Anthony Bailey (author) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Anthony Bailey
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| Born | Anthony Cowper Bailey 5 January 1933 Portsmouth, England |
| Died | 13 May 2020 (aged 87) Harwich, England |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Alma mater | Merton College, Oxford |
| Genre | Nonfiction, Art History |
| Notable works |
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| Spouse | Margot Bailey (married 1957-2020) |
| Children | 4 daughters, 9 grandchildren |
| Relatives | Bridget Sojourner (sister) |
Anthony Cowper Bailey (born January 5, 1933 – died May 13, 2020) was an English writer and expert in art history. He wrote many books, especially about famous artists.
When he was a boy, he was sent to Dayton, Ohio, in 1940 because of World War II. After returning to England in 1944, he went to school and later studied history at Oxford University. In 1955, he moved to New York City and worked as a writer for The New Yorker magazine for over 30 years. He wrote 23 books, including life stories (biographies) of artists like J. M. W. Turner, John Constable, and Rembrandt.
He lived on Mersea Island in England with his wife, Margot. They had four daughters.
Early Life and School Days
Anthony Bailey was born in Portsmouth, England, on January 5, 1933. His parents were Cowper Goldsmith Bailey and Phyllis Molony. During World War II, his father was in the British Army. Young Tony was sent to live with a family named Spaeth in America for four years. The Spaeths had four children and were big art collectors. Living with them helped Tony become interested in art for his whole life. Their art collection included paintings by famous artists like Cezanne, Paul Gauguin, and Edward Hopper.
After serving in the Royal West African Frontier Force as an officer, Bailey went to Merton College, Oxford, in 1952. He studied history there. In 1955, he moved to New York with help from the Spaeth family. He first worked in bookstores. A friend suggested he send his writing to The New Yorker magazine. He sent stories about parking meters and a day he spent with a priest named Ivan Illich. The editor, William Shawn, offered him a job. He even had an office next to the famous writer John Updike, who became his friend.
At The New Yorker, Bailey wrote for the "Talk of the Town" section. He also wrote profiles (stories about people), longer reports, poems, and short stories.
Becoming a Writer
Anthony Bailey wrote many articles for The New Yorker magazine. His first novel, Making Progress, was published in 1959. His third novel, Major André, which was about a historical event during the American Revolution, received good reviews in 1987.
He wrote biographies of many famous artists. These included books about J. M. W. Turner, John Constable, Vermeer, Velázquez, and two books about Rembrandt. Many of his writings, letters from wartime, and original manuscripts are kept at the Houghton Library at Harvard University.
Bailey was interviewed by NPR and The New York Observer. He also wrote for other newspapers and magazines like The New York Times and Esquire. In Britain, his work appeared in The Observer and The Sunday Times. He won awards for his work with The New Yorker.
His Personal Life
Anthony Bailey met his future wife, Margot Speight, in New York City. She was from England. They got married in England in 1957. After living in New York for some years, they moved to Stonington, Connecticut. They lived there for 10 years and had four daughters: Liz, Annie, Katie, and Rachel.
Bailey loved to sail and wrote about it in some of his books. After moving back to England in 1970, he and Margot often returned to the U.S. in the summer to sail along the New England coast. In his book The Coast of Summer, Bailey describes their sailing trips in their boat, Lochinvar. They sailed to places like Long Island Sound, Block Island, and Cape Cod. They would visit friends, swim, and walk on the beaches. He also wrote another book about his sailing experiences called The Thousand Dollar Yacht.
The Baileys settled back in England in 1970. After living in Greenwich for many years, they moved to Mersea Island in Essex, which is a community by the sea.
His Final Years
Anthony Bailey passed away on May 13, 2020, in Harwich, England. He was 87 years old. He had been recovering from surgery for a broken hip when he became sick with COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic in England.
