of Shoreline, Charmouth’s volunteer-run free community magazine advised me on 10th June, I was recently given a 1960 brochure featuring Seadown Caravan site in the village. On the cover is one of Marguerite Howarth’s illustrations that is partly coloured. I’d like to reproduce it in the summer issue of the magazine (we print paper copies as well as the online version), the deadline for which is 18 June. Seadown Caravans have given their permission for me to use some of the text for a nostalgic look at caravanning here nearly 60 years ago. May we please use the Ms Howarth’s sketch too and, if so, how would you like it to be acknowledged? Permission was granted subject to the family’s copyright being acknowledged

Mention is made under Biography of a pencil sketch by the artist Portrait of a lady exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1972 although the RA are unable to confirm this display. Peter Howarth, the artist’s younger son has commented If the picture was at the Royal Academy, it would have been the Summer Exhibition as she often submitted pictures there and was occasionally accepted. She would always go to the Private View and I would sometimes go with her. The picture itself could well be my paternal grandmother who died in about 1951. On the 12th June Kevin Smith reported that he had purchased this drawing. The sketch and the back of the frame, photographed at Surrey History Centre, have been added to the website.

Simon Bailey wrote in September 2018 My parents bought a picture of The Old Laundry at Gargrave from Marguerite in 1974 as a wedding gift to my wife and I in the same year. The subject no longer exists but the site is part of the village green. The picture is on loan at the present time, but Simon has promised to let me have an image and other details when the water colour is in his hands again.

On 25th October the same year I heard from Ginny Lyons writing from Exeter I have two of her (the artist’s) paintings which I inherited from my Grandmother. One is called Wood End, Near Woking (this, in fact, is not the title of the picture but where the artist was living when she painted the picture and dates the work to 1966-1973). Ginny describes the picture (at) Low tide which depicts the foreshore of the estuary and three boats moored in the shallow water with trees and some barns on the opposite bank. The picture is probably of Old Shoreham. The second picture is described as Rainy Day Frensham.

 

© Phillip Arnold, Horsell,

November 2018”