Kathleen Garman
| Kathleen Garman | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Born | 15 May 1901 Wednesbury, Staffordshire |
| Died | August 1979 (age 78) London |
| Spouse(s) | Jacob Epstein (1880–1959) (m. 1954–59) |
| Children |
Theodore (1924–1954) Kitty (1926–2011) Esther Grace (1929–1954) |
Kathleen Esther Garman, Lady Epstein (15 May 1901 – August 1979) was the third of the seven Garman sisters, who were high-profile members of artistic circles in mid-20th century London, renowned for their beauty and scandalous behaviour. She was the model and longtime mistress of British/American sculptor Jacob Epstein, and eventually his second wife. They met in 1921 and immediately began a relationship that lasted until Epstein's death and produced three of Epstein's five children. Their daughter, Kitty Garman, was the first wife of Lucian Freud; their son was the artist Theodore Garman.
Kathleen Garman was born on 15 May 1901 in Wednesbury, Staffordshire, the daughter of Dr Walter Chancellor Garman (1860–1923), a general practitioner, and his wife, Margaret Frances Magill. She was one of nine children, seven sisters and two brothers: Mary (1898), Sylvia (1899), Kathleen (1901), Douglas (1903), Rosalind (1904), Helen (1906), Mavin (1907), Ruth (1909) and Lorna (1911). The family lived at Oakeswell Hall, Wednesbury.
Kathleen took music lessons at the Birmingham and Midland Institute, and art classes in Birmingham with her sister Mary. In 1919 the sisters decided to run away to London. Kathleen was employed by Harrods, helping with the horses that pulled the delivery carriages, and also worked as an artist's model. Mary drove a delivery van. Shocked by their behaviour, their father eventually decided to support them. They rented a studio apartment at 13 Regent Square, Camden, and enrolled in a private art school. At night they frequented West End clubs such as The Gargoyle, The Harlequin, and The Cave of the Golden Calf. It was at the Harlequin that Kathleen met the 40-year-old Epstein, who invited her to his table and asked her to pose for him. Mary ended up marrying the South African poet Roy Campbell. Kathleen, Mary, and Lorna were all to become bohemian members of what became known as the Bloomsbury Group. In 1936 Kathleen was photographed by Gordon Anthony.
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