Literary Gallery

Dorothy Violet Wellesley, Duchess of Wellington

Dorothy Violet Wellesley, Duchess of Wellington (1889-1956), styled Lady Gerald Wellesley between 1914 and 1943, born Dorothy Violet Ashton, socialite, author, poet and literary editor. Married 7th Duke of Wellington in 1914. They separated in 1922 when she became the lover of Vita Sackville-West, but never divorced. She is the mother of the current (8th) Duke of Wellington. Date: 1939

© Yevonde Portrait Archive/ILN/Mary Evans Picture Library

Isobel Violet Hunt (1862 - 1942), British author and literary hostess

Isobel Violet Hunt (1862 - 1942), British author and literary hostess; writer of feminist novels. She founded the Women Writers Suffrage League in 1908 and participated in the founding of International PEN. Pictured at home, part of a series run by the Tatler on famous contemporary literary figures of the time. The room she is photographed in reflects artistic tastes of the period including the wallpaper above the picture rail which is William Morris's Daisy'. Ms Hunt is upstaged by her cat, whose expression of complete incomprehension has been captured by the photographer for posterity. Date: 1904

© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans

Irish Literary Society

Celebration of the 21st anniversary of the Irish Literary Society, London, and the National Literary Society of Ireland at Dublin, 1913. Left to right, front row, includes Agnes O'Farrell, A.P. Graves (with arm on chair), Dr Sigerson, Dr Douglas Hyde, Mr S Boyle, and Mary Hayden. Date: 1913

© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans

1913, 21st, Agnes, Anniversary, Boyle, Celebration, Douglas, Dublin, Feb18, Graves, Hayden, Hyde, Ireland, Irish, Literary, London, Mary, National, Ofarrell, Sigerson, Society