Painter, earlier in oil, later in acrylic; teacher. She was born in Wallasey, Cheshire, and studied at Liverpool College of Art, 1942–8, teachers including Will C Penn, Martin Bell and Alfred Wiffen. Blackburn taught art at Holt Hill School, Birkenhead for two years; freelanced for two more; then taught until retirement in 1984, becoming department head at Upton Hall Convent, Birkenhead. Obtained bachelor’s degree in 1980. Although she painted abstracts in 1960s and 1970s, the work of Bridget Riley and the floor of St Mark’s in Venice being influences, Blackburn judged abstraction “to be a fascinating blind alley, and I reverted to a naturalistic style”. Landscapes and buildings were key subjects. Became a member of RCamA, 1952, also being a member of Liverpool Academy, Wirral Society of Art and Deeside Art Group.