Dora Batty

Dora Margaret Batty (12 January 1891 – 10 July 1966) was a British designer, working in illustration, poster design, pottery and textiles.^[1][2][3]

Biography

Batty was born in Colchester, Essex,^[4][5][6] the youngest of three daughters of Rev. Thomas Batty^[7] and Elizabeth Cooke Hopwood Batty. Her father, a Congregational minister, was pastor for 40 years at Stockwell Congregational Chapel in Colchester.^[8][9] She attended the Chelmsford School of Science and Art,^[10] where she won some prizes.^[11]

Batty designed posters for the Underground Group and for London Transport between 1921 and 1938, producing over 50 different designs in a variety of different styles.^[12][13][14] From 1932, she taught in the School of Textiles at the Central School of Arts and Crafts.^[15] In 1950, she was appointed the Head of School, apost she held until she retired in 1958.^[3][16]

Batty also designed textiles for Helios and ceramics for the Poole Pottery and for Carter & Co, as well as advertisements for Mac Fisheries and K Shoes.^[3][12] She also worked as a book illustrator.^[3][14][15] She lived in London for many years, but died in Essex in 1966.

Selected works

London Underground Posters^[15]

• Kew Gardens, foxgloves, 1924
• From country to the heart of town, 1925
• For Picnics and Rambles from Town to Open Country^[17]
• Crocuses are out, 1927
• Come out and see it, 1927
• Daffodils are blooming, 1927
• See London's Gardens, 1927
• The Underground brings all good things nearer, 1930
• RAF Display at Colindale Station, 1932^[18]
• Trooping the Colour, 1936

Book illustration

• W. H. Davies, A Poet's Alphabet, 1925^[19]
• W. H. Davies, The Song of Love, 1926
• W. H. Davies, A Poet's Calendar, 1927
• How to Buy and Sell Money The Curwen Press, 1929 (contributor)
• Shell-Mex and BP Ltd, The Care of Your Tractor, n.d. ca 1930
• The B.B.C. Year-Book, 1931, 1932 and 1933 (dustwrapper)
• Geoffrey Holme, The Children's Art Book, 1939 (contributor)
• William Cowper, John Gilpin, [1942] (Bantam Picture Book No. 17)
• The Giant without a Heart. An old Norse fairy tale, 1944

Ceramics

• Hans Van Lemmen, Art Deco Tiles, 2012