Jean monro obe, 1916–2013

Interior designer and founder member of the Institute, Jean Monro died on August 31 2013. She succeeded her mother Geraldine Monro who founded Mrs Monro Ltd in 1926. In addition to working on many residential projects she decorated seven ships for the Union Castle line in the 1950s. She went on to open an office in Jamaica and undertook several commissions there as well as projects in Australia, Canada and South Africa. After her mother died Jean continued to work worldwide in over 30 countries, and also formed Jean Monro Design which specialises in producing chintz and linens which were based on 19th century fabric documents.

In 1966, Jean together with other interior designers, was a founder member of the Interior Decorators and Designers Association (IDDA), known today as the British Institute of Interior Design. 1988 she wrote 11 Montpelier Street: Memoirs of an Interior Decorator, where the offices were based for 56 years. In addition to her professional success, she was also an artist, and after her retirement in 1990 honed these skills at her house in Provence, eventually holding an exhibition of her watercolours in 1997.