# Unity Spencer

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British artist

Unity Spencer Born (1930-05-24)24 May 1930 Hampstead, London, England Died 18 October 2017(2017-10-18) (aged 87) Occupation Artist Partner Leslie Lambert Children 1 Parent(s) Stanley Spencer Hilda Carline

**Unity Spencer** (24 May 1930 – 18 October 2017) was a British artist. She was the daughter of artists [Stanley Spencer](/source/Stanley_Spencer) and [Hilda Carline](/source/Hilda_Carline).

## Biography

Unity Spencer was born on 24 May 1930 at her parents’ and grandparents’ home at 47 [Downshire Hill](/source/Downshire_Hill) in [Hampstead](/source/Hampstead), London, the second daughter of [Stanley Spencer](/source/Stanley_Spencer) and his wife [Hilda Carline](/source/Hilda_Carline), both artists.[1] She was educated at the [Badminton School](/source/Badminton_School), [Wimbledon School of Art](/source/Wimbledon_College_of_Arts) and the [Slade School of Fine Art](/source/Slade_School_of_Fine_Art).[1] Following the break-up of the Spencers' marriage by the mid-1930s, Unity lived with her mother, while her elder sister, Shirin, was sent to live with a relative, and the sisters grew up apart.[2] She had one-person shows at [Lauderdale](/source/Lauderdale) House in Highgate in 1993, the Boundary Gallery in [St John's Wood](/source/St_John's_Wood) in 2001, and the [Fine Art Society](/source/Fine_Art_Society) in [Bond Street](/source/Bond_Street) in 2015.[1]

In 1961, she met Leslie Lambert (died 1971), and they had a son in 1963, but they never married.[1] In the last eighteen months of her life, she moved to live in [Cowbridge](/source/Cowbridge), south Wales, with her son John and sister Shirin Spencer.[3] A BBC documentary, *Stanley and His Daughters*, shown after Unity's death, included interviews with both sisters in which they talked about their childhood and the decision to move in together.[4]

Spencer died of kidney failure on 18 October 2017.[1][3] She was buried in [Cookham](/source/Cookham), Berkshire, close to her mother.[3]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-guardian_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-guardian_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-guardian_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-guardian_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-guardian_1-4) Lambirth, Andrew (23 November 2017). ["Unity Spencer obituary"](https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2017/nov/23/unity-spencer-obituary). *The Guardian*. Retrieved 17 December 2017 – via www.theguardian.com.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Michael Hodges (4 February 2018). ["Why Stanley Spencer tore apart his family for a lesbian muse"](http://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2018-02-04/why-stanley-spencer-tore-apart-his-family-for-a-lesbian-muse). *[Radio Times](/source/Radio_Times)*.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-maidenhead-advertiser.co.uk_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-maidenhead-advertiser.co.uk_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-maidenhead-advertiser.co.uk_3-2) Will Taylor (11 November 2017). ["Stanley Spencer's daughter, Unity, laid to rest in Cookham"](https://www.maidenhead-advertiser.co.uk/gallery/cookhams/123749/stanley-spencer-s-daughter-unity-laid-to-rest-in-cookham.html). *Maidenhead Advertiser*. Retrieved 17 December 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Suzi Feay (2 February 2018). ["Stanley and His Daughters, BBC4 — the colourful life of Stanley Spencer"](https://www.ft.com/content/599e63fa-0821-11e8-9650-9c0ad2d7c5b5). *Financial Times*. Retrieved 5 February 2018.

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