Marjory Rayment Clark was born in Brisbane on 12 May 1908, the only child Alexander Wilson Mackenzie Clark and Phoebe Irons Rayment. She was educated at the Brisbane Girls Grammar School and later enrolled at the Central Technical College to study with L. J. Harvey c.1926. Subsequently she enrolled in the Domestic Science section of the College about 1931 and received her diploma in 1933. She exhibited pottery at the annual exhibitions of the Arts and Crafts Society of Queensland 1928-34. In 1933 a reviewer noted a “custard apple vase” which is possibly the work which was included in the “L. J. Harvey & his School” exhibition at the Queensland Art Gallery in 1983. She also exhibited pottery (and chip carving) at the Royal National Agricultural and Industrial Association 1928-34 and was awarded numerous prizes. She also exhibited pottery with Society of Arts and Crafts of New South Wales in 1928 and 1929.

She taught at the South Brisbane Intermediate School (where she had a display of her own work at a school exhibition) and at the Brisbane Opportunity School. She was later appointed teacher of domestic science subjects at the Gympie Technical College where examples of her pottery and chip carving were exhibited in annual displays of work. She had acquired a small kiln from Agnes Barker (qv) and produced pottery until her marriage to Royston Chapman on 7 December 1940. Agnes Barker recalled that the picture shelf of her family home in Marooka was massed with examples of her work. Her children Marjory and Christine were born in 1943 and 1946 respectively.

Subsequently she prepared a cookery column for The Sunday Mail under the name of Suzette Newspaper and ran a catering firm “The Golden Pyramid”. She died in Brisbane on 10 December 1996.

Research Curator, Queensland Heritage, Queensland Art Gallery

Writers:

Cooke, Glenn R. Note: Research Curator, Queensland Heritage, Queensland Art Gallery

Date written:

2003

Last updated:

2011