My Name Is Margaret: War, Madness & Recovery

Written by Adriene Jameson

What happens to heroes when they’re not needed anymore?

We often think of the “quiet heroes” that women become during both World Wars. They often occupy a quaint little corner of history where they “did their bit” and “kept calm and carried on.” But what happened to these women after the war? What was the impact on women of living and working through the trauma of active conflict? What was the effect on their families? On their health? On their minds? And are these impacts still felt for women living in active conflict today? These questions are explored in My Name is Margaret, Debbie Marshall’s upcoming immersive art installation at the Ladysmith Gallery from March 21st to 30th.

This installation explores the life of Margaret, a figure that has emerged from Debbie’s own research in women who lived during the Second World War. In it, we explore Margaret’s life through images, household objects, furniture, clothing, and then later, medical reports detailing her treatment after a mental collapse. “I wanted to explore real themes on war, especially on women,” Debbie says. “There are about 150 conflicts around the world right now, some of which have been ongoing for decades. My concern is what happens after the conflict, where we are left with these people, often women and children, non combatants restructuring themselves after war.”

The installation explores several themes, one of which is the role of women both during and after war. “The expectations we have of women during war are very different from the expectations we have of them in peace. I wanted to explore what happens to a women when she’s doing vital war work, then suddenly after the war they are made redundant.”

The installation also explores another edgier theme: madness. “Margaret is an intelligent woman with a great brain, who went to Oxford, and is now at home with three children. I also wanted to explore the therapies given to women in the1950s and their long-term impact.”

My Name is Margaret is a fictive art installation, which is often seen as controversial as visitors later question if Margaret is a real person. “Fictive art gives you great permission [to explore difficult themes]. This has allowed me a latitude that I didn’t have previously. I can fill gaps, because women are famous for being not well-known, and they tend to underestimate the value of their experience. But there are some books that reveal women’s experience in this period, and I’ve ferreted out a number of them, and they’ve given me the feeling that I’m not ‘out in space’ with this [installation].”

My Name is Margaret will run daily 10am to 4pm from Friday, March 21 until Sunday, March 30, 2025 at the Ladysmith Gallery on 32 High Street. There will be a launch celebration 12 noon to 3pm on Saturday, March 22. Debbie will be giving live artist talks at 12 noon and 2 pm on Saturday, March 29.