Daphne Olivier

Daphne Olivier (married name Harwood; 18 October 1889 – 14 July 1950) was a British teacher, translator and Anthroposophist. Oliver established the first Rudolf Steiner school in England.

Early life and education Olivier was born on 18 October 1889 in Battersea, London to Sydney Olivier, 1st Baron Olivier, a civil servant, politician and writer, and Margaret Olivier (; –1953). One of four siblings

Through her father, Olivier was the niece of the painter Herbert Arnould Olivier, the cousin of Laurence Olivier and the great-niece of Joseph Arnould.

Olivier studied medieval and modern languages at Newnham College, Cambridge Upon graduating in 1913, she became a teacher. Some years later, she developed an interest in the anthroposophical and educational work of Rudolf Steiner; according to Owen Barfield, she possibly attended an educational conference that Steiner held in Stuttgart in 1922. That same year she met both Barfield and his close friend Cecil Harwood at a concert tour of the English Folk Dance Society, where she sang and played the fiddle. It was through her that they both became acquainted with anthroposophy.

Olivier approached Steiner for support in starting a Waldorf School in England, gathered a group of three other women and, on being advised by Steiner to include also a male teacher, asked her friend Harwood to join. The school, called at the time "The New School" was founded in 1925 in South London. It later moved to Forest Row in East Sussex and was renamed Michael Hall. Besides her work as a teacher, Daphne translated a number of Steiner's works into English.

Harwood was a friend of C.S. Lewis and Barfield, a fellow follower of Steiner. Lewis was a frequent visitor to the couple's home in London and became godfather to their son Laurence.

Personal life On 14 August 1925, Oliver married Harwood