Violet Hilda Drummond

Violet Hilda Drummond (30 July 1911 – 7 February 2000) was a British children's author and illustrator from the 1930s to 1970s. During her career, Drummond primarily wrote series on Mrs. Easter, Little Laura and Miss Anna Tully. Of her works, Drummond was awarded the 1954 Kate Greenaway Medal for Mrs Easter and the Storks. During the 1960s, her Little Laura books were adapted into eighteen television films for the Children's Hour on BBC. Apart from writing, Drummond was an illustrator for various authors including Helen Cresswell, Barbara Sleigh and J.K. Stanford. Drummond was also a watercolour painter and had her artwork shown in London, England.

Early life and education On 30 July 1911, Drummond was born in London. Her father, Robert Drummond, was a banker who was killed in action in 1914 during World War I. Her mother, Hilda Margaret Harris subsequently remarried, taking the surname Gunning. Growing up, Drummond attended the Links School in Eastbourne and then a finishing school in Paris. For her art education, Drummond attended Saint Martin's School of Art from 1939 to 1942. During this time period, Drummond was a member of the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry for the British Army.

Career As a children's author, Drummond wrote Phewtus the Squirrel in 1939 based on a toy squirrel named Rufus that her son mispronounced as Phewtus. Of her works, Drummond received the 1957 Kate Greenaway Medal for Mrs Easter and the Storks. For the BBC, Drummond's Little Laura series was adapted into eighteen animated television films.

Apart from writing, Drummond illustrated works for various other authors from the 1940s to the 1960s. These authors included J.K. Stanford, Barbara Sleigh, Helen Cresswell and others. She was an elected member of the Society of Industrial Artists. Apart from art, Drummond started a self-named productions company in 1960 as chairperson. Drummond was married and had one child before her death on 7 February 2000 in Essex.

Books illustrated by Drummond The Twelfth, 1944, by J.K. Stanford Here and There, a Lusty Trout, 1947, by Thomas A. Powell Verse and Worse, 1952, by Arnold Silcock The Title's My Own, 1952, by G. Bles The Shaggy Dog Story, 1953, by E. Partridge Wild Little Horse, 1955, by E. Dillon Carbonel King of the Cats, 1955, by B. Sleigh The Kingdom of the Winds, 1957, by Angela Jean Espit de Corps, 1957, by Lawrence Durrell Lisa and the Helicopter, 1958, by B. Ireson The Piemakers, 1967, by Helen Cresswell The Quest of the Catnip Mouse, 1967, by A. Miller.

Books written by Drummond