Elizabeth Jennings was born in
1839, the third and youngest daughter of Andrew Jennings [1793-1869] of North
Street, Newry, County Down, and his wife Mary Anne Clarke, daughter of Edward
Clarke.
She was baptised in Newry on the 28th of December 1839.
Eliza of Andrew
Jennings and Eliza Clarke, 1839. Sponsors
Charles and Mary Jennings.
Her sister Mary Catherine died in
Phibsborough, Dublin,
in 1864 and is buried in St. Mary’s Catholic graveyard, Newry. Her sister Ellen, who died in 1866, is also
buried there along with their father Andrew who died in 1869. There is a
gravestone marking their burial place.
Erected by Andrew Jennings of Newry in memory of his
daughter Mary Catherine who departed this life on 19th August 1864, also Ellen
McDonald who departed this life on the 16th February 1866, Andrew Jennings
departed this life on the 12th April 1869 aged 76. Requiescant in pace.
Elizabeth and her mother Mary Anne
moved to 35 Goldsmith Street
in Dublin. Her
brother Charles Clarke Jennings died in 1870 aged 40 at 2 St.
Paul’s Terrace, Goldsmith
Street, in North Dublin. Her mother also died in 35 Goldsmith Street in June 1876 and both are buried in Glasnevin Cemetery,
Dublin.
At this time the entry in Thom’s
Directory describes Eliz as an artist.
1876. Miss Jennings, 35 Goldsmith Street, Dublin.
Jennings, Eliza, artist.
In 1867 a silver medal was
recommended to Miss Elizabeth Jennings for a drawing in chalk of a full length
antique figure at the annual distribution by the Royal Dublin society of prizes
to pupils attending the School
of Art in Kildare Street.
The origins of the
College date from 1746, when a private drawing school was taken over and run by
the Dublin
Society. Throughout the 18th Century there were three schools covering figure
drawing, landscape, ornamental drawing, and architecture drawing. A school of
modelling was added in 1811 and from 1854 the institution was controlled by the
Department of Science and Art, London.
In 1877 it was renamed the Dublin
Metropolitan School
of Art.
Two years later in 1869 she was
listed among prizes awarded by the Department of Science and Art, London: Selections for
National Competition.
In ‘Irish Art Loan Exhibitions
1765 - 1927’ (Index of Artists Vol. I.
A.- L.) by Anne M. Stewart - Loan Treasures of Art Museums Dublin - ‘Storm at the Lizard, Cornwall’ (15 pounds 15 shillings. 0. pence.)
is listed as lent by E. Jennings in 1873.
In 1874 the Queen’s Institute
published the results of examinations in Science and Art held in May. Eliza was
successful in Practical Geometry and Freehand Drawing. She also won two prizes.
Three of her works were selected for national competition.
In 1875 she won a prize for an
exceedingly pretty design for a silk damask window blind.
In November of that year she won a
Third Grade Prize for Timb’s Anecdotes of
Nature.
In 1877, when she was 38, Elizabeth won a prize at the Queen's Institute, Dublin for drawing foliage
from nature. The Queen’s Institute of Female Professional Schools was on Grafton Street, and
included the Dublin Female School of Art. It had been founded by a Quaker, Mrs
Anne Jellicoe, who went on to found Alexandra
College. The Institute
was run by Miss A. B. Corlett.
She was also noted on a prize list
for Shading from the Cast [Figure] and an Apple Design.
Nothing more is known about
Elizabeth Jennings. She does not appear in the 1901 or 1911 Census records. She
is not buried with her mother and brother in Glasnevin Cemetery.
