M. E. Aldrich Rope

M. E. Aldrich Rope

Born	29 July 1891 Leiston, Suffolk, England
Died	5 March 1988 Bungay, Suffolk
Nationality	English
Education	Attended Chelsea School of Art and LCC Central School of Arts & Crafts
Known for	Stained glass
Notable work	Stained glass windows

M.E. Aldrich Rope (Margaret Edith Rope) (29 July 1891 – March 1988) was a British stained glass artist in the Arts and Crafts movement tradition active between 1910 and 1964. She should not be confused with her cousin, Margaret Agnes Rope of Shrewsbury, another British stained glass artist in the same tradition, active from 1910 until the Second World War. By comparison, she was more prolific an artist with a style that evolved from a recognisable Arts and Crafts school style to something simpler and more modern in her later years.

Life

Margaret Agnes Rope and Margaret Edith Rope were cousins, sharing a grandfather, George Rope of Grove Farm, Blaxhall, Suffolk (1814-1912) and grandmother, Anne (née Pope) (1821-1882). The younger Margaret was the 5th child of Arthur Mingay Rope (himself George and Anne's 5th child: 1850-1945) and Agnes Maud (née Aldrich: 1855-1943), born on 29 July 1891. She had a number of artistic relatives at Leiston and Blaxhall, Suffolk: apart from her cousin Margaret Agnes Rope, there were her uncle, George Thomas Rope, R.A., landscape painter and naturalist, her aunt Ellen Mary, sculptor and sister Dorothy, another sculptor. In the family, her nickname was "Tor", for tortoise and she used a tortoise to sign some of her windows, particularly in her later years.

She was educated at Wimbledon High School, Chelsea School of Art and LCC Central School of Arts & Crafts, where she specialised in stained glass under Karl Parsons and Alfred Drury (stained glass artist). From about 1911, she started working at The Glass House (Fulham) with her cousin, Margaret Agnes Rope, for example on the set of windows for SS Peter and Paul, Newport, Shropshire.^[1] To distinguish herself from her namesake cousin, she used the professional name of M.E.Aldrich Rope (incorporating her mother's maiden name) or M.E.A.Rope. One of her friends was J.Harold Gibbons (church architect) and this connection led to her first major commission for St Chad's Church, Far Headingley, Leeds, her first large commission and among her greatest works. ^[2]^[3]

For much of her active artistic life she lived in various houses in Deodar Road, Putney, which was something of an artists' colony at that period. Around 1926, she moved to No 61, also occupied by Caroline Townshend and Joan Howson. (She was also a close friend of Wilhelmina Geddes.) Later, in World War II, she moved to No 81, until it was bombed. In the post-war period she was at No. 89, where she had a studio, workshop & kiln (also used by Rachel de Montmorency). She shared the house with Clare Dawson, a friend & pupil. Late in her life, she became a Catholic. In mid-1978, at the age of 87, she left Putney and returned to live in Suffolk on the family farm. She died on 9 March 1988, aged 96, after suffering a protracted period of Alzheimer's Disease.

Works

Spanning a period of over 50 years, her artistic production was largely destined for Anglican churches (especially Anglo-Catholic) with a few Roman Catholic ones as well. First are windows in the United Kingdom, followed by those in other countries, in alphabetical order of county or country. Inaccessible windows have been omitted. Asterisks indicate windows of particular importance.^[4]

Location	Details	Notes
Buckinghamshire: Eddlesborough S.Mary	Nativity 2 lights 1933	.
Buckinghamshire:Lane End, Holy Trinity	Annunciation and Nativity 1 light	.
Cambridgeshire:Ely, Cathedral Stained Glass Museum	Visitation, Franciscan Boy & a Vision of Heaven (2 panels)	.
Cambridgeshire:Ickleton,S.Mary Magdalene	Crucifixion with SS.Mary Magdalene and Etheldreda (3 lights, e; 1929)	**
Cambridgeshire:Molesworth,S.Peter	Christ in Majesty with Nativity, Crucifixion &c (3 lights, e; 1929)	**
Clwyd:Wrexham,Holy Trinity	2 light window 1950	.
Cornwell:Polperro,S.John the Baptist	"No man cometh ..." (1956)	.
Cornwell:Polperro,S.John the Baptist	Jesus & disciples (1959-60)	**
Derbyshire:Chesterfield:S.Mary & All Saints	Good Samaritan with Virgin and Child 1953 (3 lights)	.
Dorset:Bournemouth,Moordown,S.John the Baptist	2 lancets: Florence Nightingale, Edward Jenner	.
Dorset:Hinton Martel, S.John	Eight panel painted screen	.
Durham:Roker, S.Andrew	Mural, walls and ceiling with Macdonald Gill)	.
Hampshire:Hartley Wintney,S.John the Evangelist	Carol themes(4 lights,1939)	.
Herefordshire:Hereford,All Saints	Expulsion from Eden,Annunciation,Nativity,Crucifixion (4 lights 1933)	**
Herefordshire:Hereford,All Saints	Virgin & child with S.Martin of Tours,S.George (5 lights 1933)	**
Herefordshire:Hereford,All Saints	S.Anthony the Hermit (3 lights 1947)	**
Herefordshire:Hereford,All Saints	Nativity with children (3 lights 1944)	**
Herefordshire:Hereford,All Saints	2 lancets: SS.Joseph & David	**
Hertfordshire:Bishop's Stortford,S.Michael	2 lancets in porch: SS.Botolph & John of Beverley (1950)	.
Kent:Whitstable, All Saints	SS.Christopher & Anne (1927)	*
Lancashire:Royton,S.Paul	Annunciation with Joseph & John the Baptist(3 lights 1929)	*
London:Bromley,SS.Peter & Paul	4 lancets: the archangels	*
London:Bromley,SS.Peter & Paul	East window (3 lights 1953)	*
London:Bromley,SS.Peter & Paul	Te Deum (2 lights and rose 1959)	*
London:Chelsea, Bourne St,S.Mary	Eight titles of Mary (rose window)	*
London:Chiswick,SS.Peter & Paul	SS.Peter & Paul, Life of S.Peter, Life of S.Paul(1955)	*
London:Dollis Hill,S.Francis of Assissi, Gladstone Park	Ecce Agnus Dei	*
London:Dollis Hill,S.Francis of Assissi, Gladstone Park	SS.Domiunic & Francis	*
London:Dollis Hill,S.Francis of Assissi, Gladstone Park	S.Clare	*
London:Fulham, All Saints Putney Bridge Road	Virgin & child, scenes from Jesus' early life (1938)	*
London:Grange,S.Peter	8 clerestory windows (1957-60)	*
London:Grange,S.Peter	4 chancel windows:life of Christ (1960-63)	**
London:Grange,S.Peter	Lady chapel "Mary hath chosen that good part" (1957-60)	.
London:Grange,S.Peter	10 small Saints windows (1966-73)	*
London:Haggerston,S.Saviour's Priory, entrance	SS.Paul & Margaret originally in S.Augustine Haggerston	***
London:Haggerston,S.Saviour's Priory, chapel	3 windows: early life of Christ	*
London:Highgate,S.Augustine,	Nativity	**
London:Highgate,S.Augustine,	Christchild with birds	*
London:Highgate,S.Augustine,	Christ the King	.
London:Munster Square,S.Mary Magdalene crypt	6 Saints windows from S.Augustine,Haggerston	***
London:Munster Square,S.Mary Magdalene crypt	Coronation of BVM, Mary & child	*
London:Northolt Park,S.Barnabas	East window (1954)	*
London:Northolt Park,S.Barnabas	West window (1957)	*
London:V&A Museum	Small panels: Nativity	*
London:V&A Museum	Roundel: S.Anthony preaching to fishes	*
London:Putney:Christ the King Polish church	Nativity: 3 lights (1951)	*
London:Wapping Lane, S.Peter London Docks	Rose window with bells of London	**
London:Wapping Lane, S.Peter London Docks	2 lancewts: SS.Peter & Paul (1949)	.
London:Wapping Lane, S.Peter London Docks	Good Shepherd, 3 lights (1954)	**
London:Wapping Lane, S.Peter London Docks	4 circular lights: 1st 4 vicars	*
London:Wapping Lane, S.Peter London Docks	7 Sacrament windows ex Haggerston	***
Manchester:Ardwick, S.Benedict (now deconsecrated)	Window in Lady Chapel, 3 lights	.
Manchester:Ardwick, S.Benedict (now deconsecrated)	Lancet:S.Francis (1935)	*
Norfolk:Clippesby,S.Peter	Suffer little children (1919 See Gallery
Norfolk:Quidenham, Carmelite Monastery	16 clerestory windows designed by cousin	*
Norfolk:Quidenham, Carmelite Monastery	7 roundels designed by cousin	*
Oxfordshire:Oxford,SS.Mary & John, Cowley Road	3 lights "Bread from heaven"	*
Oxfordshire:Oxford,SS.Mary & John, Cowley Road	Lancet: Virgin and child	*
Shropshire:Wistanstow, Holy Trinity	2 lancets: SS.Wistan & Anne	*
Somerset:Bicknoller, S.George	Life of S.Paul(1952)	*
Stirlingshire:Falkirk	3 lights, Virgin and child (1929)	.
Stirlingshire:Falkirk	4 minor windows largely decorative (c.1935)	.
Suffolk: Barnby, S.John the Baptist	East window (1963)	***
Suffolk: Barnby, S.John the Baptist	4 painted roundels	*
Suffolk: Blaxhall, S.Peter	Porch window (with cousin)	** See Gallery
Suffolk: Chediston, S.Mary	SS.George & Felix (1947)	.
Suffolk: Earl Soham, S.Mary	2 lights, SS. Edmund & Felix	*
Suffolk: Kesgrave:Holy Family & S.Michael	3 English Catholic martyrs	* See Gallery
Suffolk: Kesgrave:Holy Family & S.Michael	Virgin & child, Walsingham (with Clare Dawson)	*
Suffolk: Leiston, S.Margaret	3 lights - S.Luke	**
Suffolk: Leiston, S.Margaret	3 lights - S.Matthew	** See Gallery
Suffolk: Little Glamham, S.Andrew	Nativity with Gospel episodes)	**
Sussex: Bolney, S.Mary Magdalene	Holy Sacraments, 1 light (1947)	.
Sussex: Chichester, former Bishop Otter College	2 lancets - S.Francis, Bishop Otter	*
Warwickshire: Coventry, S.John	Expulsion from Eden, Annunciation	*** See Gallery
Warwickshire: Leamington, S.Mary	S.Mary & the risen Christ	**
Wiltshire: Lydiard Millicent, All Saints	"All ye works of the Lord"(1963)	**
Yorkshire: Leeds, S.Chad, Far Headingly	Creation (1922)	*** See Gallery
Australia: Geraldton, WA,S.Francis Xavier Cathedral	Two windows	.
Australia: Mullewa, WA,Our Lady of Carmel and SS.Peter & Paul	Gloria in excelsis	.
Australia: Mullewa, WA,Our Lady of Carmel and SS.Peter & Paul	Pater Mi, Pater Mi (1923)	.
Malta: Sliema, Holy Trinity	S.George (1947)	.
S.Africa, Ofcolaco	2 lights (1951)	.
Sri Lanka: Passara, S.Barnabasa	2 lights (1953)	.
Trinidad: Port of Spain, S.James the Just, Sangre Grande	Originally 5 windows, some now lost	.

Gallery

Creation window, S.Chad,Far Headingley,Leeds, 1923
Detail from the Creation window, S.Chad,Far Headingley,Leeds, 1923: Left hand light
Detail from the Creation window, S.Chad,Far Headingley,Leeds, 1923
Detail from the Creation window, S.Chad,Far Headingley,Leeds, 1923: Right hand light
Detail from the Creation window, S.Chad,Far Headingley,Leeds, 1923
Detail from the Creation window, S.Chad,Far Headingley,Leeds, 1923: Adam & Eve
Detail from the Creation window, S.Chad,Far Headingley,Leeds, 1923:Deer in Paradise
Window by M. E. Aldrich Rope (left) and Margaret Agnes Rope (right) in the period when they shared a studio at the Glass House
S.Matthew window in S.Margaret, Leiston, Suffolk, memorial to her parents
Detail from S.Matthew window in S.Margaret, Leiston, Suffolk, showing the Minsmere marshes and ruined chapel
Detail from S.Matthew window in S.Margaret, Leiston, Suffolk, showing her childhood home, Lower Abbey Farm, Leiston, Suffolk
S.Peter,Clippesby: Detail of "Suffer little children to come unto me" (first commission, 1919)
3 local English Catholic martyrs, a theme more typical of Margaret Agnes Rope, at Kesgrave Catholic church, near Ipswich, Suffolk
East window, S.John, Coventry, Warwickshire, a late large commission: lower half - "As in Adam all die"
East window, S.John, Coventry, Warwickshire, a late large commission: upper half - Annunciation
Student piece: Dick Whittington

References

↑ Cormack, Peter (2015). Arts and Crafts Stained Glass. New Haven and London: Yale University Press. p. 250. ISBN 978-0-300-20970-9.
↑ Cormack, Peter. "Margaret Edith Aldrich Rope,F.M.G.P. 1891-1988". Journal of Stained Glass. XVIII No 3: 319-20.
↑ "Life of M.E.Aldrich Rope (Tor)". Two Margaret Ropes - Stained Glass Artists of the Arts and Crafts Movement. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
↑ "List of works of M.E.Aldrich Rope (Tor)". Two Margaret Ropes - Stained Glass Artists of the Arts and Crafts Movement. Retrieved 8 May 2015.

External links

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