STANYON, Gwen
As Gwendolen Isobel Willis, she was born at Carlisle, Cumberland on 10 January 1908, daughter of eminent artist (Albert) Charles Willis (27 February 1878-12 March 1963) and his wife Mabel née Hulse (11 October 1884-1980), who married at Shardlow, Derbyshire in 1907 and in 1921 were living at 8 Rufford Avenue, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire with daughters Gwendolen and Nita Nancy 8 but by 1939 their parents had moved to 23 Wessex Gardens, Golders Green, Hendon, Middlesex. In 1911, Gwendolen was a 3-year-old, living at 8 Rufford Avenue, Mansfield, with her parents, 33-year-old Albert Charles, a designer & artist for lithographic printing, and 26-year-old Mabel, born at Derby. Gwendolen married at the Chapel of Westminster College, London on 4 July 1934, Victor Stanyon and their son Roger Willis was born at Hackney, London in 1937. In 1939, they were living at 136 High Street, Huntingdon. In 1948 Victor and Gwendolen Stanyon, then a local artistic couple, managed Battle of Britain House, formerly named Franklin House, at Ruislip, Middlesex and organised the various art courses offered by the college until they retired about 1971, the house was destroyed by fire in 1984. An important artist in her own right she was a committee member and exhibitor at the Southwold Art Circle. Gwendolen Isobel Stanyon died at Southwold, Suffolk on 19 July 2001.