The two Margaret Ropes were first cousins, granddaughters of George Rope of Grove Farm,
Blaxhall,
Suffolk (1814–1912) and his wife Anne (née Pope) (1821–1882). The elder Margaret Rope, Margaret Agnes Rope, was the second child of Henry John Rope, M.D (1847–1899) and Agnes Maud (née Burd: 1857- 1948). "Marga" was her nickname. She was born on 20 June 1882 and christened Margaret Agnes at
St Mary's Church, Shrewsbury on 7 July. Her elder brother was
Henry Edward George Rope. It was an
Anglican family but, soon after her husband's early death in 1899, her mother converted to
Roman Catholicism (along with 5 of her 6 children). She brought her children up in some degree of poverty, exacerbated by her father's will, which denied money to any descendant "in religion". Of the children, two became
nuns (herself and Monica) and one a priest (Fr. Harry Rope). Two other siblings were Irene Vaughan, a botanist, and Squadron Leader Michael Rope, an aeronautical engineer, who died in the
R101 airship disaster. Only one, Denys, a doctor of medicine, continued as an Anglican, following his father. She was educated at home until she went in 1900 to the
Birmingham Municipal School of Art. Studies included enamelling and lettering. From 1901, she studied stained glass under Henry Payne. She had an illustrious career at the school including a number of scholarships, plus many awards in the National Competition for Schools of Art. In 1909, she left the school and worked from home (The Priory, Shrewsbury) especially on the large west window of
Shrewsbury Cathedral, the first of seven she did there. From 1911, she worked (sometimes with her cousin
M. E. Aldrich Rope and other artists such as
Joseph Edward Nuttgens) at
The Glass House (Fulham) until 1923 when, on 14 September, she became a
Carmelite nun, Sister Margaret of the Mother of God. As a nun, she was first at
Woodbridge, Suffolk, later at
Rushmere, Ipswich, and, after the
Second World War, at
Quidenham Hall, Norfolk. At Woodbridge, she was able to continue her work, sending glass to and fro by train to the Glass House in Fulham for cutting, firing and leading up. This continued until 1939. After the war and the move to Quidenham, she was not well enough to do more than help with the designs for the windows for the monastery church, which were made by her cousin. She died on 6 December 1953 aged 71. She is reputed to have been a strong character, smoking and motorbike-riding being among her pastimes before she took her vows. Much of her work is typified by strong colours, with some critics noting her "jewelled intensity and consummate glass painting skills." ==Works==