DURING the past 25 years, no one contributed more to the
activities of the Friends of York Art Gallery than Corita Myerscough, who has
died aged 80. She filled all the roles on the Friends' committee with the
possible exception of treasurer.
She was chairman three times and as a vice-president rarely missed a meeting and
was always actively and constructively involved. Many of the special events for
the jubilee year, had been organised by her.
The eldest of two daughters, Corita was born in 1927 in Liverpool where her
father was a merchant sea captain working for Houlder Brothers, the South
American line from Liverpool to Buenos Aires.
In Buenos Aires he met and married his Argentine wife. By the time Corita was
five, her family had moved to London, where her father taught at the Institute
of Navigation and, later, the Naval College at Poplar. On his retirement he went
to live in Littlehampton so that he was within sight of the sea. Corita
qualified as a secretary in London and went to live in Littlehampton to be near
to her parents. She had many different jobs in business and in administration,
including a spell working for the World Health Organisation in Geneva.
She moved to York 25 years ago to work at the university, and on her retirement
threw herself into her many interests. Having acquired her first degree through
the Open University (1985), she successfully worked on her doctorate with the
history of art department on the Fisher family, the York-based family of
sculptors in the 18th and 19th centuries. Many interested in the visual arts got
to know Corita through her involvement with the art gallery, but she was also
closely involved with the York Georgian Society, the York Civic Trust, the
National Trust, especially at Beningborough, and she regularly taught for the
WEA and the University of the Third Age. To all of her work she brought an
infectious enthusiasm, a keen and practical efficiency and unfailing good humour.
Her company was enjoyed and appreciated by many.
In her years of retirement, she achieved more than most people do in their
working lives, and the cultural life of the city of York is diminished by her
passing.
Corita is survived by her sister Rosita and her two nephews Matthew and Robert.
Yorkshire Post
Published Date: 12 January 2008