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Born on October 27, 1889, Enid Bagnold was the daughter of England’s Commander of the Royal Engineers. She was born in Rochester, Kent, spent her childhood in Jamaica, but went to school in England and Switzerland. In 1908, Ms. Bagnold was trained at Walter Sicket’s School of Art. In 1920, she married Sir Roderick Jones, who was the head of the Reuters News Agency. Her first work was published in 1917. Her pamphlet entitled Diary Without Dates was critical of hospital administration during World War I, in which Bagnold served as a nurse as part of the Voluntary Aid Detachments. The military showed their appreciation by dismissing the author from service. Wanting to aid in the war effort, Bagnold then traveled to France and worked as a volunteer driver. Her most famous book for children, National Velvet, was published in 1935. Bagnold also wrote several plays which are still performed today, including “The Chalk Garden” and “A Matter of Gravity.” Enid Bagnold died in 1981.