author
Barbara McLaren
1887–1973
A vivid observer of wartime Britain, she wrote with warmth and clarity about the women who kept essential services running during World War I. Her best-known work, Women of the War, turns everyday courage into memorable history.
1 Audiobook
Women of the war
by Barbara McLaren
About the author
Born Barbara Jekyll in Surrey on June 14, 1887, she was later widely known as Barbara McLaren, the name under which her wartime writing was published. She came from a well-connected English family and was the niece of garden designer Gertrude Jekyll.
Her best-known book, Women of the War (1917), highlights the work British women carried out during World War I in hospitals, transport, industry, and other demanding roles. The book is still remembered for its direct, readable portraits of women whose efforts were often overlooked.
Later in life she became Barbara Freyberg, Baroness Freyberg. She died on September 24, 1973. Although she is not chiefly remembered as a full-time literary figure, her writing remains a lively firsthand window into the home front and the changing place of women in wartime Britain.