Elizabeth Collard (1917-2001): A Tribute

Mrs. Elizabeth Collard died on December 31, 2001. She was a leading authority on British and Canadian porcelain and pottery of the nineteenth century and the author of two books, Nineteenth-Century Pottery and Porcelain in Canada (1967 and 1984) and The Potters' View of Canada: Canadian Scenes on Nineteenth-Century Earthenware (1983). She has published close to one hundred related articles in numerous journals and magazines. Recently, she contributed to the Winnipeg Art Gallery Focus Series publication on ceramic decoration (Vol. 3).

Mrs. Collard's work transcended simply the study of objects. She informed us about the lives of the artists, artisans and manufacturers who made and decorated ceramics, as well as those who bought and used ceramics in their homes. She was a consummate lecturer, sharing her passion for ceramics and history in a spontaneous and entertaining style.

Henrietta Elizabeth Forde was born in Sawyerville, Quebec and educated at Mount Allison University, the University of Toronto and the University of Maine. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a member of the English Ceramic Circle, Mrs. Collard was the consultant on ceramics to the Canadian Museum of Civilization (CMC) and the honorary curator of ceramics at the McCord Museum, McGill University. Mount Allison University conferred on her an honorary LL.D. in 1971 for her international recognition as a ceramic historian. She was awarded the Order of Canada in 1987 for her contributions to Canada's material history.

Since the 1970s, Elizabeth Collard had been a consultant to the History Division of the Canadian Museum of Civilization, helping to develop the museum's outstanding ceramic collection. In 1994, she was guest curator of the exhibition and co-author of the related virtual exhibition, Nineteenth Century Pottery and Porcelain in Canada. Her expertise, knowledge, and services as a consultant are irreplacable. She will be missed by all those who had the honour of knowing her and working with her.