Category Designers

Architect and Industrial Designer (1898-1980) Christian August Barman was born on 13th September 1898 in Berkshire to Norwegian parents. He was educated on the continent before attending the University of Liverpool School of Architecture, where he studied under Sir Charles Reilly…. Continue Reading →

Architect and Industrial Designer (1910- 1977) Born in Baku, Russia on 16th October 1910 his family moved to London when Misha Black was eighteen months old. Educated at the Dame Alice Owen School in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, he then took… Continue Reading →

Artist and Industrial Designer (1895-1961) Capey worked as a junior designer for Doulton pottery while attending the School of Art in his home town of Burslem as a day release student. He then studied at the Royal College of Art… Continue Reading →

Potter (1902-1995) Susan [Susie] Vera Cooper was born in Staffordshire on 29th October 1902. She attended a private school in Hanley, which she left in 1917 to help with the family farm and retail business, but she carried on her… Continue Reading →

Architect and Planner (1914-1944) Following his family’s move from their Yorkshire home to London in 1930 Thomas Gordon Cullen attended the Regent Street Polytechnic (now University of Westminster) where he studied architecture and draughtmanship and showed much promise, in spite… Continue Reading →

Textile Designer (1917-2010) Desiree Lucienne Lisbeth Dulcie Conradi was born in Coulsdon, Surrey on 5th January 1917. She studied at Woodford School, Croydon, where she was encouraged to go to Croydon School of Art (1934-1937), and there met Peter Werner,… Continue Reading →

Poster artist and design teacher (1914-1997) Poster artist and design teacher Thomas (Tom) Eckersley was born in 1914 at Newton le Willows, Lancashire and educated at Salford College of Art where he was awarded the Heywood medal for best student…. Continue Reading →

Artist and Designer (1901-1958) The son of Russian Jewish emigrés, Barnett Freedman was born in London on 19th May 1901. Due to persistent ill health Freedman had hardly any schooling, and from the age of nine he spent most of… Continue Reading →

Graphic Designer (1914-1996) The son of émigré Russian Jews, Abram Games always considered himself a cockney as he was born within the sound of Bow Bells on 29th July 1914. At the age of eleven his school report stated that… Continue Reading →

Designer and Graphic Artist (1907-1995) Leslie James Gardner was born in Hendon on 29th December 1907. Awarded a scholarship Gardner attended Westminster School of Art where he was taught by future HonRDI, E. McKnight Kauffer. Apprenticed to Cartiers of Bond… Continue Reading →

Architect and Designer (1909-2002) Robert Yorke Goodden was born on 7th May 1909. Educated at Harrow he went on to study architecture at the Architectural Association (1926-32) before starting work in private practice. A paucity of commissions, due to political… Continue Reading →

Painter and Designer (1885-1978) Duncan Grant was born in the family ancestral home at Aviemore on 21st January 1885 but spent his early years in India and Burma, where his father’s regiment was stationed. Between 1894 and 1899 he attended… Continue Reading →

Designer (1899-1997) Milner Connerton Gray was born in London on 8th October 1899. He attended Goldsmiths’ College but his studies were interrupted when he was called up to the 19th London regiment in 1917. Gray’s record of poor health meant… Continue Reading →

Textile and Wallpaper Designer (1903-1986) Born in Prague to Jewish parents on 6 April 1903 as Hilde Pilke, she changed her first name to Jacqueline when she married Jacques Groag. She studied textile design in Vienna and flowered under the… Continue Reading →

Graphic Designer (1903-1973) Ashley Havinden was born on 13th April 1903 at Maidstone, Kent. He was awarded a free education at Christ’s Hospital, Horsham, Sussex but left school without any formal qualifications. He started work as a trainee at a… Continue Reading →

Industrial Designer (1914-1990) Born Henrich Frederick Fritz Kohn in Nuremberg, Germany on 18th April 1914 to Franco-German parents, Henrion (as he became known) completed his education at the Melanchthon Gymnasium before moving to Paris in 1933 where he trained as… Continue Reading →

Designer (1900-1982) Born Jerzy Himmelfarb in Lodz, Poland (then Russia) on 4th August 1900 Him shortened and anglicized his name in 1933. Educated in Warsaw he went to Moscow in 1917 to study Roman Law but when the university closed… Continue Reading →

Stained Glass Designer (1883-1948) James Humphries Hogan was born on 20th December 1883. He studied art at the Westminster School of Arts, before learning about stained glass at the Central School of Arts & Crafts, and then under the tutelage… Continue Reading →

Architect and Industrial Designer (1911-2003) Born in Enfield in 1911 Jack Howe attended the local grammar school and then enrolled to study architecture at the Regent Street Polytechnic. During the final two years he studied in the evening while working… Continue Reading →

Artist, Book Designer and Illustrator (1907-1977) The son of a Methodist minister Lynton Harold Lamb was born on 15 April 1907 in Hyderabad, India. At the age of sixteen, following the death of his father, he started work in an… Continue Reading →

Textile Designer (1908-1970) Born in Dresden in 1908 Margaret Leischner studied at the Kunstgewerbeschule Dresden (State Academy of Applied Art) in 1926. She then attended the Bauhaus Dessau, where she was taught by the artist Paul Klee and worked with… Continue Reading →

Painter and Designer (1902-1998) Enid Dorothy Crystal Marx was born in London on 20th October 1902. She first went to school in Hampstead, then at the age of 12 she boarded at Roedean in West Sussex where she benefitted from an… Continue Reading →

Typographer and Publisher (1891-1975) Francis Meynell was born in Bayswater, London, on 12th May 1891. He attended St Anthony’s School, Eastbourne until he was fourteen when he went to Downside School. In 1909 he entered Trinity College Dublin but left… Continue Reading →

Designer (1892-1981) Keith Day Pearce Murray was born on 5th May 1892 in Auckland, New Zealand and emigrated to Britain, with his parents, in 1906. He served with distinction with the Royal Air Force and Royal Flying Corps during the… Continue Reading →

Architect (1901-1974) Edward Brian O’Rorke was born in Christchurch, New Zealand on 14th June 1901. Educated at Wellington College, Jesus College, Cambridge and the Architectural Association School of Architecture he was awarded the RIBA Dawnay Prize in 1926. Five years… Continue Reading →

Furniture and Textile Designer (1913-1964) Soon after he was born in Newcastle on 16th October 1914 Race and his family moved to London. On leaving St Paul’s School in 1932 Race took a three-year course on interior design at the… Continue Reading →

Lighting Designer (1898-1973) Born in Willingdon, Sussex on 29th May 1898 Alfred Burgess Read, or A.B as he was known to his friends, attended Eastbourne Grammar School before attending Eastbourne College of Art. His education was interrupted by the First… Continue Reading →

Furniture Designer (1903-1981) Born in Repton, Derbyshire on 21st December 1903 Richard Drew Russell grew up in the Cotswold village of Broadway. Dick, as he was known, was introduced to furniture design when he joined his older brother, Gordon, in… Continue Reading →

Furniture Designer (1892-1980) Born in Cricklewood on 20th May 1892 Sydney Gordon Russell was nine years old when his family moved to Repton and then, in 1904, to the Cotswold village of Broadway, Worcestershire where his father turned the Lygon… Continue Reading →

Graphic Designer (1898-1976) Born on 29th December 1898 in Kempen, Prussia to Jewish parents, Schlesinger shortened his surname to Schleger when he was twenty years old, after his family moved to Berlin in 1904. He attended the Kunstgewerbeschule to study… Continue Reading →

Architect (1907-1976) Basil Urwin Spence was born in Bombay on 13 August 1907. At the age of twelve he was sent to Scotland, his parents’ homeland, for his education. Having demonstrated a facility for drawing he attended Edinburgh College of… Continue Reading →

Engraver and Designer (1909-1979) Named after his ancestor, Sir Joshua Reynolds this son of an Eton housemaster was born at Eton College on 13 March 1909. He went to Magdalene College, Cambridge to read history before starting work in 1932… Continue Reading →

Textile Artist (1909-1994) Marianne Straub was born on 23rd September 1909 in Amriswil, Switzerland. Much of her childhood was spent immobilised in a tubercular ward. She developed an exceptionally good memory for pattern, texture and colour and in 1928 she… Continue Reading →

Textile and Interior Designer (1891-1948) Born at Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire on 20th October 1891, Allan Walton was educated at Harrow School. He went on to study architecture in 1911 with Arnold Mitchell’s practice – the two men most probably met… Continue Reading →

Architect and Designer (1922-1989) Arthur Neville Ward was born on 5th June 1922. Educated at Wade Deacon Grammar School, Widnes, he graduated from Liverpool University School of Architecture and was admitted an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects… Continue Reading →

Leathergoods Designer (1892-1977) John Waterer was born in Peckham, London, on 9th August 1892. Although a talented musician, Waterer took an apprenticeship in the luggage department of a leather goods company in 1909, to which he returned after his service… Continue Reading →

Artist and designer (1903-1989) A prolific printmaker, graphic designer, illustrator and painter Bawden was born in Braintree, Essex in 1903. His early education took place at the local high school then at the Friends’ School in Saffron Walden. An only… Continue Reading →

Architect (1895-1958) Born on 17th December 1895 of Canadian parents in Tokyo, Japan Wells Coates was educated informally by his mother, who had trained as an architect, and he also learnt calligraphy and craft skills from Japanese scholars. At the… Continue Reading →