Rachel Billington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lady Rachel Billington
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Billington and her husband Kevin in 1968
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| Born |
Rachel Mary Pakenham
11 May 1942 Oxford, England
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| Occupation | Author, novelist |
| Spouse(s) |
Kevin Billington
(m. 1967; |
| Children | 4 |
| Parent(s) | Frank Pakenham, 7th Earl of Longford Elizabeth Harman |
| Relatives | Christine Longford (aunt); Judith Kazantzis (sister); Lady Antonia Fraser (sister); Thomas Pakenham (brother); Harriet Harman (cousin) |
Lady Rachel Mary Billington, born on May 11, 1942, is a British author. She is the third daughter of the 7th Earl and Countess of Longford. Her parents were both writers, and so was her aunt, Christine Longford. Rachel Billington herself is a very well-known writer.
Contents
Rachel Billington's Writing Career
From TV to Full-Time Author
Rachel Billington started her career working in television. She worked in both London and New York. In 1968, she decided to become a full-time writer. Since then, she has written many books.
Books for All Ages
Rachel Billington has written 21 novels for adults. Some of her most popular books include A Woman's Age and Bodily Harm. Her novel Glory, published in 2015, tells the story of the First World War's Gallipoli campaign. It shows what it was like for the soldiers and their families back home.
She has also written six novels for children. On top of that, she has written six religious books for kids. She also wrote three non-fiction books. One of these, The Great Umbilical, is about the special connection between mothers and daughters.
Writing for TV, Radio, and Newspapers
Rachel Billington has written plays for BBC Television shows. She also wrote several plays for radio. She helped write movie scripts too, like The Light at the Edge of the World from 1971.
She has also written many articles for newspapers. She wrote for newspapers in both the UK and the US. For three years, she had her own column in The Sunday Telegraph newspaper.
Helping Others Through Volunteer Work
Supporting Writers with English PEN
Rachel Billington was the President of English PEN from 1998 to 2001. English PEN is an organization that supports writers. She is now an Honorary Vice-President.
While she was President, she started the Readers & Writers program. This program sends books and writers to meet readers. They visit schools, prisons, and other places that might not have many books.
Helping Prisoners and Children
Rachel Billington is a trustee of the Longford Trust. This trust was created to honor her father, Lord Longford. In 1991, she joined the team that creates Inside Time. This is a newspaper made for prisoners. She writes a monthly column for it.
She is also a trustee for The Tablet, which is a Catholic weekly newspaper. Additionally, she helps the Siobhan Dowd Trust. This trust works to help children who are disadvantaged to read more.
Awards and Recognition
Honored for Her Contributions
Rachel Billington was given a special award in 2012. She was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). This award recognized her great contributions to literature.
Rachel Billington's Personal Life
Family and Connections
Rachel Billington was married to Kevin Billington. He was a director for films, theatre, and television. They had four children and five grandchildren. Kevin Billington passed away in 2021.
Rachel Billington is also the godmother of Boris Johnson. Her cousin is Harriet Harman, who was a Deputy Leader for the Labour political party.
Portrayal in Film
In 2006, a television film called Longford was made. This movie was about Rachel Billington's father. It showed his efforts to help Myra Hindley get parole. In the film, actress Kate Miles played Rachel Billington.
Rachel Billington's Books
Novels for Adults
- Glory
- Maria and the Admiral
- The Missing Boy
- Lies and Loyalties
- One Summer
- The Space Between
- A Woman's Life
- Tiger Sky
- Perfect Happiness
- Magic and Fate
- Bodily Harm
- Theo and Matilda
- Loving Attitudes
- The Garish Day
- Occasion of Sin
- A Woman's Age
- A Painted Devil
- Beautiful
- Cock Robin
- Lilacs Out of the Dead Land
- The Big Dipper
- All Things Nice
Religious Books for Children
- The First Christmas
- The First Easter
- The First Miracles
- The Life of Jesus
- The Life of Saint Francis
- Chapters of Gold
Non-Fiction Books
- The Great Umbilical
- The Family Year
Children's Books
- Poppy's Angel
- Poppy's Hero
- There's More to Life
- Far Out!
- Star Time
- Rosanna and the Wizard-Robot
- There's more to life
