Sir John Betjeman; Anne Parsons (née Messel), Countess of Rosse
22 of 41 portraits of Sir John Betjeman
© Desmond O'Neill
Sir John Betjeman; Anne Parsons (née Messel), Countess of Rosse
by Desmond O'Neill
bromide press print, 1 April 1959
8 1/8 in. x 6 1/8 in. (205 mm x 155 mm) image size
Transferred from Evening Standard Library, before 1983
Photographs Collection
NPG x184219
Sittersback to top
- Sir John Betjeman (1906-1984), Poet Laureate, writer and broadcaster. Sitter in 41 portraits.
- Anne Parsons (née Messel), Countess of Rosse (1902-1992), Former wife of Ronald Owen Lloyd Armstrong-Jones, and later wife of 6th Earl of Rosse; daughter of Leonard Messel. Sitter in 17 portraits.
Artistback to top
- Desmond O'Neill (1923-2003), Photographer. Artist or producer associated with 16 portraits.
Events of 1959back to top
Current affairs
Harold Macmillan wins the general election with an increased majority, returning to office as Conservative prime minister. The victory was the result of perceived economic improvement under the Conservative government, and his (misquoted) boast: 'you've never had it so good.' During his premiership he earned the nickname 'Supermac', coined by cartoonist, Victor 'Vicky' Weisz.Art and science
Claudia Jones organises the first West Indian-style carnival in the country, starting the tradition of the annual Notting Hill carnival. The event was a response to the race riots of 1958, and an attempt to celebrate West Indian culture and help overcome racial prejudice by giving the whole community the opportunity to join in the event.International
Fidel Castro becomes leader of Cuba. After defeating the American-backed Batista government, Castro's revolutionary army arrived in Havana on 8th January where Castro proclaimed himself Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. Within a month, Prime Minister José Miró Cardona had resigned, and Castro took over.In Tibet, an uprising against Chinese rule is brutally crushed, and the Dalai Lama flees to India, beginning his long exile.
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