Nina Bawden CBE was born on 19th January 1925 in Ilford, Essex. Her mother was a teacher and her father a member of the Royal Marines. During World War II she was evacuated to Aberdare in Wales aged fourteen. Maybe this was where she got the inspiration for her novel, Carrie’s War (review coming soon). She attended Somerville College in Oxford where she gained a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics.
From 1946 to 1954 she was married to Harry Bawden. They had two sons: Nicholas and Robert. She later married Austin Kark. Together they had a daughter, Perdita, who died in March 2012. Austin died in 2002 in the Potters Bar rail crash, where Nina was also injured.
Her first children’s book was The Secret Passage, published in 1963. A lot of her 55 books have been made in to BBC children’s programmes.
On 22nd August 2012, Nina died at her home in north London, aged 87.
I’m sure that such a talented and well-known writer will be sadly missed in the literary world.
I don’t think anyone will be able to write quite the same as Nina Bawden. She really was a talented writer.
2 Comments
-Ria xo
28 August, 2012 at 3:45 pmI’m so sorry about the deaths of Perdita, Austin, and Nina herself. ): <3
I have a copy of Carrie’s War on my bookshelf, but am yet to read it– I’ll keep an eye out for your review of it!
I hope Nina and her family rest in peace.<3
Lucy
28 August, 2012 at 6:16 pmI read it quite a while ago but I’m hoping to write a good review!
It’s a really good read, and a classic, too.
Thanks for commenting <3