Forrest, Margaret Elvire (1844 - 1929)

Wife of Western Australia's first Premier, Margaret Forrest was one of Australia's early botanical artists. Born Margaret Hamersley, she was five when she moved with her parents to the Swan River Colony in 1836 or 1837. From an early age, she showed enthusiasm for watercolour painting, spending much time studing and sketching wildflowers.

She married John Forrest in 1876 and became involved in political life, accompanying her husband on overseas and interstate trips. Lady Forrest was an active member of Western Australia's first society for artists and exhibited six wildflower watercolours in the Wilgie First Annual Exhibition of Paintings in 1890. She was a founding member of the Western Australia Society of Arts and the Karrakatta Club which was organised to broaden women's outlook by bringing them in contact with the fine arts. After her death in 1929, her collection was bequeathed to the Western Australia Art Gallery in 1933.

Source: http://www.anbg.gov.au/biography/forrest-margaret.html [accessed 15/03/2002] and Australian Garden History, vol. 7, no. 6, May/June 1996, p.12.

Book Sections

• Gooding, Janda, 'Forrest, Margaret Elvire (1844-1929), painter and botanical artist', in Kerr, Joan (ed.), Heritage: The National Women's Art Book, Craftsman House, Roseville East, NSW, 1995, pp. 352-353. [ Details... ]

Journal Articles

• 'Lady Margaret Forrest (1844-1929)', Australian Garden History, vol. 7, no. 6, 1996, p. 12. [ Details... ]

Online Resources

• 'Lady Margaret Forrest (1844-1929)', in Australian National Botanic Gardens - Biography, http://www.anbg.gov.au/biography/forrest-margaret.html. [ Details... ]