BANNISTER, Mary

1923 - 2004

As Mary Elizabeth Nicholls, she was born at Leominster on 22 May 1923, daughter of Thomas Goulde Nicholls (25 November 1890-1977), a farmer, and his wife Elizabeth Ann née Swancott (20 September 1889-29 May 1958), who married at Knighton, Radnorshire in 1918 and in 1939 were living at Hall Farm, Leinthall Earls, Leominster, Herefordshire. Mary married at St John's Church, Aymestrey, Herefordshire on 1 December 1948, Lawrence Henry Bannister (27 October 1927-26 March 2017), son of Ernest Knight Bannister (1887-1 August 1965) and painted under the name of Mary Bannister, they had four sons, Stephen, Owen, Robert, and Roger. Her husband Laurie Bannister was a substantial farmer at Lodge Farm, Gillingham, Kent and in 1959 took the tenancy to the 320-acre Roos Hall Farm in Beccles, in 1960 added 165 acres of marshes at Barsham, in 1961 purchased the 140 acres White House Farm, Ringsfield near Beccles, which was their home for over 40 years, and in 1963 purchased the 85-acre Lodge Farm, Barsham and later added 183-acre Barsham Hall Farm and the 107-acre White House Farm in Barsham. He sold up in 1987. His wife Mary was a painter in crayon and a member of the Beccles Society of Artists. Mary Elizabeth Bannister died on 12 November 2004.

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Works by This Artist