16 December 1967 – 17 October 2018

Pauline Knowles was a Scottish actress and singer renowned for her powerful stage presence in Scottish theatre. Born in Edinburgh as the 12th of 13 children, she attended Holy Rood High School and initially studied at Stirling University before transferring to the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. She made her professional debut in 1990 in John McGrath’s ‘John Brown’s Body’. Over nearly 30 years, she performed in major Scottish theatres, including the Lyceum, Traverse, and Citizens Theatre. Notable roles included Clytemnestra in ‘This Restless House’ (winning a Critics’ Award for Theatre in Scotland for Best Female Performance) and the White Witch in ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’. In ‘Crazy Jane’, she delivered a nuanced performance as the older Jane Avril, noted for its emotional depth and physicality. Knowles also appeared in TV shows like ‘Taggart’ and ‘Case Histories’. She was described as “one of the most powerful stage actresses of her generation” and died suddenly of a heart attack at age 50. A scholarship fund was established in her honor at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.