At the Society’s November meeting, Margaret Barnes gave a fascinating talk on the life and travels of Edith Durham.
Born in 1863 in London, Edith began her career as an artist and illustrator. After illness, she travelled to Montenegro where she was captivated by the peoples and cultures of the region. After her first journey through Albania that country came to dominate her interests in a war-torn region.
Her relief work led her to be given the unofficial title as “Queen of the Mountain People”. Her name plaque is still widely visible in the towns of the region.
She safeguarded local hand-made textiles and donated these to museums in England including the Bankfield Museum in Halifax. After WW1 her travels were limited by poor health but she continued to publish widely until her death in 1944.
Geoff Barnes, Publicity Officer
