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Constance Howard will be remembered as one of the most endearing embroidery personalities of the post World War II era. In particular, her enthusiasm for textiles and the kind, patient way she generously imparted her knowledge will be cherished by everyone who knew her. An inspiring teacher, she had a knack of getting the very best out of all her students. The knock-on effect of her influence on contemporary embroidery, through successive generations of teachers she had taught from the late 1940s onwards, is incalculable.
In 1948, when embroidery was completely out of fashion with the art teaching fraternity, Constance Howard established the department of Embroidery in the Art School at Goldsmith's College, London. From running a part-time course, she became principal lecturer in charge of textiles & fashion with embroidery as a main subject for Diploma in Art & Design (later, the BA Honours degree course).
It is hard to decide whether her greatest achievement was as a teacher, author or designer. The author of several books, she undertook the mammoth task of chronicling the progress of contemporary embroidery from the mid 19th century to the mid 1980s in four well researched volumes entitled 'Twentieth Century Embroidery'.
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Teaching and writing did not leave Constance much time for producing her own embroideries. She did, however, undertake several commissions including a very large hanging for the Country Pavilion of the Festival of Britain, 1951, two hangings for the museum in Northampton, her birth place, and a number of ecclesiastical embroideries. Her strikingly linear work demonstrated her original training, at the Royal College of Art, as an illustrator and wood engraver.
On retirement from Goldsmiths in 1975, Constance was awarded the MBE for services to embroidery. She became an examiner, and a highly popular teacher to embroiderers of all abilities. Her classes at the Embroiderers' Guild headquarters and for branches were always a sell out. She regularly went on extensive tours of Canada and the United States where she was greatly in demand as a lecturer and teacher; also to Australia and New Zealand. Modest about the fees she charged in the UK, she always said that her overseas tours provided the necessary income to pay for the upkeep of her Hammersmith home.
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Constance Howard was a very small woman, yet her lively personality and bright green hair made certain that she never went unrecognised in a crowd. She adopted this style in the 1930s using lithographers' ink as colour until punk rockers ensured that hair dye of every shade was made available. She married Harold Wilson Parker, a sculptor, in 1945. Their daughter, Charlotte, helped to type and check the manuscripts of her books.
Commissions
'The Country Wife' 1951 for the Festival of Britain South Bank Exhibition (now at Denman College, Oxford), 4 x 5m.
Ecclesiastical embroideries for Lincoln Cathedral, Eton College and Mekere University, Kampala, Uganda, 1950.
Pair of large wall hangings for Northampton Museum & Art Gallery, 1973 and 1984.
Publications
'Design for Embroidery from Traditional English Sources' 1956, B T Batsford Ltd.
'Inspiration for Embroidery', 1966, B T Batsford Ltd.
'Embroidery and Colour', 1976, B T Batsford Ltd.
'Constance Howard's Book of Stitches', 1979, B T Batsford Ltd.
'Twentieth Century Embroidery in Great Britain', four volumes covering 1851-1985, published 1981-1986, B T Batsford Ltd.
'Textile Crafts', 1977, Pitman.
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I knew Constance Howard for fifty years. One evening, in October 1951, I went in to her embroidery class at Goldsmith's College as a newly qualified sculpture student and came out that same evening an avowed embroiderer. This was the effect that Constance had on people. She communicated her own love of the subject in such a vivid and convincing way that you were immediately a convert. She was a truly inspirational teacher.
It is impossible to count the number of people whose careers were changed by contact with her, some of whom only had a few days' tuition on a weekend course. This ability to communicate her own passion for the subject often achieved the most amazing results, even from seemingly unlikely material. She was a most unselfish teacher, always ready to lend precious reference material or to give away treasured pieces of fabric. Any fresh knowledge she acquired, such as the discovery of a new technique or stitch, was immediately shared with her students. There was no question of keeping it to herself. She was also unstinting with her time and, up to her last days, would travel great distances, mostly on public transport, to see people's work and give them encouragement. She was held in great affection by her students but the relationship was quite formal, as was usual at the time, and it was many years before we came to call her by her first name. She was always Mrs Parker or, more usually, Mrs P.
She was a really sociable person, loving to entertain and be entertained and she laughed a lot. She was the most gratifying house guest, appreciative of everything that was arranged for her, enjoying every meal and keeping herself occupied with her own embroidery when her hosts were busy. Taking Constance on an outing was a joy. She noticed every detail while being driven and never ceased to marvel at the number of sheep in Wales! During the time I knew Constance, the accepted notion of embroidery changed greatly but she was broad-minded enough to change with the times in her own work and to encourage her students to experiment. But, much as she appreciated the innovations, at the heart of all her work was her love of the stitch. I am grateful that she has passed that on to me. Constance Howard's influence will live on through the people she taught and the people they taught and the people they will teach.
"Over many years, we have been fortunate enough to have had a friendly as well as a working relationship with Constance Howard and experienced seeing her perform her work with absolute professionalism. We also enjoyed many social occasions when she fitted in with ease and became one of the family. She had an infectious laugh and an interesting opinion on any subject."
Jan Beaney & Jean Littlejohn
"Everything I have done and continue to do has its origins in her inspiration", says Richard Box when describing "a woman with green hair passing through the corridors of Goldsmiths Art School".
"Thirty-five years later, I still had my original Head of Department as mentor, advisor and fiercest as well as most constructive critic."
Diane Bates
"She didn't draw any distinctions between various levels. Just the same amount of thought and energy whether talking to children, beginners, City & Guilds students, or BA and MA students. Her interest and curiosity in everything was quite exceptional."
Audrey Walker
Quotes from 'Conversations with Constance - A celebration of the life of Constance Howard, MBE', by Jan Beaney & Jean Littlejohn, to be published by Double Trouble Enterprises, £6.00. Available from the Embroiderers' Guild Bookshop.
Dear Constance
I feel so privileged to have enjoyed the generosity of your friendship, your magical sense of humour as well as your deep wisdom. Your care and concern manifested itself in so many ways; from one's physical well-being to the content and quality of one's work. There must be many, many people echoing these thoughts, at this time.
With my love
Vicky
The Constance Howard Memorial Fund will be launched by Goldsmiths College at the opening of 'Waves - 50 years of textiles from Goldsmiths', an exhibition which will now commemorate the life and work of Constance Howard and will take place on 12 October at Alexandra Palace.
The Embroiderers' Guild will be dedicating a Special Fund in Constance's memory to be used in their new Headquarters in Manchester.
This article is from The World of Embroidery, Volume 51 No.5, © Elizabeth Benn.