Margaret H. Swain (1909–2002)

Author of The Needlework of Mary Queen of Scots

About the Author

Includes the names: Margaret Swain, Margaret Swain, Margaret Helen Swain

Image credit: Margaret H. Swain (1909-2002) In 2001, a pencil drawing of her by Elizabeth Blackadder was accepted by the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, donated by her children in honour of their mother’s 90th birthday.

Works by Margaret H. Swain

Popular Recent

The Needlework of Mary Queen of Scots (1973) 148 copies, 3 reviews

Ayrshire and Other Whitework (1982) 62 copies, 3 reviews

Embroidered Stuart Pictures (1990) 44 copies, 2 reviews

Historical Needlework: A Study of Influences in Scotland and Northern England (1970) 40 copies, 2 reviews

Scottish Embroidery: Medieval to Modern (1986) 34 copies, 2 reviews

Embroidered Georgian Pictures (1994) 26 copies

Figures on Fabric (1980) 21 copies, 2 reviews

The Needlework at Traquair (1984) 17 copies, 2 reviews

A Devotional Miscellany (1966) 6 copies

Tapestries and Textiles at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in the Royal Collection (1988) 5 copies, 1 review

The Flowerers: The Origins and History of Ayrshire Needlework (1955) 5 copies

Tapestries and Textiles at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in the Royal Collection (1988) 4 copies

The Flowerers: The origins and history of Ayrshire needlework 2 copies, 1 review

Scottish Embroidery 1 copy

Loose covers, or cases (From: Furniture History Vol. XXXIII 1997) 1 copy

Work Explorer

Tagged

16th century (13) 17th century (6) 18th century (6) Ayrshire embroidery (9) costume (6) crafts (13) emb (8) embroidery (76) embroidery history (11) Embroidery--Scotland--History (5) embroidery/textiles (5) England (17) Great Britain (5) historical (6) historical embroidery (5) history (22) Mary Queen of Scots (9) needlework (67) needlework history (8) non-fiction (7) Scotland (23) Scottish embroidery (5) Stuart (4) tapestry (5) textile history (4) textiles (38) to-read (6) UK (5) VA (8) whitework (29)

Common Knowledge

Other names: Swain, Margaret Helen
Hart, Margaret Helen (birth name)
Birthdate: 1909-05-13
Date of death: 2002-07-27
Gender: female
Occupations: textile historian
author
embroiderer
Organizations: Embroiderers' Guild
Royal Scottish Museum
The Samaritans
Awards and honors: MBE (1989)
Edinburgh University, honorary MA, 1981
Short biography: Textile historian Margaret Swain was the first person to realise that Scotland was unusual in the number of private houses which still contained historic textiles. Swain documented these textiles from old family papers and bills, and brought them to scholarly attention. She made an important contribution to the study of the fine series of tapestries at the Palace of Holyrood and has published on the needlework of Mary, Queen of Scots.
Nationality: UK
Birthplace: Lancashire, England, UK
Places of residence: England, UK
Scotland, UK
Place of death: Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
Associated Place (for map): UK

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Reviews

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18 reviews

Lyndatrue 452 reviews

The Needlework of Mary Queen of Scots by Margaret Swain

I've loved this book from the very day I picked it up. The publisher is charmingly listed as:

Ruth Bean Publishers, Victoria Farmhouse, Carlton, Bedford MK43 7LP England.

I'm sure the actual location is more prosaic than my imagination.

This beautiful work has interesting historical data of Mary, and excellent discussions of "Women's Work" and insight into Mary, her imprisonment, and her life.

Recommended not just for those concerned with needlework, but for the historical insights as well. show more Thank you, Margaret Swain. show less

Dec 24, 20132 other reviews

CathyLockhart 4,483 reviews

The Flowerers: The origins and history of Ayrshire needlework by Margaret H. Swain