Kitty Barne
Kitty Barne, born Marion Catherine Barne around 1883 in England, was a multifaceted artist known for her contributions to children's literature, music, and theater. From an early age, she demonstrated a strong passion for the arts, writing original plays and playing in orchestras during her childhood. After studying at the Royal College of Music in London, she began publishing her own plays in 1910, though they initially went unnoticed. A turning point in her career occurred in the late 1930s when she shifted her focus to children's fiction, achieving significant acclaim with her novel *She Shall Have Music* in 1938.
During World War II, Barne's experiences influenced her writing, leading to stories that addressed the realities of war and displacement, exemplified by her best-known work, *Visitors from London*. She composed music throughout her life and contributed to youth organizations, demonstrating a commitment to arts education. Over her career, Barne published over two dozen works for children and adults and was awarded the prestigious Carnegie Medal. Her legacy endures in her ability to blend realism with the fantastical elements of children's stories, often reflecting the challenges of her time while celebrating the power of creativity and resilience.
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Kitty Barne
Writer
- Born: 1883
- Died: 1957
Biography
Marion Catherine Barne, called “Kitty,” was born in England, probably in 1883. As a child, Barne was fascinated by music and theater, writing her first original plays and playing in an orchestra while still in elementary school. She studied music at the Royal College of Music in London, and started informal drama societies whenever she could not find one to join. Beginning in 1910, she published her own plays, often with original music, but none drew much attention.
She married a man named Eric Streatfeild, the cousin of another children’s writer, Noel Streatfeild, who may have encouraged Barne to take another approach to her writing. In the late 1930’s, Barne began to focus on writing children’s fiction, and this brought her the fame and financial success she had sought. Her third children’s novel, She Shall Have Music (1938), was widely reviewed and praised, and established Barne as a writer worth notice.
During World War II, Barne served in the Women’s Voluntary Service, helping with children who had been evacuated from London to Sussex. The war, and the indelible marks it left on all of England, surfaced in her children’s fiction, which did not shy away from presenting Nazi occupation or the blitz. Her best-known children’s novel, Visitors from London (1940), is about families who fled London for the countryside after the bombings. Another, Musical Honours (1947) is about a father who returns to his family after being a prisoner of war, and who questions the value of music in a troubled world.
Music continued to be a passion and a subject for Barne, who often featured music in her novels, and who wrote a series of biographies of composers for young readers. In addition to her writing, Barne also composed music throughout her life, and created musical activities for the Girl Guides’ Association, a group similar to the Girl Scouts. She died in 1957, having published more than two dozen novels for children and adults, several plays, and books of nonfiction. She won the Carnegie Medal from the United Kingdom Library Association for Visitors from London. During the war years, Barne was important for British readers because she wrote captivating stories, and because her stories reminded readers that the arts and British daily life could carry on even in times of trouble. Today she is remembered for bringing elements of realism to children’s fiction, which had previously been marked by romance and escapism.