Skeleton summary of Susanna's life and works, from information currently available

Born in Oporto in 1856. Father Cabel Roope, member of well-known family, originating from Dartmouth area, trading in port etc. from Oporto. Mother Elizabeth Whitaker from Whitaker family of Barripton Manor, Oxfordshire. Grew up in Oporto. In 1878 married Victor Dockery, then US consul in Leeds, and went to live there. Three children: Roderick born 1879, George and May both born 1883. It seems that she largely brought up the children alone. Probably lived mainly in UK from 1878 to around 1914. From around 1914 onwards living in Oporto. Died 1927. Not known how or where she learned to paint but had some lessons from "the clever young artist Mr Claude Hayes, R.I., son of Mr Edwin Hayes, the marine painter, and member of the Royal Hibernian Academy". Exhibitions/book illustrations known about: From around 1894 her paintings exhibited three times at the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours and eight times at the Dudley Gallery. February/March 1897; exhibition of "76 Water Colour Drawings of North Portugal by Mrs S. Roope Dockery" at the Rembrandt Head Gallery/Mr Dunthorne's Gallery, 5 Vigo Street, London W. 1899; water colours of Costumes of Minho and Douro exhibited in Lisbon (two probably bought by Queen of Portugal). 1901; her picture of women threshing corn was shown at the Royal Academy. March 1902; exhibition of 64 Water Colour Drawings of Portugal at Graves Galleries, 6 Pall Mall, London (visited by Prince of Wales). Novernber 1909; "Exhibition of Water-Colour Drawings of Portugal, by Mrs. S. Roope Dockery" at the Clifford Galleries, 21, Haymarket, London, SW. 1909; book '''Portugal its Land and People" by W.H.Koebel, "illustrated by Mrs S. Roope Dockery''' published by Constable. Jonathan Rawes 18 November 2003