WELLS, Margaret Bruce

1909 - 1998

As Margaret Caroline Bruce, she was born at Murthly, Perthshire on 13 June 1909, daughter of Dr Leon Campbell Bruce, M.D. (c1868-1945) and his wife Caroline Desborough née Bowden (1873-1953). After St Margaret's School, Scarborough, she studied at Glasgow School of Art 1928-1933 then at Brook Green School of Art, London under Leon Underwood (1890-1975) until 1935 but, in return for extra tuition, remained at the school as his assistant until the outbreak of the Second World War whilst living with the family of her tutor. In 1939 they were living at 12 Girdlers Road, Hammersmith, London, an artist, wood engraver & book illustrator and during the war she was an ambulance driver. Margaret married on 10 October 1951, Dr George Crichton Wells, FRCP (13 July 1914–17 January 1999), living in Chicago, USA for a time where she studied drawing at the Art Institute. Before her marriage, she had exhibited under her maiden name of Margaret Bruce but later as Margaret Wells. A creator of wood engravings and linocuts, as Margaret Bruce she exhibited at the Royal Academy and as Margaret Bruce Wells in 1970. She was elected an honorary member at the Society of Wood Engravers in 1995 where she also exhibited. Margaret Caroline Bruce Wells lived at Sibton, Suffolk for over 20 years and where she died on 4 December 1998. Her life was documented by her niece Maggie McCune in 'Margaret Bruce Wells' (Woodbridge 2000).

Royal Academy Exhibits
from 12 Girdlers Road, Hammersmith
1939 876 The Childhood of a Tree - wood engraving
from 15 Hereford Square, London
1970 709 Five Gold Rings - wood engraving
         711 Twelve-lords-a-Leaping - wood engraving
         712 Nine Drummers Drumming - wood engraving

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Works by This Artist