Hannah Frank, D Litt (Hon); and memorial service information
Fiona Frank (Hannah Frank Art)
HANNAH FRANK NEWS – AN UPDATE
SPRING 2009
Following the death of Auntie Hannah (GRHS) on 18 December last year at the age of 100, many obituaries were published: in the Jewish Chronicle and Jewish Telegraph, the Scotsman, and the Herald among other places. Her death was announced on BBC Radio Scotland and on CEEFAX. I think she’d have been proud. You can see Gordon Casely’s
beautiful obituary in the Scotsman at the link below:
Hannah’s “distinctive style overcame the vagaries of fashion [and] remains dateless.”
http://news.scotsman.com/obituaries/Hannah-Frank.4829294.jp
Thank you so much for all your cards, letters, emails and comments expressing sympathy to the family on Auntie Hannah’s passing. They are all very much appreciated and it has been moving to hear how many lives Hannah touched over her remarkable 100 year life. You can see many messages on the website ‘centenary guestbook’ - please add your own.
HANNAH FRANK, D Litt (hon)
The day of my aunt’s death, a letter arrived from the University of Glasgow, informing her that her Alma Mater would like to offer her an the award of Honorary Doctor of Letters in recognition of her international contribution to art. This was a wonderful offer but there was some doubt as to whether it could still be conferred, the University of Glasgow never having offered a posthumous award before. But I have just heard that on Wednesday 17th June, the University’s Commemoration Day, I will indeed be invited to receive the doctoral certificate in memory of and in honour of my aunt. I am looking forward to it immensely.
MEMORIAL SERVICE
We now have a date for Auntie Hannah’s stonesetting and memorial service. This will take place on Sunday 26 July, at 10.30am, at Cathcart Cemetery, Jewish Section, 160 Brenfield Road, Cathcart G44 3JW. Mr Aharon Soudry, Minister of Garnethill Synagogue, will read Hebrew prayers to consecrate the headstone, and he and other members of the family will say a few words to honour Hannah. Following the
ceremony we will go to Garnethill Synagogue on 129 Hill Street, Glasgow G3 6UB (near the Glasgow School of Art) for refreshments and a chance for more people to talk about their memories of Auntie Hannah.
There will also be an opportunity to look through some of her photo albums and cuttings books. All are welcome to the stonesetting and to Garnethill afterwards. At the synagogue there will be an official handover of the ‘Hannah Frank and Lionel Levy Collection’ - an immense collection of cuttings books, diaries, photographs, letters, papers and certificates dating back to the 1920s, which have been left to the Scottish Jewish Archives Centre, which has its home in the Synagogue building. We're
delighted that in a partnership with Glasgow University History of Art department the Archives will have the support of two postgraduate students from early next year to help to catalogue this collection.
TAKE A WALK WITH HANNAH FRANK
I was most pleased to be contacted by Joanna Crawford, placement student at the Glasgow Women's Library. Joanna had been asked to approach Hannah’s family to see if we would agree to the Women’s Library honouring Hannah Frank with one of their Women’s Walks. Glasgow Women’s Library has a great collection of information about women in history but they are also champions of individual stories and the histories being lived today by women. Hannah’s walk will join other GWL guided walks that explore the role of Glasgow in the tobacco trade, slavery and the abolition movement, and which have a particular focus on women. It will be launched this summer and will cover places that were pertinent to Hannah’s life and artistic career in Glasgow. We will let you know when we have a date for the launch of this walk.
PRINTS AND CARDS UPDATE
Probate has not yet been settled on my aunt’s estate, so prints and cards are not yet available for sale on the website. See http://www.hannahfrank.org.uk/pages/gallery.htm for up-to-date information.
With all good wishes,
Fiona Frank (niece of the late Hannah Frank)
tel (44)7778 737681