WALKER, Madelyn
As Ethel Madeline Walker, she was born at 'Dunorlan', 122 Woodbridge Road, Ipswich on 3 January 1890, daughter of James Frederic Walker, a draper in Fore Street, Ipswich, later a commercial traveller in the petroleum trade, and his wife Lizzie Isabella née Mallett (1858-27 June 1930), who married at Museum Street Chapel, Ipswich on 19 November 1885. Madeline, as she was known in her younger years, studied at the Ipswich School of Art from 1903 under George Rushton and her exhibition entry at South Kensington Museum in July 1908 'design for an illuminated casket' was commended and later that year at the Ipswich Art Gallery she won first prize for an 'illumination on vellum and leather'. In 1911, a 21-year-old pupil teacher, living at 122 Woodbridge Road, Ipswich with her parents, 52-year-old James Frederic and 53-year-old Lizzie Isabella, with siblings Violet Maud 23 and Nora Gladys 16, both born at Ipswich. She won a national scholarship to study at the Royal College of Art at South Kensington 1911-1914 after which she was appointed embroidery teacher at Sheffield College of Art and as Madelyn Walker, she exhibited at the Howard Street Club, Sheffield in 1915 'chaste writing and illuminating'. A member of the Ipswich Fine Art Club 1919-1922 from 30 Anglesea Road, Ipswich, but does not seem to have exhibited although she is noted in January 1915 in the 'Loan and Presentation Collection in January 1915. In 1921, as Madelyn, elected to Craft Membership of the Society of Scribes and Illuminators at 14 Brook Street, London W., serving as Hon. Secretary 1923-1928 and studied with Edward Johnston (1872-1944) and William Graily Hewitt (1864-1952). One of her most important works was a sumptuously decorated copy of James Elroy Flecker's 'The Golden Journey to Samarkand' written by Madelyn Walker in 1929 and decorated by Joan Kingsford Wood some years later. Her other works included a copy of Browning's 'The Boy and the Angel' 1913 and in 1925 wrote out for him three poems by Alfred Noyes (1880-1958), 'Come down to Kew in Lilac Time', 'Sherwood' and 'Snow'. In the early 1930s, Madelyn entered a convent and in 1939, a Sister of Servant of God, living at The House of Prayer, Britwell Road, Burnham, Buckinghamshire and where she died on 2 November 1970.
Works by This Artist
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Christopher Morcom PrizeFounded at Sherborne School in 1930 by Colonel R.K. Morcom in memory of his son Christopher Collan Morcom (1911-1930) to ‘encourage the true pursuit of Science among Shirburnians’. Prize winners were awarded an illuminated prize book with calligraphy by Madelyn Walker.
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