Clemence Housman was the third child in the Housman family of seven. She was two years younger than A. E. and four years older than Laurence, with whom she spent almost the whole of her long life. She died aged 94. From the family home in Worcestershire, Clemence and Laurence went to London in 1883 to attend art college, Clemence to learn wood-engraving, and Laurence drawing. Among their fellow-students at the Kennington School of Arts and Crafts and the Miller's Lane School in South Lambeth were Ricketts and Shannon.