Lucy Barfield
Encyclopedia
Lucy Barfield was the adopted daughter of the British philosopher Owen Barfield
and by her baptism the spiritual daughter of the Oxford
scholar C. S. Lewis
who wrote the second book of the Chronicles of Narnia for her.
Owen Barfield, a close friend of Lewis since 1919, married dance expert and stage designer Maud Douie (1888–1980) in 1923. They adopted three children: Alexander, born in 1928, his younger sister Lucy, born in 1935, and their younger brother Geoffrey, born in 1940. Geoffrey, in fact, was their foster child. During the war Lewis supported their family by paying his school fees. In May 1949, Lewis sent Lucy the completed manuscript of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
with a letter in which he said: "I wrote this story for you." In October 1950, when the book was published, this letter became its dedication. In September 1952 Lewis dedicated his The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
to Geoffrey.
Lucy was born in Carlisle, Cumbria on 2 November 1935. She was a very lively, friendly and happy child. From an early age she trained hard to be a ballet dancer. She also showed marked musical taste and ability as well, and later taught dance and music at a Kentish school for girls. She was also interested in her father's work and accompanied him in 1965–66 during his second visiting professorship in America at Brandeis University
. Lucy Barfield, then 30 years old, was a piano teacher at the local music school in Cambridge, Massachusetts
. At the end of the school year Lucy's mother Maud joined them and, as part of their holiday, the three went together to visit Owen Barfield's friend Professor Craig Miller in Vancouver. Upon their return to England, Lucy was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis
.
Soon she began her slow, remorseless decline towards helplessness, alternating with occasional heart-rending periods of remission. Lucy bravely fought her disease, even trying to continue dancing and teaching. But after a while she could not leave her home and finally even her bed. In 1968 she had to be hospitalized. However, as Walter Hooper
told journalist Nicholas Roe, now she became deeply moved by a steady and constantly growing stream of letters. By writing the book for her, Lewis had made her known to children worldwide who began to write her letters, usually via the publishers, more and more often as her illness progressed. For over thirty years children supported, encouraged and wished her well. Lucy, as long as she was able, kept trying to answer every child.
In 1977 Lucy had to be hospitalized for the second time. Then, in June 1978, she married her friend Bevan Rake (1921–1990). With his deep love and support she enjoyed about 12 years of a relatively normal married life. But in 1990, after Bevan died of a heart attack, Lucy had to return to the hospital. She was never to leave it again.
Her body continued to decline. For the last five years of her life she was unable to move, speak or feed herself. However she continued to fight her disease becoming an inspiration to everyone who knew her. Walter Hooper writes in his obituary and also Paul Ford notes it in his Companion to Narnia: "As every creature comfort was taken from her, Lucy's faith in God grew and blessed not only her, but also those who knew her. Owen Barfield, touched by her humility, said many times, "I could go down on my knees before my daughter."
Her mother died in 1980, her father in 1997. Her brother Alexander visited her often. She liked to listen to her younger brother Geoffrey reading her the Chronicles of Narnia over and over again. Lucy Barfield died at the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability
in west London on 3 May 2003, having battled multiple sclerosis for nearly 40 years.
Owen Barfield
Owen Barfield was a British philosopher, author, poet, and critic.Barfield was born in London. He was educated at Highgate School and Wadham College, Oxford and in 1920 received a 1st class degree in English language and literature. After finishing his B. Litt., which became the book Poetic...
and by her baptism the spiritual daughter of the Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
scholar C. S. Lewis
C. S. Lewis
Clive Staples Lewis , commonly referred to as C. S. Lewis and known to his friends and family as "Jack", was a novelist, academic, medievalist, literary critic, essayist, lay theologian and Christian apologist from Belfast, Ireland...
who wrote the second book of the Chronicles of Narnia for her.
Owen Barfield, a close friend of Lewis since 1919, married dance expert and stage designer Maud Douie (1888–1980) in 1923. They adopted three children: Alexander, born in 1928, his younger sister Lucy, born in 1935, and their younger brother Geoffrey, born in 1940. Geoffrey, in fact, was their foster child. During the war Lewis supported their family by paying his school fees. In May 1949, Lewis sent Lucy the completed manuscript of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a fantasy novel for children by C. S. Lewis. Published in 1950 and set circa 1940, it is the first-published book of The Chronicles of Narnia and is the best known book of the series. Although it was written and published first, it is second in the series'...
with a letter in which he said: "I wrote this story for you." In October 1950, when the book was published, this letter became its dedication. In September 1952 Lewis dedicated his The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is a fantasy novel for children by C. S. Lewis. Written in 1950, it was published in 1952 as the third book of The Chronicles of Narnia...
to Geoffrey.
Lucy was born in Carlisle, Cumbria on 2 November 1935. She was a very lively, friendly and happy child. From an early age she trained hard to be a ballet dancer. She also showed marked musical taste and ability as well, and later taught dance and music at a Kentish school for girls. She was also interested in her father's work and accompanied him in 1965–66 during his second visiting professorship in America at Brandeis University
Brandeis University
Brandeis University is an American private research university with a liberal arts focus. It is located in the southwestern corner of Waltham, Massachusetts, nine miles west of Boston. The University has an enrollment of approximately 3,200 undergraduate and 2,100 graduate students. In 2011, it...
. Lucy Barfield, then 30 years old, was a piano teacher at the local music school in Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
. At the end of the school year Lucy's mother Maud joined them and, as part of their holiday, the three went together to visit Owen Barfield's friend Professor Craig Miller in Vancouver. Upon their return to England, Lucy was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms...
.
Soon she began her slow, remorseless decline towards helplessness, alternating with occasional heart-rending periods of remission. Lucy bravely fought her disease, even trying to continue dancing and teaching. But after a while she could not leave her home and finally even her bed. In 1968 she had to be hospitalized. However, as Walter Hooper
Walter Hooper
Walter McGehee Hooper is a trustee and literary advisor of the estate of C.S. Lewis. Born in Reidsville, North Carolina, U.S., he earned an M.A. in education and was an instructor in English at the University of Kentucky in the early 1960s. As a visitor to England, he served briefly as Lewis's...
told journalist Nicholas Roe, now she became deeply moved by a steady and constantly growing stream of letters. By writing the book for her, Lewis had made her known to children worldwide who began to write her letters, usually via the publishers, more and more often as her illness progressed. For over thirty years children supported, encouraged and wished her well. Lucy, as long as she was able, kept trying to answer every child.
In 1977 Lucy had to be hospitalized for the second time. Then, in June 1978, she married her friend Bevan Rake (1921–1990). With his deep love and support she enjoyed about 12 years of a relatively normal married life. But in 1990, after Bevan died of a heart attack, Lucy had to return to the hospital. She was never to leave it again.
Her body continued to decline. For the last five years of her life she was unable to move, speak or feed herself. However she continued to fight her disease becoming an inspiration to everyone who knew her. Walter Hooper writes in his obituary and also Paul Ford notes it in his Companion to Narnia: "As every creature comfort was taken from her, Lucy's faith in God grew and blessed not only her, but also those who knew her. Owen Barfield, touched by her humility, said many times, "I could go down on my knees before my daughter."
Her mother died in 1980, her father in 1997. Her brother Alexander visited her often. She liked to listen to her younger brother Geoffrey reading her the Chronicles of Narnia over and over again. Lucy Barfield died at the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability
Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability
The Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability, in Putney in South West London, is an independent medical charity which undertakes research and provides specialist services to meet the needs of people with complex neurological disabilities resulting from damage to the brain or other parts of the nervous...
in west London on 3 May 2003, having battled multiple sclerosis for nearly 40 years.