Pauline Baines facts for kids
Pauline Baines (born Behr; 10 September 1917 – 10 November 2020) was a talented British artist who designed books and created beautiful typefaces. She helped make books look good and easy to read.
Early Life and Education
Pauline Baines was born in Hove, England, on September 10, 1917. Her family was Jewish and originally came from Lithuania. She was the second child of Moses and Sonia Behr. Her family later moved to London, and Pauline grew up in an area called Cricklewood.
She went to different schools, including a small one in Hampstead and then Brondesbury and Kilburn School for Girls. Pauline wanted to go to university like her brothers. Instead, she chose to study art. She attended Willesden Art School and the Central School of Art. There, she learned about illustration and graphic design. These skills were very important for her future career.
Career and Contributions
During World War II, Pauline Baines helped with the war effort. She worked in a factory and volunteered for the Red Cross. She also worked for the Ministry of Information. This government department was in charge of sharing important news and information with the public.
Pauline helped prepare for the 1951 Festival of Britain. This was a big event to celebrate British achievements. She designed displays for a special exhibition ship called HMS Campania.
From 1958 until she retired, Pauline worked for Thames & Hudson. This was a well-known book publishing company in London. She was in charge of designing many books. One important project was creating the complete list of artworks for a French artist named Honoré Daumier.
Personal Life
In 1952, Pauline married Harry Baines (1910–1995). Harry was a painter who created realistic art and large wall paintings called murals. When they first got married, Pauline and Harry joined with friends to form a housing group. They asked a famous architect named Ernő Goldfinger to design an apartment building for them.
This building is located on Regent's Park Road in London. It was designed to be similar to Goldfinger's own home. In 1998, the building was officially recognized as a special historic place. Pauline and Harry lived in this apartment in inner London for the rest of their lives. Their home was between Camden Town and Primrose Hill.
The couple loved to travel and explored many places. They especially enjoyed visiting India and Italy. Pauline was also active in her local community. She was a member of her neighborhood association. She also joined the local Labour Party, which is a political group. Pauline lived for 25 years after her husband passed away. She never remarried and died in London at the age of 103.
