SEWARD, Marian

1861 - 1924

As Marian Brewis, she was born at Albion Terrace, Hartlepool, Co. Durham on 24 September 1861, second child and only daughter of Robert Brewis (16 July 1810-23 January 1895), a ship-owner, and his wife Phillis née Garritt (1822-30 July 1901), who married at the Methodist Chapel, Hartlepool in 1859. In 1871, Marian was a 9-year-old, living at Albion Terrace, Hartlepool with her parents, 62-year-old Robert and 48-year-old Phillis, with a sibling brother, 11-year-old William. Marian was educated at the University of Durham and studied at Darlington School of Art passing examinations 1882-1883. She married at Holy Trinity Church, Darlington on 1 July 1891, Albert Charles Seward (9 October 1863–11 April 1941) of Cambridge, only son of Abram Seward of Lancaster, Albert was later Master of Dowing College and Professor of Botany at Cambridge University, who was knighted in 1936. They purchased Old Farm Cottage, Walberswick, Suffolk and in 1901, Marian and her husband were staying at the Prince of Wales Hotel, Grasmere, Westmorland but in 1911 were living at Old Farm Cottage, Walberswick with an 8-year-old daughter, Mary Carole, who was born at Cambridge, of their four children. Marian was tutored by Alfred William Rich at the New English Art Club and painted many watercolours of Walberswick and a series recording the disappearance over the crumbling cliff top of All Saints Church, Dunwich. A member of the Cambridge Drawing Society 1906-1922 of which she was also the Secretary. Marian Seward died at The Lodge, Downing College, Cambridge on 13 November 1924, early records show her as Marian but later was known as Marion and is sometimes noted as Lady Seward, but her husband was only knighted after her death and he remarried in 1927, Mary Adelia, daughter of James Henry Bogart, of New York City. Exhibitions of Marian's work were held at the Wolsey Gallery, Christchurch Mansion, Ipswich in 1994 and Walberswick Village Hall in 1999.

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Works by This Artist