The Art of Doris Hatt (1890-1969)

Video (4:54): a short illustrated biography about English lesbian artist Doris Hatt (1890-1969). Video by South West Heritage Trust (2019).

[The copyright of the video above remains with the original holder and it is used here for the purpose of education, comparison and criticism only.]

Her relatives wanted to conceal her life as a feminist and a lesbian after her death

Doris Hatt’s lifelong partner was Margery Mack Smith (1890-1975), a weaver, and primary school teacher. It is thanks to Smith that a number of Hatt’s sketchbooks and folios of working drawings have been preserved. Soon after Hatt died on 27 August 1969, a significant quantity of her correspondence and personal records were burned by a relative to conceal her life as a feminist and a lesbian. Two chests of material had already been moved to Smith’s home in Watchet and were preserved.

Fishing Boats, Cadaqués oil painting 1965 by Doris Hatt.