Winifred Fortescue
Encyclopedia
Lady Winifred Fortescue was a writer and actress. She was also the wife of Sir John Fortescue, the Librarian and Archivist at Windsor Castle and British Army historian.
rectory, the daughter of Howard Beech, the rector of the village from 1886. She was mainly educated at home having "outgrown her strength" but at age 16 her doctor informed her mother that she was suffering from "intellectual starvation" and she applied for, and was successful in getting into, Old Cedar House School, Slough. This later transferred to London and became Wentworth Hall, Mill Hill. She then attended F.R. Benson's Dramatic School to train for the stage. She then went on the stage, performing in Sir Herbert Tree's company, and later starring in Jerome K. Jerome
's "The Passing of the Third Floor Back".
In 1914 she married John Fortescue, despite being 28 years younger than him. She gave up her stage career and took up an interior decorating and dress designing business until illness forced her to give up. She then began writing for Punch
, the Daily Chronicle
and The Evening News, and then started a Womans' Page for the Morning Post
.
In the 1930s she and her husband moved to Provence
, France beginning her book writing career with "Perfume from Provence". She wrote a number of other books whilst there. Her husband died within 2 years of them moving to France but she stayed on until forced to move out by the German invasion in World War II
. She returned at the end of the war and died in Opio
, Provence.
Biography
Winifred Fortescue (born Winifred Beech) was born in Great BealingsGreat Bealings
Great Bealings is a small village in Suffolk, England. It has about 310 people living in it, in around 120 households. Its nearest towns are Ipswich and Woodbridge . Nearby villages include Little Bealings, Playford, Culpho, Hasketon and Grundisburgh...
rectory, the daughter of Howard Beech, the rector of the village from 1886. She was mainly educated at home having "outgrown her strength" but at age 16 her doctor informed her mother that she was suffering from "intellectual starvation" and she applied for, and was successful in getting into, Old Cedar House School, Slough. This later transferred to London and became Wentworth Hall, Mill Hill. She then attended F.R. Benson's Dramatic School to train for the stage. She then went on the stage, performing in Sir Herbert Tree's company, and later starring in Jerome K. Jerome
Jerome K. Jerome
Jerome Klapka Jerome was an English writer and humorist, best known for the humorous travelogue Three Men in a Boat.Jerome was born in Caldmore, Walsall, England, and was brought up in poverty in London...
's "The Passing of the Third Floor Back".
In 1914 she married John Fortescue, despite being 28 years younger than him. She gave up her stage career and took up an interior decorating and dress designing business until illness forced her to give up. She then began writing for Punch
Punch (magazine)
Punch, or the London Charivari was a British weekly magazine of humour and satire established in 1841 by Henry Mayhew and engraver Ebenezer Landells. Historically, it was most influential in the 1840s and 50s, when it helped to coin the term "cartoon" in its modern sense as a humorous illustration...
, the Daily Chronicle
Daily Chronicle
The Daily Chronicle was a British newspaper that was published from 1872 to 1930 when it merged with the Daily News to become the News Chronicle.-History:...
and The Evening News, and then started a Womans' Page for the Morning Post
Morning Post
The Morning Post, as the paper was named on its masthead, was a conservative daily newspaper published in London from 1772 to 1937, when it was acquired by The Daily Telegraph.- History :...
.
In the 1930s she and her husband moved to Provence
Provence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
, France beginning her book writing career with "Perfume from Provence". She wrote a number of other books whilst there. Her husband died within 2 years of them moving to France but she stayed on until forced to move out by the German invasion in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. She returned at the end of the war and died in Opio
Opio, Alpes-Maritimes
Opio is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France situated near Grasse.-Personalities:Coluche died in Opio at the age of 41, when his motorcycle crashed into a truck.-External links:*...
, Provence.