Ann Macbeth

Who was Ann Macbeth?

Ann Macbeth was an embroideress and author, a part of the Glasgow Movement and an associate of Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

Macbeth was born in Halliwell, Bolton, Lancashire, England, and studied at the Glasgow School of Art and about 1911 she succeeded Jessie Newbery as head of its embroidery department.

Examples of her work were on exhibition at Miss Cranston's tea-rooms in Glasgow over a long period. She designed for Liberty's and embroidered a frontal for the communion table of Glasgow Cathedral.

She published five books on embroidery, including Educational Needlecraft, Needleweaving, Embroidered Lace and Leatherwork, and Countrywoman's Rug Book.

From 1921 to 1948 she lived in Patterdale, Cumbria. St. Patrick's Church in Patterdale houses some of her embroideries.