Kitty Barne

Who was Kitty Barne?

Marion Catherine "Kitty" Barne was a British screenwriter and author of children's books, especially on music and musical themes. She won the 1940 Carnegie Medal for British children's books.

She was born and brought up in Sussex and later studied at the Royal College of Music. She married Eric Streatfeild in 1912, becoming the cousin-in-law of another popular children's writer Noel Streatfeild. Eric Streatfeild was the first cousin of Noel Streatfeild's father.

Barne was a member of the Women's Voluntary Service, responsible for the reception of children evacuated to Sussex. During the war years, she published six novels, most notably Visitors from London about evacuees. For that work she won the annual Carnegie Medal from the Library Association, recognising the year's best children's book by a British subject.

She is best known now for her pony books Rosina Copper and its sequel Rosina and Son, about the true story of an Argentine polo pony mare that was rescued from neglect after being ordered to be killed. They were illustrated by Alfons Purtscher and Marcia Lane Foster respectively.

Apart from her novels, she wrote some non-fiction books, including a biography of Elizabeth Fry in 1950, a book about the orchestra and a history of the Girl Guides. She was the Girl Guides "Commissioner for Music and Drama" for some years.