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Florence Mary Anderson, née MacArthur (known professionally as Molly MacArthur), was an artist and stage designer born in London on 27 October 1893. She studied at the Westminster School of Art and married James Anderson on 15 February 1917, though she used his surname professionally from at least 1914. Primarily recognized as a book illustrator, especially for children’s literature, she illustrated over thirty titles between 1914 and 1935. Notable works include The Dream Pedlar (1914), The Rainbow Twins (1919), China Clay by Trevor Blakemore (1922), Eleanor Farjeon's Come Christmas (1927), Mumbudget, an Irish fairy-tale (1928), and Tribute (1925), which featured both her artwork and writing. She also contributed illustrations to nursery comics such as Little Folks and Tiny Tots, as well as to Cassell's Children's Annual and Cassell's Family Magazine.
In 1923, she transitioned to theatrical design, adopting her maiden name, Molly MacArthur, and focused on this career for the next 35 years. Her early set designs were showcased at the Oxford Playhouse, and in 1926, she created her first London production sets for The Cradle Song at the Fortune Theatre. She went on to design many West End productions for producers like Basil Dean and Irene Hentschel. During the 1930s, she worked at the Old Vic with Tyrone Guthrie and Esmé Church, designing an 18th-century setting for As You Like It, noted for providing the backdrop to Dame Edith Evans’ memorable portrayal of Rosalind (as remarked by Marie Ney). She also designed the set for John Gielgud’s Romeo and Juliet in 1932 for the Oxford University Dramatic Society (OUDS).
After World War II, she renewed her collaboration with Esmé Church, co-founding the Northern Children's Theatre, which offered practical training to young actors in northern England and entertainment for children. Among the actors who began their careers there were Robert Stephens and Edward Petherbridge. Molly MacArthur passed away in Oxford on 12 January 1972. Her obituary praised her exceptional talent, stating, "She had a remarkable eye for stage pictures which made a deep impression on the audience and long haunted the memory of those who saw them.
