Jeannie Mabel Lesslie (1881 - 1961)

Born 18 Feb 1881 in Woollahra, Sydney, New South Wales

Ancestors

Died 15 May 1961 at age 80 in Burwood, New South Wales

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Melanie Paul [send private message]

Biography

Birth
Jeannie Mabel "Mabel" Lesslie was born in Woollahra, Sydney, New South Wales, on the 18th February 1881, the second child and eldest daughter of William Lesslie and Jeannie Lesslie née Jeanie "Jane" Gillespie.^[1]

Lotus Vase. (Mabel Lesslie; circa 1929)

Mabel Lesslie the Artist
Mabel (aka J. Mabel Lesslie) studied china painting, pottery and design at the Sydney Technical College. She was an active member of The Society of Arts and Crafts of New South Wales and regularly contributed work to their exhibitions. ^[2]
One example of her work is her "Lotus Vase", circa 1919.

17 December 1925

AUSTRALIAN POTTERY

A group of women potters, Ada Carlill, Mabel Leslie, Edith Sterling Levis, Regine Madson, and Lily Whitney, are showing some fine examples of bowls, vases, lamp stands, and jugs at Anthony Hordern's Fine Art Gallery. The color is exceedingly good, and the decorations of native flora and fauna are unusual and beautiful. Miss Carlill’s vase, with the adorable penguins, is a most satisfactory piece of work, and Miss Leslie treats kookaburras in a fascinating manner. Sturt's desert pea, flannel flowers, native bears, and opossums all play their part to advantage. Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Taylor, of Birdwood Avenue, Collaroy, will leave to-day by the Aorangi for a trip to New Zealand.^[3]

18 December 1925

HAND-MADE POTTERY

Australian flora and fauna provide unique opportunities for handcrafts. A fine exhibition of hand-made pottery by a group of Australian ladles is on view at Anthony Hordern's art gallery, the decoration being entirely Australian. A gum-tree design on a black vase is delightful, while designs of kookaburras, penguins, gum-leaves, and possums make characteristic gifts. The exhibitors are Ada Carlill, Mabel Lesslie, Edith Levis, Regine Madsen, and Lily Whitney.^[4]

16 June 1931

SOCIETY OF ARTS AND CRAFTS.

Examples of brushwork and pottery form the basis of this month's exhibition at the Society of Arts and Crafts in Rowe-street. The exhibitors in the China section are Miss Grace Seccombe (who has shown some beautiful pieces of pottery adorned with Australian flowers, native bears, and native birds), Mrs. Eyre, Miss Hirst, Miss Lesslie, and Miss Violet Mace, Miss R. Madsen and Mrs. Dalgarno have the greatest number of exhibits in the brush-work section. Both are showing batik work on velvet bridge coats. Other exhibitors in this work are Miss Spencer, Miss Hirst, Mrs. Parsons, Miss Ada Newman, Mrs. Barker, Miss Mathews, and Mrs. Noble Wallace.^[5]

Examples of her work are held in the Australian National Gallery and the Technological Museum (now known as the Powerhouse Museum). ^[6]

• Artist — Title — Edition — Created — media — Collection — Accn No
  
• Lesslie, Mabel 1881 – 1961 — Vase — 1928 — vases — Australian Art — 92.683
  
• Lesslie, Mabel 1881 – 1961 — Vase — c 1920 — vases — Australian Art — 92.682
  
• Lesslie, Mabel 1881 – 1961 — Asparagus plate — c. 1930 — plates — earthenware — Australian Art — 2002.471
  
• Lesslie, Mabel 1881 – 1961 — Bowl with gumnut decoration — 1929 — earthenware — Australian Art — 2002.468
  
• Lesslie, Mabel 1881 – 1961 — Cup and saucer — 1914-1917 — cups saucers — earthenware — Australian Art — 2002.472.5.A-B
  
• Lesslie, Mabel 1881 – 1961 — Cup and saucer — 1914-1917 — cups saucers — earthenware — Australian Art — 2002.472.6.A-B
  
• Lesslie, Mabel 1881 – 1961 — Vase — 1928 — vases — earthenware — Australian Art — 2002.469
  
• Lesslie, Mabel 1881 – 1961 — Pair of bookends with frog motif — c. 1930 — earthenware — Australian Art — 2002.470.A-B
  
• Lesslie, Mabel 1881 – 1961 — Coffee pot with lid — 1914-1917 — earthenware — Australian Art — 2002.472.4.A-B
  
• Lesslie, Mabel 1881 – 1961 — Bowl — 1914-1917 — earthenware — Australian Art — 2002.472.1
  
• Lesslie, Mabel 1881 – 1961 — Jug — 1914-1917 — earthenware — Australian Art — 2002.472.2
  
• Lesslie, Mabel 1881 – 1961 — Sugar bowl with lid — 1914-1917 — earthenware — Australian Art — 2002.472.3.A-B
  
• Lesslie, Mabel 1881 – 1961 — Coffee service, comprising: coffeepot, bowl, jug, sugarbowl with lid, cup and two saucers — 1914-1917 — cups — Australian Art — 2002.472.1-6.A-B
  

Death
Jeannie Mabel "Mabel" Lesslie passed away in Burwood, New South Wales on the 15th May 1961. ^[7]

Burial
Mabel was buried at the Rookwood Necropolis, Sydney, New South Wales.^[8]

Sources

1. ↑ New South Wales State Government Births, Deaths, Marriages online index Birth Registration details: LESSLIE JEANNIE M 7216/1881 WILLIAM C JEANNIE WOOLLAHRA
2. ↑ Information given by the Lesslie family per Russell Lesslie.
3. ↑ 1925 Exhibition — "AUSTRALIAN POTTERY" The Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1883 - 1930) 17 December 1925: 2. Web. 4 Jan 2021 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article245054273>.
4. ↑ 1925 Exhibition — "HAND-MADE POTTERY" The Sun (Sydney, NSW : 1910 - 1954) 18 December 1925: 3 (FINAL EXTRA). Web. 4 Jan 2021 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article223922611>.
5. ↑ 1931Exhibition — "SOCIETY OF ARTS AND CRAFTS." The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) 16 June 1931: 3. Web. 4 Jan 2021 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16786094>.
6. ↑ National Gallery of Australia, Canberra
7. ↑ New South Wales State Government Births, Deaths, Marriages online index Death Registration details: LESSLIE JEANNIE MABEL 10209/1961 WILLIAM CHARLES JEAN ASHFIELD
8. ↑ Family records held by Russell Lesslie.

• Family records and birth, marriage, death certificates or certified copies, journal entries, held by family members