 A comparatively recent acquisition is the Marjorie Locke Wright collection donated to the Museum in February 2004 by her two sons Robert and Frederick Tucker.
Their mother’s collection consists of a large folder compiled by one of her sons and containing her watercolours and pencil drawings. Also included is her school exercise books for drawing and botany, a friendship book, a scrap album and two postcard albums. Marjory Locke Wright, 1891-1963, was a student at Melmerly Collegiate School Parnell and Elam School of Art. The folder of watercolours and drawings represent the work of a young female student enrolled at the art school around 1900s It includes a study by the Gallipoli war artist, Horace Moore-Jones. Her friendship book includes a watercolour study, dated 1912, by Kennett Watkins who, from 1879 to 1890, was principal of the Auckland Free School of Art. Sir John Logan Campbell, motivated by a bequest of casts of antique statuary to the Auckland Museum in Princes Street established this first school of art in Auckland and made provision for Watkins’ salary. Watkins, whose sketchbooks are held by the Museum, also later taught art at Melmerly private school. |
