Details

Name

Anna Jane MacLaren

Brief Biography

1860–1939, Canadian

Description

Mrs AJ MacLaren was the widow of William Frederick de Bois MacLaren, publisher. Her maiden name was White, her father being John White, a Canadian wholesale merchant, and her mother Mary Ann McAslan, from Glasgow. Anna Jane White was born in Canada in 1860.
She and William Frederick de Bois MacLaren were married on 6 April 1892 at 29 Byres Road, Glasgow, the home of Anna Jane and her mother, who both lived on private means.
William Frederick de Bois Maclaren was the son of Walter Gray MacLaren, a master letter press printer, and Caroline Amelia de Bois. He had an older sister, Margaret, and three younger brothers, Walter, Charles and John. The 1881 census shows Margaret was a landscape painter, Walter studied theology, Charles and John worked in the printing firm. William was a master printer employing 12 men, eight boys, one woman and two girls.
The name of the company was ‘Alex MacLaren and Sons’, having been established by William’s grandfather. They were a general publishing company doing commercial work: newspapers, journals, magazines, canned goods labels, posters, showcards and catalogues. They also published books and internet searches can still find books published by them.
The company had offices at 128 Renfield Street, Glasgow, and 78 St Paul’s Churchyard, London.
William Frederick de Bois MacLaren died on 3 June 1921 at his home, ‘Armadale’ in Clynder, Dumbartonshire. Probate for his estate was confirmed in London on 26 September 1921, his wife inheriting.
Anna Jane White MacLaren died on 6 July 1939, at home in Clynder, aged 79. Probate was granted to The Royal Exchange Assurance.
Glasgow Corporation minutes of 31 May 1940, p.1632, notes a bequest of paintings:
‘There was submitted a letter from Stibbard, Gibson and Co., 21 Leadenhall Street, London intimating a bequest by the late Mrs A J MacLaren of the pictures “A dryad” by Mrs Annie Swynnerton, and “Whitewashing”, by Sir John Lavery and the committee after hearing a report by the director agreed that the bequest be accepted’.
There is no mention of the third painting, ‘The head of a young woman’.