Leith-Ross, Prudence 1922–

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LEITH-ROSS, Prudence 1922–

(Prudence Leith Ross)

PERSONAL:

Born February 25, 1922, in Paris, France; daughter of Frederick and Prudence Leith-Ross; married John Cradock-Hartopp, April 29, 1953 (died, 1996); children: Melinda Lewis, Nicola Hartopp, Joanna Charter. Ethnicity: "White." Education: Attended school in London, England, and Berkshire, England. Religion: Church of England.

ADDRESSES:

Home—London, England.

CAREER:

Derby Evening Telegraph, Derby, England, worked as trainee; Northcliffe Group, London, England, journalist, 1950-53; freelance writer, 1953—. Military service: Women's Royal Naval Service, 1943-45; became third officer.

WRITINGS:

The John Tradescants: Gardeners to the Rose and Lily Queen, Peter Owen (London, England), 1984, reprinted 2006.

The Florilegium of Alexander Marshal in the Collection of Her Majesty the Queen at Windsor Castle, Thames & Hudson (New York, NY), 1999.

Contributor to Apollo, British Heritage, Journal of Garden History, and Garden History.

SIDELIGHTS:

Prudence Leith-Ross once told CA: "I suppose my writing career began in Cairo, Egypt, after the war when, living there with my parents, I took a correspondence course. Encouraged by two eminent journalist friends there, I came back to England and trained on the Derby Evening Telegraph before being transferred to London to work for the Northcliffe Group of papers. I gave this up when I married and freelanced, mainly personality articles for newspapers and magazines. By chance I met the late Mrs. J.E. Nicholson, chairwoman of the Tradescant Trust, and wrote several articles about this museum of garden history when it was just getting off the ground. She told me there was a great need for a book and eventually I agreed to write one, never dreaming that it would take me five years of very intensive research. This led me to Alexander Marshall, who was a benefactor to the Tradescant's museum collection"