Identity area
Reference code
Beaton/A/A2/14a/107
Unique identifier
Title
Date(s)
- 1 July 1951 (Circa. Letter dated 'July 1st'.) (Creation)
Level of description
Item
Extent and medium
1 p. paper
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Photographer, artist, writer, and designer of scenery and costumes. Educated at Harrow and St John's College, Cambridge, 1922-5. Made his name as a photographer through portraits of the Sitwells. Employed by Vogue in London and New York. Published 'The Book of Beauty' (1930). Photographed the Duke of Windsor's wedding, 1937. War photographer, 1939-45. Designed 'Lady Windermere's Fan', 1945. Designed costumes for 'An Ideal Husband' and 'Anna Karenina', 1948. Worked on 'The School for Scandal', 1949, 'Quadrille' for Noel Coward, 1952, 'Turandot', 1961, and 'La Traviata', 1966. Designed costumes for 'My Fair Lady', 1956, and for the film version in Hollywood, 1963. His play 'The Gainsborough Girls', 1951 and 1959, was unsuccessful. Published 'The Glass of Fashion' (1954), and six volumes of diaries. Exhibited photographs at the National Portrait Gallery, 1968. Knighted 1972.
Repository
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Enjoys his garden after the stress of the rehearsals of his Gainsborough play in London. Sends an update on his mother's broken wrist. Plans to return to London the next day for the run up to his play. Mentions his visit to Buckingham Palace to photograph Princess Margaret and his meeting with Queen Mary there. Wonders how Greta is getting on in someone else's house in the desert.