Lolly Willowes

Sylvia Townsend Warner (1892 - 1978) was a novelist, poet and musicologist. The only child of George and Nora Townsend Warner, Sylvia was a precocious child who studied under her father. Beginning with her first novel, Lolly Willowes; Or The Loving Huntsman (1926), Warner embarked on a writing career that embraced themes of subversion, female empowerment and a rejection of Christian practice and philosophies. Inspired by her partner, Valentine Achland-and inspired by fellow author David Garnett, Warner went on to publish several novels including Mr. Fortune's Maggot (1927), Summer Will Show (1936), and The Corner That Held Them (1948); as well as multiple short story collections and books of poetry. Remembered as a feminist and lesbian icon, her work was influential for a generation of British women writers to come.