GEAR, Mabel

1898 - 1987

Mabel Gear was born at Ashby Rectory, Suffolk in March 1898 and baptised on 26 August 1898, youngest of three daughters of Lucas George Gear (1840-15 April 1928), manager of Salford Iron Works, and his wife Annie Margaret née McJannet (March 1862-29 July 1948), who married at St Pancras, London in 1894, Annie had been Lucas's housekeeper at Stock, Essex when their eldest daughter Dorothy was born. In 1901, Mabel was a 3-year-old, living at Ashby Rectory with her parents, 55-year-old Lucas 'of independent means', and 37-year-old Annie, and two siblings, Dorothy 10, born in London and Muriel 6, born in Hunton, Kent. In 1911, the family were living at New Town Lodge, Winnock Road, Colchester, Essex when 13-year-old Mabel was a student at Colchester School of Art under Septimus Power (1877-1951) followed by studies at Bushey School of Painting, Hertfordshire and in 1917 she passed examination at Torquay School of Art and Evening Schools and in 1921 was living with her parents at St Olaves, Manor Road, Babbacombe, Devon. A decorative painter of birds and animals and elected an associate of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters 1925 and a full member the following year, and a full member of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours in 1927, exhibiting in 1929 'Stop Flirting'. Mabel exhibited at the Royal Academy also showing at the Goupil Gallery; Walker Art Gallery; Royal Society of British Artists; Royal Scottish Academy and the Society of Women Artists, from Tadley, Hampshire in 1929. In 1927 she exhibited her work for Raphael Tuck & Sons at Moorfield House, London and in 1934 the Duke & Duchess of York, later King George VI, used a miniature of her 'Sympathy' for their Christmas card. She married in the City of London in 1928, Ivor Isaac John Symes (4 March 1875-4 March 1941), who was also an artist, but Mabel continued working under her maiden name. In 1939 they were living at Manor Farm, Basingstoke, Hampshire. Mabel Symes died at 32 North Street, Ashburton, Devon on 31 March 1987. She signed her work 'Mabel Gear' in block capitals.

Royal Academy Exhibits
from St Olave's, Manor Road, Babbacombe
1921 584 The Shed
from 15 Meadow Lane Studio, Bushey
1923 674 Over the Fence
1925 5 Birds of a Feather
         63 Flower and Feather
         66 The Harlequin Cock
from St Olave's, Manor Road, Babbacombe
1926 380 Fine Feathers
         392 Sanctuary
1927 273 Water Lilies
         401 Painted Ladies
         622 Wild Wings
1928 78 A Bevy of Ducks

---

Works by This Artist