Barbara Willard
Encyclopedia
Barbara Mary Willard, a British
historical/children's author, was born in Brighton
, Sussex
in 1909, the daughter of the Shakespearean actor Edmund Willard
and the great-niece of Victorian era
actor Edward Smith Willard
.
Because of her family connections, Willard originally went on the stage as an actress, but she was unsuccessful and abandoned acting in her early 20s. Her literary career spawned a great number of books for adults before she turned to children's literature
. In 1967, the same year her earlier Richleighs of Tantamount
debuted in the United States, she published A Grove of Green Holly, from which spun off
her most famous series of books, Mantlemass. One of the books in this series, The Iron Lily, won Willard The Guardian
Award for children's fiction in 1974.
Other books from Willard included Storm from the West (1964), Charity at Home (1966), Hetty (1963) and Three and One to Carry (1965). (Years shown are those for the North American first editions of these books.)
One of her last books, 'The Forest - Ashdown in East Sussex', published by Sweethaws Press in 1989, gives a detailed account of Ashdown Forest
. In the introduction to the book, Christopher Robin Milne
notes that Willard had moved from her home on the Sussex Downs to the edge of Ashdown Forest in 1956 and that her new surroundings had provided the inspiration and setting for ten of her children's historical novels (eight in the Mantlemass series and two others). It is evident by her own account in her book that she actively involved herself in the affairs of the forest. She was a representative of the forest Commoners elected to the forest's Board of Conservators in 1975, and she remained in that capacity for ten years. She tells how she was later heavily involved in the fundraising campaign which enabled East Sussex County Council to purchase the forest in 1988, enabling it to remain as a place of beauty and tranquillity open to the public.
Very little about the author was written during her lifetime, because of her private nature. She died in her native land in 1994.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
historical/children's author, was born in Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
, Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
in 1909, the daughter of the Shakespearean actor Edmund Willard
Edmund Willard
Edmund Willard born 19 December 1884 in Brighton, Sussex, England – †6 October 1956 in Kingston upon Thames, England, was a British actor of the 1930s and 1940s....
and the great-niece of Victorian era
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
actor Edward Smith Willard
Edward Smith Willard
Edward Smith Willard was an English actor. He was born at Brighton and made his debut upon the stage at Weymouth in 1869. In 1881 he went to London, and with Wilson Barrett at the Princess Theatre played in The Lights of London, The Silver King, and other well-known pieces...
.
Because of her family connections, Willard originally went on the stage as an actress, but she was unsuccessful and abandoned acting in her early 20s. Her literary career spawned a great number of books for adults before she turned to children's literature
Children's literature
Children's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve; it is often defined in four different ways: books written by children, books written for children, books chosen by children, or books chosen for children. It is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes...
. In 1967, the same year her earlier Richleighs of Tantamount
The Richleighs of Tantamount
The Richleighs of Tantamount is a children’s historical novel written by British author Barbara Willard. It was originally published in the United Kingdom in 1966 by the publishers, Constable, before being published in the United States by Harcourt, Brace & World in June 1967. C...
debuted in the United States, she published A Grove of Green Holly, from which spun off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
her most famous series of books, Mantlemass. One of the books in this series, The Iron Lily, won Willard The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
Award for children's fiction in 1974.
Other books from Willard included Storm from the West (1964), Charity at Home (1966), Hetty (1963) and Three and One to Carry (1965). (Years shown are those for the North American first editions of these books.)
One of her last books, 'The Forest - Ashdown in East Sussex', published by Sweethaws Press in 1989, gives a detailed account of Ashdown Forest
Ashdown Forest
Ashdown Forest is an ancient area of tranquil open heathland occupying the highest sandy ridge-top of the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is situated some south of London in the county of East Sussex, England...
. In the introduction to the book, Christopher Robin Milne
Christopher Robin Milne
Christopher Robin Milne was the son of author A. A. Milne. As a child, he was the basis of the character Christopher Robin in his father's Winnie-the-Pooh stories and in two books of poems.-Early life:...
notes that Willard had moved from her home on the Sussex Downs to the edge of Ashdown Forest in 1956 and that her new surroundings had provided the inspiration and setting for ten of her children's historical novels (eight in the Mantlemass series and two others). It is evident by her own account in her book that she actively involved herself in the affairs of the forest. She was a representative of the forest Commoners elected to the forest's Board of Conservators in 1975, and she remained in that capacity for ten years. She tells how she was later heavily involved in the fundraising campaign which enabled East Sussex County Council to purchase the forest in 1988, enabling it to remain as a place of beauty and tranquillity open to the public.
Very little about the author was written during her lifetime, because of her private nature. She died in her native land in 1994.