Bellerby, Frances

(1899-1975)

   Frances Parker was the daughter of an AngloCatholic curate in East Bristol and was educated at Mortimer House School, Clifton. She worked as a kennel-maid, taught English, Latin and games, was a private tutor, and was on the staff of the Bristol Times and Mirror. In 1929 she married the economist Professor John Rotherford Bellerby (1896-1977). Her novel, Shadowy Bricks-which describes her and her husband's vision of education-was published in 1932. The couple separated in 1942, and Frances settled in Cornwall and later in Devon, producing poetry and short stories. During the 1950s she was diagnosed with breast cancer, but she survived another twenty years, though in poor physical and mental health. Her papers are now held by the library of Exeter University. Her poetry publications: The Brightening Cloud and Other Poems, 1949. The Stone Angel and the Stone Man: Poems, 1958. First Known and Other Poems, 1975. Stuttering Water, 1970. Selected Poems, 1987. Some of her poems: "A Clear Shell," "An Inconclusive Evening," "Invalided Home," "It is Not Likely Now," "The Old Ones," "War Casualty in April."

   Sources: Chaos of the Night: Women's Poetry and Verse of the Second World War. Catherine W. Reilly, ed. Virago Press, 1984. Enitharmon Press (http://www.enitharmon.co.uk). Shades of Green. Anne Harvey, ed. Greenwillow Books, 1991. The Chatto Book of Modern Poetry 1915-1955. Cecil Day Lewis and John Lehmann, eds. Chatto & Windus, 1966. The Columbia Granger's Index to Poetry. 11th ed. The Columbia Granger's World of Poetry, Columbia University Press, 2005 (http://www.columbiagrangers.org). The Faber Book of 20th Century German Poems. Michael Hofmann, Faber & Faber, 2005. University of Exeter Library (http://www.library.ex.ac.uk/special/Guides/archives/081-90/082_01.html). Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia).