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Dame Beryl Bainbridge

(1932-2010), Novelist and actress

Sitter in 6 portraits
A prolific novelist characterised by black humour in her concise works and her unconventional image. Born in Liverpool, where she took up acting before turning to writing; Bainbridge's first novel Harriet Said was taken up in 1972 by Duckworth, her publisher for twenty five years. The Dressmaker (1973) was the first of many to reach the Booker shortlist. Other works include The Bottle Factory Outing (1974), Watson's Apology (1983), Master Georgie (1998) and The Girl in the Polka Dot Dress.

Watch a film clip on the sitter from the BBC Archive in the Media section below

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Dame Beryl Bainbridge, by Dmitri Kasterine - NPG P1322

Dame Beryl Bainbridge

by Dmitri Kasterine
digital print, 2009, based on a work of 1972
NPG P1322

Dame Beryl Bainbridge; Bernice Rubens, by Gordon Stuart - NPG 6409

Dame Beryl Bainbridge; Bernice Rubens

by Gordon Stuart
oil on card, 1995
NPG 6409

Dame Beryl Bainbridge, by Mayotte Magnus - NPG x138808

Dame Beryl Bainbridge

by Mayotte Magnus
modern bromide print from original negative, 1981
NPG x138808

Writers, by Lord Snowdon - NPG x126893

Writers

by Lord Snowdon
cibachrome print, January 1982
NPG x126893

Dame Beryl Bainbridge, by Stuart Redler - NPG x25296

Dame Beryl Bainbridge

by Stuart Redler
bromide fibre print, June 1984
NPG x25296

Dame Beryl Bainbridge, by Bruce Rae - NPG x138106

Dame Beryl Bainbridge

by Bruce Rae
bromide print, 1986
NPG x138106

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