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Gwyneth Mamlok (9 January 1925 - 31 July 2014) was a South African-born British graphic designer, illustrator and author during the 1950s, '60s and '70s. During that time she worked extensively for a number of well-known publishers. She illustrated a wide range of children's books, including the ‘Candy’ series, for which she also wrote the text. Books from the series were translated from English into several languages.

Early Life

Gwyneth Leaver Mamlok (née Parker) was born in Pretoria, South Africa, to parents John and Eliza Parker (née McCreath). She had a younger sister, Betty, who was born with Down's syndrome. Due to the social stigma associated with the condition at the time, Betty's birth had a profound effect on the family and Gwyneth was sent to boarding school at the age of five, to allow her mother to devote more attention to her sister.

Educated at St Mary's Diocesan School for Girls in Pretoria, Mamlok went on to study fine art at the University of Natal. While at university, she won a poster competition for the Aga Khan.

Career

After graduating, Mamlok worked in graphic design in the early 1950s in Johannesburg, where she began to establish herself as an up-and-coming graphic designer. She won a commission to design a BOAC stand at a major trade exhibition in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.

Mamlok produced her best known commercial illustrative and graphic design work while living in Greenwich, south-east London. Published between 1960 and 1969, her 'Candy’ series and other children's story books have become collector's items, with the brightly coloured illustrations representing retro designs characteristic of that era. The characters in the series were based on Mamlok's young son and daughter and the family dog, a beagle.

In addition to producing illustrations for children's books, tea towels, nursery rhyme posters and greeting cards, Mamlok also designed a wallpaper collection for Coloroll in the 1970s.

In the 1970s, Mamlok started to move away from graphic design toward painting in oils and watercolours, favouring portraits, landscapes and still life. Her work was accepted for the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition in the 1980s, but she only once exhibited in her own right, tending to shy away from publicity.

Her work continues to attract a following, with books, prints and other items featuring her designs sold through various outlets, including Amazon, eBay and Etsy.

Personal Life

In 1947 Gwyneth married Rolf Mamlok in Pretoria, and their son was born in 1949. In 1955, the couple and their son moved to St John's Wood, London, and their daughter was born the following year. In 1960 the family relocated to Greenwich, and later to East Sussex, then Tunbridge Wells, Kent.

She was a close friend of artist Betty Swanwick RA, who also lived in Tunbridge Wells, as well as the artist Jim Holland OBE.

Mamlok spent her later years in Pretoria, South Africa, where she lived in the house built by her father. Her days were spent on house improvements, working in the extensive gardens and painting. In 2010 she returned to live near family in Barnard Castle, north-east England, and died in 2014.

Gwyneth Mamlok is survived by her son and daughter.

Selected Publications

The Magic Carpet series:

• Magic Carpet to Animal Rhyme Land (1961)
• Magic Carpet to Nursery Rhyme Land (1961)
• Magic Carpet to Pudding-Pie Land (1962)
• Magic Carpet to Story-Rhyme Land (1962)

The Candy series:

• Candy and Peppermint (1965)
• Candy and the Rocking Horse (1965)
• Candy and Ginger (1965)
• Candy and the Golden Eagle (1965)
• Candy in the Tower (1966)
• Candy and the Pony (1966)

Individual Titles:

• On Your Toes, Susie! (1960) (written by Jane Andrews Lee Wyndham)
• Flannelfeet (1961) (written by Lilias Edwards)
• Rabbit and Reddy and their new Consul Cortina (1962)
• Left-Handed Tumfy (1962) (written by Jane Shaw)
• The Little Lost Girl (1963)
• Betsy's Adventures (1963)
• 366 Goodnight Stories (1963) (with Esme Eve, Jill Franksen, Porter-G)
• Peter and Jane in the Garden (1964)
• Jenny, from Ireland (1965) (written by Arthur Waterhouse)
• Mr. Punch in Bubble Land (1966) (written by William Hollingsworth Wood)
• The Sun Shone on the Elephant (1967)
• Kate and Katie-Doll (1969)