Background

She was born and brought up in Sussex and later studied at the Royal College of Music.

Education

Royal College of Music.

Career

Eric Streatfeild was the first cousin of Noel Streatfeild"s father. During the war years, she published six novels, most notably Visitors from London about evacuees (J M Dent, 1940). They were illustrated by Alfons Purtscher and Marcia Lane Foster respectively.

Apart from her novels, she wrote some non-fiction books, including a biography of Elizabeth Fry (who was her husband"s great grandmother) in 1950, a book about the orchestra and a history of the Girl Guides.

She was the Girl Guides "Commissioner for Music and Drama" for some years. Ruth Gervis, the illustrator of a number of her books, said of her:

To an illustrator, Kitty Barne was a most delightful author, not because she gave one a free hand, far from it, but because she knew exactly what she wanted and was so delighted when one caught her visual images.

lieutenant was a true collaboration of author and artist. We would meet and then, her good ear towards me, her eyes shining, her face alive with interest, she would discuss her characters.

I used to make dozens of quick sketches until I got them as she pictured them, helped by her interjections, 'Oh, rather a higher forehead and even deeper set eyes' or "oh, no you"ve made her far too nice, I think she is a horrid little girl." We would laugh together over her amusing adults as she suggested incidents for me to sketch which would bring out their characteristics.

She died on 3 February 1961 after a long illness.

Achievements

• She won the 1940 Carnegie Medal for British children"s books Foreign that work she won the annual Carnegie Medal from the Library Association, recognising the year"s best children"s book by a British subject.

Works

More photos

• book

  • Listening To The Orchestra by Barne, Kitty (2007) Paperback

    (Noticeable wear to cover and pages. May have some marking...)

  • Three and a Pigeon

    (London published Fiction)

  • Rosina Copper

    (. no dw, 1958, 192pp)

  • Rosina Copper, the mystery mare;

    (Hardcover, 1956.)

  • (Listening to the Orchestra) Author: Kitty Barne published on (September, 2010)

    (New copy. Fast shipping. Will be shipped from US.)

  • Listening to the Orchestra
  • The Amber Gate
  • Visitors from London
  • SHE SHALL HAVE MUSIC. Illustrated by Ruth Gervis.
  • (Listening to the Orchestra) Author: Kitty Barne published on (October, 2013)
  • (Listening to the Orchestra) Author: Kitty Barne published on (August, 2011)
  • Rosina and Son 1st ed. in d.j.
  • Musical Honours
  • HERE COME THE GIRL GUIDES
  • Visitors From London
  • IN THE SAME BOAT
  • Rosina & Son
  • Family Footlights
  • Bracken, My Dog
  • The Amber Gate
  • (Listening to the Orchestra) Author: Kitty Barne published on (October, 2013)

Membership

Barne was a member of the Women"s Voluntary Service, responsible for the reception of children evacuated to Sussex.