Lady Barber’s Life and Legacy

A 150th Birthday Tribute

The Barber Institute’s founder, Lady Barber (1869 – 1933), was born Martha Constance Hattie Onions, on 16 May 1869 at Earl’s Croome in Worcestershire.

This display, celebrating the 150th anniversary of her birth, turns the spotlight on Lady Barber’s life: her social circle, her artistic endeavours, and her interests in gardening, painting, dressing up, hunting and dogs.

The story is told through archive photography, portrait miniatures, postcards and souvenirs, as well as some of Lady Barber’s collection of lace and her own drawings and watercolours.