Audrey White

Margaret Audrey White, Lady Wardington (2 November 1927 – 8 November 2014) was a red-headed English model who was refused a job as a BBC announcer in case her looks "alarmed timid men from Wigan and country districts." Later she had a career in fashion journalism before concentrating on charity work.

Early life White was born in Bradford, the only child of a commercial traveller who left the family when she was young. She grew up in North London with her mother, Eva. They endured the Blitz during the Second World War together with their cat, named Luftwaffe. She took her school examinations at Henrietta Barnett School at the same time as German doodlebug attacks, the girls sheltering under their desks if it seemed a hit was imminent.

In 1951 and 1952, White was the face of an advertising campaign for the washing powder Dreft and appeared endorsing the product across newspapers and magazines. Advertising in Picture Post described her as a "fashion model and T.V. girl" and quoted White as saying "I always find time to give my nylons and undies that all-important nightly dip in Dreft".

In September 1952 she appeared on BBC Radio's Light Programme in the series I Like My Job.

In 1954, White met Marcus Morris, managing editor of Housewife magazine, at a party and was offered the job of fashion editor on the magazine. After six years at Housewife she took the same role at Go magazine. but the marriage failed. In 1964, she married Christopher Henry Beaumont Pease, 2nd Lord Wardington, thus becoming Lady Wardington. The couple adopted three children. Lord Wardington was an enthusiastic book collector and together they attended many bibliographic events. Lady Wardington devoted herself to charitable causes from Meals on Wheels to local campaigns. She set up a course to teach women money management and wrote the Superhints books for charity from suggestions she canvassed from her many, often upper-class, friends. Lord Wardington's book collection, however, including his unique collection of atlases, was saved through the efforts of their daughter Helen and local people. Lord Wardington died in 2005.

Filmography A Piece of Cake (1948). It Started in Paradise (1952) The Final Test (1953) Rheingold Theatre, "Four Farewells in Venice" (TV; 1954)