Margaret Gilmour was a central figure in Glasgow’s Arts & Crafts movement, establishing a studio at 179 West George Street in 1893.
From this address she maintained a long career as both a teacher and producer of finely crafted metalwork. Though she often worked alongside her sister Mary, Margaret’s own practice is marked by a distinctive dedication to the principles of craftsmanship, utility, and understated ornament that defined the movement.
Her workshop became known for producing a wide range of objects in silver, pewter, and other metals, distinguished by their clarity of design and integrity of construction. In addition to her own work, Margaret was deeply engaged in training successive generations of metalworkers, ensuring that the ethos of handcraft remained vital in Glasgow well into the twentieth century.
Margaret’s career spanned over five decades, bridging the Glasgow Style’s late-Victorian flourish and the continued appreciation for handcrafted design through the interwar years. Her contribution remains significant not only for the works she produced but for the continuity of teaching and practice that shaped Scottish decorative arts across half a century.
