Barbara Jefford

Mary Barbara Jefford was born in Plymstock, Devon, the daughter of Elizabeth Mary Ellen (née Laity) and Percival Francis Jefford. She was brought up primarily in Somerset, and attended Weirfield School in Taunton. where she was awarded the Bancroft Gold Medal. In 1946, whilst still a student, she obtained small parts in the radio production of Westward Ho! and other radio plays, but her stage debut came in 1949, when she played the part of Viola in Twelfth Night at the Dolphin Theatre, Brighton. ==Career==

Theatre Stratford After spending just one year working in repertory theatre she was given the part of Isabella in 1950 in Peter Brook's production of Measure for Measure at the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, (later the base of the Royal Shakespeare Company) in Stratford-upon-Avon, playing opposite John Gielgud (Angelo) and Harry Andrews (Vincentio). • Thomas Otway's "Venice Preserved", BBC Third Programme 10 August 1960; with Donald Wolfit. • Goneril in Shakespeare's "King Lear", BBC Third Programme 29 September 1967; with John Gielgud and Howard Marion-Crawford. • Maja Rubek in "When We Dead Awaken" by Henrik Ibsen, BBC Third Programme 3 August 1969; with Ralph Richardson, Irene Worth and Gordon Jackson . • Tamora in Shakespeare's "Titus Andronicus", BBC Radio 3 28 October 1973. • Sibylla in "The Holy Sinner", by Peter Redgrove, based on the novel by Thomas Mann, BBC Radio 3, 18 November 1975. • Duchess of Gloucester in episodes 5 & 6 of "Vivat Rex", BBC Radio 3 1977. • Cleopatra in Shakespeare's "Antony and Cleopatra", BBC Radio 4 2 May 1981. • Millie Crocker-Harris in "The Browning Version" by Terence Rattigan, BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play 26 June 1981; with Nigel Stock. • Miss Lavish in "A Room with a View" by E M Forster, BBC Radio 4, 1995 • Eleanor of Aquitaine in "The Lion in Winter" by James Goldman, BBC Radio 4 27 December 1981. • Paulina in Shakespeare's "The Winter's Tale", BBC Radio 3 21 January 1982. • Elspeth Graham in "The Killing of Mr Toad", by David Gooderson, BBC Radio 4, 30 December 1984. • Lucia in "Queen Lucia" & "Lucia in London", adapted by Aubrey Woods from E F Benson's Lucia books, BBC Radio 4 1984 & 1985. • "On This Shaven Green" by Don Taylor, BBC Radio 4 16 September 2003. With John Wood, Edward Petherbridge. ==Personal life and death==

In 1953, Jeffords married actor Terence Longdon; the marriage was dissolved in 1961. ==Honours and awards==

In 1965, Jefford was awarded the Officer of Order of the British Empire for her service to the theatre, becoming the youngest civilian recipient of the award to that date. In 1977 she was also awarded the Jubilee Festival Medal. ==References==