Sir Thomas Beecham, 2nd Bt; Betty Humby Beecham

by Peter Keen
vintage bromide print, 1958
9 in. x 11 3/8 in. (228 mm x 288 mm)
Purchased, 2002
Photographs Collection
NPG x125332

Sittersback to top

Betty (née Morgan Humby), Lady Beecham (1908-1958), Pianist; daughter of Daniel Morgan Humby; second wife of Sir Thomas Beecham. Sitter associated with 1 portrait.
Sir Thomas Beecham, 2nd Bt (1879-1961), Conductor. Sitter in 24 portraits.

Artistback to top

Peter Keen (1928-2009), Photographer. Artist of 54 portraits.

Subjects & Themesback to top

Events of 1958back to top

Current affairs

Britain's first motorway is built. The Preston bypass (M6) was the first road to be built to official motorway standards, although the M1 (opened in 1959) was the first road to be given official status. The road was opened by the Prime minister, Harold Macmillan, and heralded a new age of mass, high-speed motoring.

Art and science

Michael Bond publishes A Bear Called Paddington, the first Paddington Bear book. This popular character is remembered for being found at Paddington Station by the Brown family, for wearing a floppy hat, duffle coat and Wellington boots, and for his penchant for marmalade sandwiches.
The children's television programme, Blue Peter, is broadcast for the first time.

International

Following the USSR's successful launch of the Sputnik 1 satellite in 1957, America launches its own space agency, NASA. Under pressure from the Soviets' early lead, NASA began research into human spaceflight. The competition between the two superpowers to explore outer space, send humans beyond the Earth's orbit and land on the moon was known as the 'space race'.

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