Beryl Fenton was born in 1926 in Aldbrourne, Wiltshire, and variously worked as an actress (Reading Rep), in wartime offices, and at home ‘writing small poems and painting small pictures’. She lived in Hove until the end of her life. Her paintings have been widely exhibited, including at the Royal Academy of Art.

Of her equally widely anthologized poems, one, for instance, was broadcast as the winning entry for Radio 3’s The Verb Competition in 2004, chosen by Mario Petrucci. Another was selected by Andrew Motion for the Stroke Association’s Bluenose event; another was broadcast by Lavinia Greenlaw.