Jennifer, known as Jenny or Jen locally, was born just outside of Isleworth and was educated at Bushey Grammer School followed by the School of Art at Watford College of Technology. It was here that she followed a course of drawing, painting, photography, typography and printing.
In a 2002 interview in The Chronicle she said that she always wanted to work free-lance, right from the time she left art school but it was impossible until she had a breakthrough with her designs and then her work became mainly stamp design, she had little time for anything else!
Jenny gained a National Diploma in Design after three years at Watford, was a Member of the Chartered Society of Designers and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, London.
From sketches belonging to local resident made by Jenny Toombs re Pitcairn visit
When asked what was her most challenging stamp project she said without doubt, the Pitcairn commission. For this she had to travel to the Pitcairn Islands in 1966 for research and felt under pressure to create something that would both appeal to collectors worlwide as well as generate funds for the Islanders.
Jenny thoroughly enjoyed her trip, she found the Island beautiful, the Pitcairners so welcoming and friendly that she became a Life Member of the Pitcairn Island Study Group. She said there was nothing like going on location!
From a 2011 bbc news interview with Jenny:
I’m called on to design all sorts of things – Kew Gardens, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, James Bond and the Beatles. I get sent the blank covers with the stamps on and have to do a hand-painted design at the side to blend in with the stamps.
Preliminary design on stiff paper, brown paper backing. Local resident collection
Finished design. From collection given by Jenny to local resident
Alice Jacob remembers:
Jenny had a love of flora and fauna, her stamps depicted her love for cats, dogs, birds, exotic flowers and marine life. During the morning she worked in her studio on the first floor of her house which had a view of the rising sun. If her work was intense then she would listen to Terry Wogan on the radio, with all his silly sayings. She was fascinated by light and took many photos of blue skies, saying that it was so difficult to paint.
She was particularly interested in angels, their wings. In fact angels featured many times in her stamps, especially at Christmas.
Angel at Blythburgh church by Jenny Toombs
From local resident collection given to her by Jenny Toombs
So what attracted Jenny to Suffolk & Benhall Green?
From 2002 interview in The Chronicle:
I’ve been here in Benhall Green for 20 years now and not regretted one minute of it! It was the Aldeburgh Festival which started it all off. In 1977, the year after our great composer, Benjamin Britten, died, I heard a lot of his music and was absolutely knocked sideways by it. I was curious to find out what this part of England was like that inspired it.
I came with a friend to Aldeburgh that year and fell head over heels in love with the place. The scenery is stunning with wonderful skies and seas. Since I was a free agent anyway, I was able to settle wherever I wanted within some sort of reach of town. Three years later I moved into my present home in Benhall Green, about 6 miles inland from Aldeburgh.
Alice Jacob remembers:
The kneelers are all representations of Benjamin Britten’s work. She adored Benjamin Britten and had a minature of him in a silver locket.
Photo courtesy Hannah Pemberton. Kneelers designed by Jenny Toombs
From 2002 interview with Jenny in The Chronicle:
Although I feel stamp-designing is my main forte (and I feel safest in that mode), I have done a lot of other work. Examples are: watercolours, often for exhibition work; exhibition and display work; commissioned portraits of people, animals and people’s houses and gardens; greetings cards, e.g., Christmas and birthday; business cards; signs for three Suffolk villages, including Saxmundham and photographic scenes for “Daily Word,” a Unity magazine (UK version).
Unveiling of Sizewell sign desogned by Jenny Toombs. She also designed signs for Saxmundham & Snape parishes
Alice Jacob remembers:
Jenny had a baby Steinway piano and could play really well. When we visited Powderham Castle they let her play the grand in the James Wyatt Music Room!
Practising a piece for a wedding
With special permission allowed to play the piano at Powderham Castle
Alice continues:
Jenny designed the sign by the Wadd in Benhall Green. She litter picked with the rest of us, designed posters for church and the tennis club and also some incredible sketches for the prizes at the Annual Flower Show in Benhall.
Angela Nicholls remembers:
I would run the raffle prize over the road to Jenny’s house and she would research the prize-giver and then quickly sketch up something appropriate for each one!
Two designs made by Jenny for the Benhall Flower Show
Jenny said that her favourite hobbies were gardening, bird watching, walking, going to concerts, Yoga, playing the piano, model making, stamp collecting and photography.
Left: Jenny taking a photo of the roots of a tree. She was rarely seen without her camera.
Right: Jenny in her garden 2015 for Benhall Open Gardens
