Barbara Tate was a British artist and writer, perhaps best known for her bestselling book, which was published shortly after her death.
Background
Born in Uxbridge as Barbara Joyce Peddle, her father Charles Jonathan Peddle (1895-1973) was a carpenter and lorry-driver. A violent man, he once tied a noose around her neck when she was aged 3 and balanced her on her toes until rescued hours later when her mother came home.
Career
She was the organisation"s President from 1985 to 2000 and later became an Honorary President. The SWA bestows the Barbara Tate Award annually in her memory. In 1993 she was appointed an Honorary Professor of Thames Valley University.
Her book (2010) outlined her life as maid from 1948 to 1950 to Fayn Nicholson (1918-1977) ("Mae Roberts" in the book), a prostitute in London"s then notorious Soho district.
Nicholson/Roberts was murdered by being burned to death in her London flat in 1977. The manuscript was actually completed in 1977 but Tate withheld publication for 32 years believing her former occupation might embarrass her family.
The book became The Times Bestseller. In 2012 it was also adapted into the play by Circa Theatre in New Zealand.
Membership
In 1972 Tate became a member of the Society of Women Artists (SWA). She was also a member of the Society of Botanical Artists and the Royal Society of British Artists.