Frances Lennon

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Frances Lennon MBE

Born	September 12, 1912 (1912-09-12) (age 95) Stretford, Manchester, England
Nationality	British
Field	painting

Frances Lennon MBE (12 September 1912) is an award winning British artist. She was born in Stretford, baptised into the Catholic Church at St Ann's Church in Stretford, and educated at St Ann's RC School between 1915 and 1923.^[1] She went on to study at the Adelphi House Convent School in Salford where the sisters of the Faithful Companions of Jesus discovered her talent for art. She also began drawing cartoons for Punch Magazine.^[2]

In 1930, Frances began work as a draughtman's assistant at the Metropolitan Vickers factory in Trafford Park. She married fireman William Lennon on the 19 February 1938 at St Ann’s Church, and the couple moved to the Bradford Fire Station, in east Manchester. They returned to Stretford in 1943, after William was injured during the Manchester Blitz, and remained in the town until the 1970s, when they retired to Flixton, Greater Manchester.^[3]

It was after Williams' death that Frances began painting full-time. She released several books, including best-selling collections entitled A Trafford Childhood and A Manchester Childhood.^[4] Many similarities have been made between Frances' work and that of fellow Stretfordian LS Lowry.^[5]

Frances continued to live at home in Flixton until 2008, when declining health has forced her removal to a nursing home. Loss of eyesight has also prevented her from continuing to paint. In 2003, some of her originals went on sale for up to £40,000.^[6]

1 Commonwealth Games
2 Honours
3 References
4 External links

[edit] Commonwealth Games

In 2002 Frances was commissioned as the official artist for the Commonwealth Games and she produced a special book of paintings relating to games and sports.^[7]

[edit] Honours

In 2003, Frances was awarded an MBE by Prince Charles for her contribution to arts and charity, which included extensive work for the St Francis House Hospice in Didsbury.^[8] She was presented with two honorary degrees in 2004, the first from Salford University on 14 July and the second from Manchester Metropolitan University on 16 July.^[9]