BROWN, Frances (Fanny) Mary
As Fanny Rignall, she was born at Halesworth, Suffolk in 1865, daughter of William Rignall (1815-13 March 1895), an ironmonger at Halesworth, and his wife Elizabeth née Whatson (c1824-30 May 1908), second daughter of Charles Whatson of Brandeston, who married at Halesworth on 26 March 1860. In 1881, Fanny was a 16-year-old, living at Market Place, Halesworth with her parents, 66-year-old William and 56-year-old Elizabeth, with two siblings, Emma Elizabeth 19 and Elizabeth Mary 17. As Frances Mary Rignall she studied at the Ipswich School of Science and Art 1885-1887 and in 1886 passed her examinations in sociography. A painter in oil of still life and as Miss F M Rignall, a member of the Ipswich Fine Art Club 1884-1888 and exhibited from Halesworth in 1884, two works 'Dead Game' and a 'Basket of Flowers'. She married at Halesworth in 1888, John Garrett Brown (8 May 1854-9 November 1916), a congregational minister from which time she worked under the name of Fanny Brown or Mrs F. M. Garrett Brown. In 1891, Fanny and John were living at Brook Cottage, North Entrance, Saxmundham and as Mrs. G. Brown, a member of the Ipswich Art Club 1897-1898 and ten years later, when she seems to have amended her first name to Frances and added Mary, as 36 year old Frances Mary Brown was living at Milton House, Chapel Road, Saxmundham with her 46 year old husband and three children, Marjorie F. 1892, Phyllis Garrett 2 and Norman Garrett 1, all born at Saxmundham and was again a member of the Ipswich Art Club 1910-1911. In 1911, as Frances Mary was still at Milton House, with her son, 11-year-old Norman Garrett Brown but she seems to have declined membership of the Art Club. Following the death of her husband in 1916 she moved to 181 Cauldwell Hall Road, Ipswich and as Mrs. J. Garrett Brown, re-joined the Ipswich Art Club 1921-1936 from 181 Cauldwell Hall Road, Ipswich, exhibiting from Cauldwell Hall Road in 1923, an etching 'Kelsale' and an aquatint 'Ufford Evening' and was a regular exhibitor, her later exhibits included watercolours, in 1933 'Still Life', 'Caravan', and 'Farm Buildings, Trimley' others include 'Mickey Mouse' and 'Barn Interior, Tuddenham'. In 1932 she was also a member and exhibitor at the Norfolk & Norwich Art Circle, from Ipswich. Frances Mary Garrett Brown died at 83 Christchurch Street, Ipswich on 21 January 1937, aged 71.