Susan Beatrice Pearse
Susan Beatrice Pearse was born in Kennington, South London, on the 19th January, 1878. She was the eldest daughter and the second of four children born to Susan Elizabeth Sharpe (1846-1922) and William Henry Pearse (1850-1889). Susan Beatrice. Pearse had three siblings Edgar (1875-1951), Harold (1879-1944) and Miriam (1882-1944). Her father was a journalist and shorthand writer. (1)
Susan's father, William Henry Pearse, died in 1889, aged 38. Susan spent much of her childhood at Fair Oak near Eastleigh in the Hampshire home of her paternal grandparents as her mother was forced to become a needlewoman in order to support the family. (2)
At the time of the 1891 Census, Edgar (15), Harold (11) and Miriam (9) were living with their widowed mother, Mrs Susan E. Pearse at 20 Alpha Square, Newington, London. Forty-five year old Mrs Susan Pearse was working as a "needlewoman". (3)
Susan Beatrice Pearse, attended King Edward's School, St George's Road, Southwark, an orphanage school for girls. Formerly known as the "House of Occupations", the girls' orphanage school was renamed the King Edward's School in 1860. The school admitted girls from the age of 10 and, in addition to providing classroom lessons in reading, writing, arithmetic, history and geography, the girls were given training to prepare them for employment, usually in domestic service. (4)
After leaving school, now adopting the name "Beatrice Pearse", studied at the New Cross Art School from 1897 to 1901, living in lodgings in Greenwich. In 1898 her book illustrations were praised in the National Competition for Art Schools and in 1900 in the same competition for Art Schools she won a silver medal. In 1902 she moved to the Royal College Art, where she studied until 1904, specialising in water-colour painting. Soon afterwards she began providing illustrations for books. (5)
Beatrice Pearse posed as a model for the artist, Walter Ernest Webster. He was primarily a figure and portrait painter, specialising in portraits of young women and nudes. Beatrice has been identified as the possible model in The Love Token, Portrait Of A Young Lady Holding A Posy Of Flowers and Vanity. (5a)
The Artists' Suffrage League was founded in January 1907 by professional women artists to help with the preparations for the first large-scale public demonstration by the National Union of Suffrage Societies. The chair-person of the Artists' Suffrage League was Mary Lowndes, an important stained-glass and poster artist. It later issued a statement saying that the organisation wanted "to further the cause of Women's Enfranchisement by the work and professional help of artists... by bringing in an attractive manner before the public eye the long-continued demand for the vote." (6)
In about 1909 Pearse came into contact with the Artists' Suffrage League and spent time in the artist community in Blewbury. In December 1909 Pearse produced a Christmas Card for the organisation. "Miss Pearse's charming Christmas Card in colour was very successfully reproduced by Carl Hentschel, and has been much liked, and has had a large sale." The card was sent to all those Members of Parliament who had declared to be in favour of women's suffrage. (7)
At the time of the 1911 Census, Beatrice Pearse, was living with her widowed mother, Mrs Susan Pearse, and her younger brother, Harold Pearse, a 31-year-old restaurant chef, at 165 Grove Lane, Camberwell, London. On the census form, "Beatrice Pearse" is described as an "Artist - Painter of Pictures", a single woman. (8)
According to Elizabeth Crawford, Beatrice Pearse was also responsible for the ASL 1912 New Year card. It was also issued as a calendar. "There would seem little doubt that the lovely illustration, showing a blindfolded infant flying on the back of a mother goose over wintry roofs through the night-time sky and distributing 'votes' as he goes, can be attributed to Beatrice Pearse." (9)
In 1919, at Fulham, Beatrice Pearse, then aged 41, married Walter Ernest Webster, a fellow artist and illustrator. Walter and Susan Webster had no children. (10)
The following year Beatrice Pearse provided the art work for Constance Hewards's Ameliaranne and the Green Umbrella (1920). Over the next thirty years Pearse was the illustrator of the nineteen books in the "Ameliaranne" series. (11)
The Times reported that "Throughout her life her slight and rather frail appearance belied a rebellious, independent and impish spirit, full of energy and vitality, wit and good humour. She had a wanderlust too, and took herself off to such places as India, Florida and Egypt." (12)
Pearse also designed the evocative advertisement that Start-rite used for decades to promote their children's shoes. Beatrice Pearse exhibited on ten occasions at the Royal Academy and with the Society of Women Artist. She had a very successful career as an illustrator throughout her long life. (13)
Walter Ernest Webster, Susan's husband, died at 27 Broomhouse Road, Parsons Green, Fulham, on 30th April 1959, aged 81, leaving an estate valued at £6,158. Susan Beatrice Webster died at her home in Broomhouse Road, Fulham, on 3rd January 1980, just 17 days short of her 102nd birthday. leaving effects valued at £95,538. (14)
Primary Sources
(1) David Simkin, Family History Research (5th January, 2023)
Susan Beatrice Pearse was born in Kennington, South London, the eldest daughter and the second of four children born to Susan Elizabeth Sharpe (1846-1922) and William Henry Pearse (1850-1889), a journalist & shorthand writer. Susan Beatrice. Pearse had three siblings Edgar William Pearse (1875-1951), Harold Henry Pearse (1879-1944) and Miriam Elizabeth Pearse (1882-1944?).
Susan's father, William Henry Pearse, died in 1889, aged 38. At the time of the 1891 Census, Edgar (15), Harold (11) and Miriam Elizabeth (9) were living with their widowed mother, Mrs Susan E. Pearse at 20 Alpha Square, Newington, S. E. London. Forty-five year old Mrs Susan Pearse was working as a "needlewoman". Susan Beatrice Pearse had been sent away to King Edward's School, an orphanage school for girls. Formerly known as the "House of Occupations", the girls' orphanage school was renamed the King Edward's School in 1860. The King Edward's Orphanage School admitted girls from the age of 10 and, in addition to providing classroom lessons in reading, writing, arithmetic, history and geography, the girls were given training to prepare them for employment, usually in
domestic service. At the time of the 1891 Census, Susan Beatrice Pearse was recorded as a 13-year-old pupil at King Edward's School (Orphanage), St George's Road, Southwark.By 1901, 23-year-old Susan Beatrice Pearse was boarding with Miss Lilian Wybourne, a middle aged woman of independent means, at 12 Walnut Tree Road, Greenwich. On the census return, Susan Beatrice Pearse is described as a self-employed "Artist".
At the time of the 1911 Census, Susan Pearse, now known as "Beatrice Pearse", was living with her widowed mother, Mrs Susan Pearse, and her younger brother, Harold Pearse, a 31-year-old restaurant chef, at 165 Grove Lane, Camberwell, S. E. London. On the 1911 census form, "Beatrice Pearse" is described as an "Artist - Painter of Pictures (own account)", a single woman, aged 29 (she was, in fact, 33-years-old).
In 1919, at Fulham, Susan Beatrice Pearse, then aged 41, married Walter Ernest Webster (1877-1959), a fellow artist and illustrator. Walter and Susan Webster had no children. Susan's husband, Walter Ernest Webster was primarily a figure and portrait painter, specialising portraits of young women and nudes.
When the 1939 Register was compiled Susan and her husband were residing at 27 Broomhouse Road, Fulham, London. On the 1939 Register, Susan B. Webster is recorded as an "Artist. Book Illustrator". Susan's husband, Walter E. Webster is described as an "Artist. Painter" on the 1939 Register.
Walter Ernest Webster, Susan's husband, died at 27 Broomhouse Road, Parsons Green, Fulham, on 30th April 1959, aged 81, leaving an estate valued at £6,158. Mrs Susan Beatrice Webster died at her home in Broomhouse Road, Fulham, on 3rd January 1980, just 17 days short of her 102nd birthday. leaving effects valued at £95,538.