She was born in
Bromley,
Kent,
England in 1902 to Georgina Baker and Charles Valentine Sheppard. She studied music at the
Royal Academy of Music in
London beginning in 1920. Her primary teacher was pianist
Harold Craxton, although she also took voice lessons. While in school, she won prizes in both voice and piano, and in 1925 won the Dove prize for ‘for general excellence, assiduity, and industry.’ ==References==