Mary Burkett

In 1954 she moved to Cumbria as Arts and Craft Lecturer at Charlotte Mason College, Ambleside, but gave up this job in 1962 to spend seven months travelling in Turkey and Iran with her friend Genette Malet de Carteret.

[3][2] After her travels Burkett was appointed to the staff of the newly-opened Abbot Hall Art Gallery in 1962, and became its director in 1966, succeeding Helen Kapp.

[2] Under her leadership the museum developed and expanded, and major acquisitions included Barbara Hepworth's Trezion, works by George Romney, and the triptych The Great Picture of Lady Anne Clifford.

She co-authored books on William Green and Mathias Read with David Sloss, and on Jenny Cowern and Percy Kelly with Valerie Rickerby.

The previous night she had attended a lecture at Senhouse Roman Museum, and a few days before had announced a grant award as President of the Rosehill Theatre Trust.