ELMHIRST, Sheila
As Sheila Dimond, she was born at Eastbourne, Sussex on 24 August 1920, second of the two daughters of Bernard Thomas Gerard Dimond or Di Mond (4 October 1888-23 April 1950), a government officer in South Africa, and his wife Dulcie Mary Carlisle Parker (1895-15 December 1956), daughter of Matthew Burrs Parker, who married at Bishop Middleham, Durham on 3 January 1918 and divorced in 1929. Sheila was educated at Normanhurst Court, Battle, Sussex and studied at the Slade School of Fine Art 1936-1939 under Randolph Schwabe (1885-1948), and at the London Borough Polytechnic. She married at Chelsea in 1942, Edward Mars Elmhirst (18 December 1915-1 August 1957), who had dropped his name from Elmhirst-Baxter by public advertisement in 1939. Her husband was a noted surgeon in London before taking a position as surgical registrar at the East Suffolk and Ipswich Hospital from 1952. Failing to obtain a consultant post at home, in 1956 Edward migrated to Bermuda where he died in 1957 aged 41, survived by Sheila and five children, two of whom, Gurl and Peregrine, were born at Ipswich. Sheila was a painter and illustrator and exhibited at the Royal Academy; the Society of Women Artists and the Royal Institute of Oil Painters. Her husband collected Tudor portraits and was sufficiently well-known for his research in heraldry to be offered a position as herald-extraordinary at the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. He was also a keen entomologist, and whilst at Ipswich studied the effects of irradiation on the genetics of the cabbage-white butterfly. Sheila Elmhirst lived at Trophy House, Grimwade Street, Ipswich and died at 168b Norwich Road, Ipswich on 9 March 1987. There is an engraving by Elmhirst in Wangford church, Suffolk which depicts a lady sewing and a little girl working at embroidery, to the memory of Barbara, Countess of Stradbroke (1901-1977).
Royal Academy Exhibits
from 28 Hogarth Road, London, SW5
1947 472 Kenway Road, SW5