LADEN, Julia

1921 - 2003

As Juliet Berry Perkins, she was born at The Sawyers, Cornard, Sudbury, Suffolk on 23 January 1921, youngest daughter of artist Christopher Edward Perkins and his wife Agnes Berry née Shaw (26 May 1888-6 June 1969), who married at St Pancras, London on 1 April 1914 and in 1939 were living at St Johns Studio, Harley Road, Hampstead, London. Julia studied at St John's Wood School of Art and at the Royal Academy Schools 1936-1939. Juia, as she was known, was an A.T.S. gunner during the Second World War, and she married firstly at Brentford, London on 5 September 1947, as the fifth wife of Sir Francis Ferdinand Maurice Cook, 4th Bart. (21 December 1907-12 September 1978) of Doughty House, Richmond, Surrey, they divorced in 1951, and secondly at Radnorshire East in 1951, Aron Leon Laden (17 November 1912-20 January 1994). During their marriage, the Laden's lived at Brudenell House, Aldeburgh, Suffolk when Julia did several short-term jobs. She, her sister Ruth Jane (1914-2006), who was married to botanist Stephen Denis Garrett (1906-1989), together with artist Peggy Somerville and author Ronald Blythe (1922-2023), formed a life-long circle of friends which is noted in Blythe's introduction to Somerville's exhibition at the Aldeburgh Cinema Gallery in 2001. Julia was a member of the IIpswich Art Cluby and exhibited from 37 Tuddenham Avenue, Ipswich in 1990, four paintings 'Mare and Foal', 'The World of Tarot', 'Edge of the Jungle' and 'Gorillas Conversing' and in 1997 from 66 Newson Street, Ipswich two paintings 'Meditation in Blue' and 'Blue and Brown' and the following year an oil 'Hillside City'. She also exhibited at the New English Art Club; the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition; Haste Gallery, Ipswich; Cambridge Arts Theatre in King's College; Quay Theatre Gallery, Sudbury and she had solo shows at John Russell Gallery, Ipswich in 1989 and at Frame Workshop & Gallery, Ipswich in 1995. Her husband Aron died at Froyz Hall, Toppesfield, Halstead, Essex in 1994 and Juliet Berry Laden died at Cambridge on 30 April 2003. Her first husband Sir Francis Cook was a prolific artist and art collector, the illustration by him is of his then wife Juliet.

Royal Academy Exhibits
from Crostwright, Chiswick Mall, London W4
1946 39 Still Life

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Works by This Artist