LEDGER, Mildred Mai

1879 - 1939

Mildred Mai Ledger was born at Hackney, London in late 1879, daughter of Henry Ledger (1846-15 February 1934), manager of an engineering works, and his wife Mary née Bellamy (31 December 1848-14 March 1941), third daughter of John Bellamy, who married at Clapton Congregational Chapel on 28 September 1871. In 1891, Mildred was an 11-year-old living at 170 Amhurst Road, Hackney with her parents, 45-year-old Henry, born at Mile End and 42-year-old Mary, born at Hackney and her elder sibling, 15-year-old Constance Maud Bellamy Ledger (12 May 1875-Portway 1961), she also had a further sister Ethel Alicia Ledger [Bushnell] (born 1873). Mildred studied at St John's Wood School of Art and was a student at the Royal Academy Schools from 28 January 1902 until January 1907 and in 1901 was living at a boarding house at 37 Warrior Square, Hasting, Sussex when described as ‘no occupation’. By 1911 she had returned home, living at 20 Park Hill, Hampstead, London with her parents, her father was now a ‘South African merchant’. In 1916 she was charged with 'unlawfully making a sketch of some defensive work on St Margaret's-at-Cliffe, Kent and was bound over in the sum of £10. In 1921 the family were living at 65 Anglesea Road, Ipswich the home of Willam Henry Prentice, a chemical manufacturer at Stowmarket and had moved to Ipswich by 1930. Mildred was a miniature portrait painter and commercial artist, a member of the Ipswich Art Club 1930-1938, exhibiting from Ivry Lodge, 2 Ivry Street, Ipswich in 1932 four watercolours 'The Ballet Dancer', 'The Grey Dress', 'Between the Scenes', 'Rock Roses' and a charcoal 'Gypsy Camp, Bourne Bridge', in 1933 five works 'Portrait' and watercolours 'Portrait', 'Bramford Church', 'Betty' and 'St Margaret's Plain', in 1935 four an oil 'Early Spring in Ivry Street' and watercolours 'Summer' and 'The Blue Check Dress' and 'Phyllis' which both were exhibited at the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours. She exhibited five works in 1937 'March '37', 'Mrs Tanqueray', 'Floyd, daughter of the late Judge Bowen', 'Sidney Barefooot', 'Enid, Portrait Study' which were commissions and not for sale, and a watercolour 'Vanity' which was priced at 10 guineas, she was a regular annual exhibitor. She also exhibited at Walker Art Gallery, Royal Academy, Royal Society of Miniature Painters and the Society of Women Artists 1901-1937 from Hampstead, London in 1901 and from Ipswich in 1934. Mildred Mai Ledger died, unmarried, at Ivry Lodge, Ipswich on 9 February 1939, aged 59. She signed her works 'Mildred M. Ledger' and her commercial work 'M. Ledger'.

Royal Academy Exhibits
from 20 Park Hill Road, Hampstead
1902 1176 Therese - miniature
         1232 My Grandmother - miniature
1905 1220 Mrs Henry Ledger - miniature
         1288 Clemmie - miniature
1907 1171 Mrs Henry Ledger - miniature
         1229 The late Mrs Elias - miniature
1909 1089 Eve, daughter of Stanley Elliott, Esq. - miniature
1910 990 Summer Song - miniature
1913 1160 A Royal Princes: 'Christina Rosette' - miniature
1914 1638 Barbara, daughter of G W Portway, Esq. - miniature
1918 1032 Portrait - miniature

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Works by This Artist