Diana Ross (author)
Encyclopedia
Diana Patience Beverly Ross (July 8, 1910 - May 4, 2000), relative of Robert Ross
, was an English
children's author
and occasional and longtime resident of Shaw
, near Melksham
, in Wiltshire
. A graduate of the Central School of Art in London
, she also worked on sculpture
and graphic arts
and illustrated
several of her own books under the name of her cat, Gri.
In her early twenties, Ross worked at the Grenfell Mission
orphanage
in St. Anthony
and would later help Wilfred Grenfell
to research his history, The Romance of Labrador, as well as, without credit, drawing the book's illustrations.
Beginning with The Little Red Engine Gets a Name (1942), followed by The Story of the Little Red Engine (1945) (ISBN 0-233-00147-6) and seven more volumes, Ross created a series of picture book
s which followed the adventures of the same character. Jan Lewitt and George Him provided the illustrations for the first volume and Leslie Wood
its sequels.
Ross had several of her short works read alone for BBC radio
broadcasts for children and wrote several volumes of modern fairy tale
s for older chldren. Ross also had an un-credited part in the creation of the BBC children's television series Camberwick Green
.
Suffering from Alzheimer's Disease
and polyneuritis, she lived the last ten years of her life with her daughter and son-in-law in Newcastle upon Tyne
.
Robert Baldwin Ross
Robert Baldwin "Robbie" Ross was a Canadian journalist and art critic. He is best known as the executor of the estate of Oscar Wilde, to whom he had been a lifelong friend. He was also responsible for bringing together several great literary figures, such as Siegfried Sassoon, and acting as their...
, was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
children's author
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...
and occasional and longtime resident of Shaw
Shaw, Wiltshire
Shaw is a village in Wiltshire, England; it belongs to the civil parish of Melksham Without....
, near Melksham
Melksham
Melksham is a medium-sized English town, lying on the River Avon. It lies in the county of Wiltshire.It is situated southeast of the city of Bath, south of Chippenham, west of Devizes and north of Warminster on the A350 national route. The 2001 UK census cited Melksham as having 20,000...
, in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
. A graduate of the Central School of Art in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, she also worked on sculpture
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
and graphic arts
Graphic arts
A type of fine art, graphic art covers a broad range of art forms. Graphic art is typically two-dimensional and includes calligraphy, photography, drawing, painting, printmaking, lithography, typography, serigraphy , and bindery. Graphic art also consists of drawn plans and layouts for interior...
and illustrated
Illustrator
An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
several of her own books under the name of her cat, Gri.
In her early twenties, Ross worked at the Grenfell Mission
Grenfell Mission
Grenfell Mission is a medical and religious mission founded by Sir Wilfred Grenfell in the late 19th century in St. Anthony, Newfoundland and Labrador....
orphanage
Orphanage
An orphanage is a residential institution devoted to the care of orphans – children whose parents are deceased or otherwise unable or unwilling to care for them...
in St. Anthony
St. Anthony, Newfoundland and Labrador
-Attractions:* Is a popular tourist destination known for its whale watching.Dr. Wilfred Grenfell's work in St. Anthony is commemorated by several historic sites and museums, including:...
and would later help Wilfred Grenfell
Wilfred Grenfell
Sir Wilfred Thomason Grenfell, KCMG was a medical missionary to Newfoundland and Labrador.He was born at Parkgate, Wirral, England, the son of Algernon Grenfell, headmaster of Mostyn House School, and Jane Georgiana Hutchison and married Anne Elizabeth Caldwell MacClanahan of Chicago, Illinois, in...
to research his history, The Romance of Labrador, as well as, without credit, drawing the book's illustrations.
Beginning with The Little Red Engine Gets a Name (1942), followed by The Story of the Little Red Engine (1945) (ISBN 0-233-00147-6) and seven more volumes, Ross created a series of picture book
Picture book
A picture book combines visual and verbal narratives in a book format, most often aimed at young children. The images in picture books use a range of media such as oil paints, acrylics, watercolor and pencil.Two of the earliest books with something like the format picture books still retain now...
s which followed the adventures of the same character. Jan Lewitt and George Him provided the illustrations for the first volume and Leslie Wood
Leslie Wood (illustrator)
Leslie Wood is an English artist and illustrator, now living in Poynton, Cheshire.He studied at the Manchester College of Art and Design and gained a travelling scholarship. Prevented from travelling abroad because of World War II, he instead went to London...
its sequels.
Ross had several of her short works read alone for BBC radio
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
broadcasts for children and wrote several volumes of modern fairy tale
Fairy tale
A fairy tale is a type of short story that typically features such folkloric characters, such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, dwarves, giants or gnomes, and usually magic or enchantments. However, only a small number of the stories refer to fairies...
s for older chldren. Ross also had an un-credited part in the creation of the BBC children's television series Camberwick Green
Camberwick Green
Camberwick Green is a British children's television series, originally seen on BBC One, featuring stop-motion puppets. It was one of the first British television series to be filmed in colour.-Background:...
.
Suffering from Alzheimer's Disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
and polyneuritis, she lived the last ten years of her life with her daughter and son-in-law in Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
.