Grace Harriet Warrack

Grace Harriet Warrack (29 March 1855 – 3 January 1932) was an editor and translator in Edinburgh. She designed and commissioned the stained glass windows in High Kirk of the Free Church of Scotland, the Mound, Edinburgh.

Biography

Grace Harriet Warrack was born in Edinburgh on 29 March 1855, the third daughter of John Warrack of Aberdeen and Grace Stratton of Dunkeld.

In 1901 Warrack edited an edition of Revelations of Divine Love, by the medieval mystic Julian of Norwich, from the Sloane 2499 manuscript held in the British Library. The edition was translated into modernised English and introduced early 20th century readers to Julian's writings. The title page was illustrated by the Irish-born artist Phoebe Anna Traquair. Warrack went on to edit and translate collections of Italian folk music and French poetry. She was awarded the Palmes académiques by the French Minister of Public Instruction for her interest in French literature in Scotland. now the New College Library, University of Edinburgh. She had been impressed by Strachan's work in Aberdeen and so commissioned work for him in Edinburgh. Her intention was to provide a series of windows in memory of her family, missionary leaders and heroes, and her literary idols. The project took Strachan 20 years to complete, with Warrack spending months considering the design of each window.

Memorial Warrack died on 3 January 1932. Designed and created by Herbert Hendrie, the window depicts a large angel blessing two smaller angels, bearing the text "Bless the Lord ye his angels".

Published works Revelations of Divine Love, 1901 Little Flowers of a Childhood: The Record of a Child, 1906, described in the Church Quarterly as "A touching little story of a child who died at the age of four" Florilegio di canti toscani: Folk Songs of the Tuscan Hills, 1914 From Isles of the West to Bethlehem, 1921 Une Guirlande de poésies diverses, 1923 Dal cor gentil d'Italia, 1925