Margaret Forrest

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Lady Forrest (October 22, 1844–June 13, 1929), born Margaret Elvire Hamersley, was the wife of Sir John Forrest. Born in Le Havre, France, she was a member of the prominent and wealthy Hamersley family; her father was Edward Hamersley (Senior), and amongst her brothers were Edward Hamersley (Junior) and Samuel Hamersley. She married Forrest in 1876 and enjoyed many years in public life, as John Forrest became the first Premier of Western Australia, and later a federal politician.

Lady Forrest had a great interest in fine arts. She was a founding member of the Wilgie Club, which was possibly the first artists' society in Western Australia, and in 1896 became also a founding member of the West Australian Society of Arts. She also had an interest in native plants, and was an accomplished painter of wildflowers. After her death in 1929, her collection was bequeathed to the Art Gallery of Western Australia.

[edit] References

• Crowley, Frank (2000). Big John Forrest 1847–1918: A Founding Father of the Commonwealth of Australia. University of Western Australia Press, Nedlands, Western Australia. ISBN 1-876268-44-1.
• Phipps, Jennifer (1986). Artists' Gardens: Flowers and Gardens in Australian Art 1780s-1980s. Sydney, Australia: Bay Books.

Persondata
NAME	Forrest, Margaret Elvire, Lady
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Hamersley, Margaret Elvire
SHORT DESCRIPTION	wife of John Forrest
DATE OF BIRTH	October 22, 1844
PLACE OF BIRTH
DATE OF DEATH	June 13, 1929
PLACE OF DEATH