Marian Gertrude Beard, known to friends as 'Barbula' Beard (1885-1958) was an Irish-born educator and translator, headmistress of

Putney High School Putney High School, GDST is an independent girls' day school in Putney, London. Often referred to as simply Putney, the school admits students from the ages 4–18. Founded in 1893 it is a member of the Girls' Day School Trust, a union of 26 ...

and Crofton Grange School.

Life

Beard was educated at

Alexandra College Alexandra College () is an independent day and boarding school for girls in Milltown, Dublin, Ireland. The school operates under a Church of Ireland ethos. History The school was founded in 1866 and takes its name from Princess Alexandra of ...

, gaining a first class honours degree in modern languages in 1907. She continued to

Somerville College, Oxford Somerville College is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. It was founded in 1879 as Somerville Hall, one of its first two women's colleges. It began admitting men in 1994. The colle ...

, gaining another first-class honours degree in German. After teaching at

Nottingham High School Nottingham High School is a Private schools in the United Kingdom, private fee-charging day school for boys and girls in Nottingham, England, with an infant and junior school (ages 4–11) and senior school (ages 11–18). There were 1177 stu ...

for a year, she became lecturer in modern languages at

Girton College, Cambridge Girton College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college was established in 1869 by Emily Davies and Barbara Bodichon as the first women's college at Cambridge. In 1948, it was granted full college status by the un ...

.'Miss M. G. Beard', ''

The Times ''The Times'' is a British Newspaper#Daily, daily Newspaper#National, national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its modern name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its si ...

'', 23 October 1958, p.17.

Dora Russell Dora Winifred Russell, Countess Russell ( Black; 3 April 1894 – 31 May 1986) was a British author, a feminist and socialist campaigner, and the second wife of the philosopher Bertrand Russell. She was a campaigner for contraception and pea ...

recalled her there as "a tall elegant Irish woman with a slight stoop and a lorgnette and a very agreeable brogue". After Girton she lectured in modern languages at Somerville College. From 1918 to 1920 she worked as an Administrative Assistant in the Livestock Branch of the

Ministry of Food Ministry may refer to: Government * Ministry (collective executive), the complete body of government ministers under the leadership of a prime minister * Ministry (government department), a department of a government Religion * Christian mi ...

, for which she was appointed an OBE in 1920. Beard was headmistress of

from 1920 to 1930. At weekends she lived with her Girton friend

Eileen Power Eileen Edna Le Poer Power (9 January 18898 August 1940) was a British economic historian and medievalist. Early life and education Eileen Power was the eldest daughter of a stockbroker and was born at Altrincham, Cheshire (now part of Greate ...

, in a half-house at 20

Mecklenburgh Square Mecklenburgh Square is a Grade II listed square in Bloomsbury, London. The square and its garden were part of the Foundling Estate, a residential development of 1792–1825 on fields surrounding and owned by the Foundling Hospital. The square was ...

. In 1930 she moved to be headmistress of Crofton Grange School, staying there until her retirement. She died on 15 October 1958. Papers relating to her are held by the

UCL Institute of Education The UCL Institute of Education (IOE) is the faculty of education and society of University College London (UCL). It specialises in postgraduate study and research in the field of education and is one of UCL's University College London#Facultie ...

.From File 'Miss Marian Gertrude Beard'
Accessed 14 January 2020.

Works

* (tr.) ''Emotion and insanity'' by Sophus Thalbitzer. London: K. Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co., Ltd., 1926.

The International Library of Psychology, Philosophy and Scientific Method The International Library of Psychology, Philosophy and Scientific Method was an influential series of monographs published from 1922 to 1965 under the general editorship of Charles Kay Ogden by Kegan Paul, Trench Trubner & Co. in London. This ser ...

. * (tr. with

Nadine Marshall Nadine Marshall is an English television, stage, and radio actress. She became known for her performance as Sally in the British television sitcom ''The Smoking Room'' (2004–2005). Early life and education Nadine Marshall studied at Rose Bru ...

) ''Economic and social foundations of European civilization'' by

Alfons Dopsch Alfons Dopsch (14 June 1868 in Lobositz, Bohemia – 1 September 1953 in Vienna) was an Austrian social and economic historian who specialised in the history of medieval Europe In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval peri ...

. London: K. Paul, Trench, Trubner, & Co., Ltd., 1937.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Beard, Marion Gertrude 1885 births 1958 deaths Schoolteachers from Dublin (city) Heads of schools in England Women school principals and headteachers Alumni of Somerville College, Oxford Officers of the Order of the British Empire