Felicity Bryan
Felicity Anne Bryan
Biography
Early years and education
Bryan, the second of three daughters of Paul, a Conservative MP, and Betty (Hoyle) Bryan, was born in Sowerby Bridge, Yorkshire. One of her sisters was Elizabeth Bryan, a paediatrician [3] She took a degree in History of Art at the Courtauld Institute of Art, London University.
Journalism
From 1968 to 1970, she worked with Joe Rogaly on the
In 1980, with
Literary agency
In 1973, Bryan joined the London literary agency Curtis Brown, where she remained for 15 years. By 1988, she had moved with her family to Oxford, saw it as an ideal place for a literary agency and started Felicity Bryan Ltd. She represented major international authors, including Karen Armstrong, Iain Pears, Rosamunde Pilcher, Matt Ridley, Diarmaid MacCulloch, John Julius Norwich and Edmund de Waal.
By 2010, the agency had expanded and underwent a management buyout, with her colleagues Catherine Clarke and Caroline Wood becoming co-owners of the newly formed Felicity Bryan Associates Ltd.
On 9 June 2020, Bryan announced her intention to retire from Felicity Bryan Associates, citing ill health.[5]
Awards
In 2010, Bryan was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Oxford Brookes University for her work in publishing.[6]
She was appointed
Other activities
Bryan was a trustee of Equilibrium - The Bipolar Foundation. Passionate about ballet and opera, she represented the dancer Carlos Acosta for his memoir and writings. She was a Patron of the Woodstock Literary Festival and a Sponsor of the Oxford Literary Festival.
Personal life
She was married to the economist Alex Duncan of The Policy Practice and lived near Oxford. They had three children: Alice Mary Duncan (born June 1982, died November 2004), Maxim Paul Duncan (born October 1983) and Benjamin Patrick Duncan (born May 1987). She was, earlier, married to Alasdair Clayre.[8] Her elder sister, Dr Elizabeth Bryan, founder of The Multiple Births Foundation, died in 2008. Her younger sister Bernadette Hingley, who was one of the first British women to be ordained as a priest in the Church of England, died in 1995.
Bryan died of cancer on 21 June 2020, aged 74.[4][3]
Publications
- The Town Gardener’s Companion (Andre Deutsch/ Penguin)
- A Garden for Children (Michael Joseph)
- Nursery Style - with Annie Sloan (Viking)
- "Once we had a Daughter" (The Guardian)[9]
References
- ^ Cowdrey, Katherine (22 June 2020). "Felicity Bryan dies, aged 74". The Bookseller. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
- ^ a b "The Laurence Stern Fellowship renamed the Stern-Bryan Fellowship in honor of British literary agent Felicity Bryan". The Washington Post. 12 June 2020. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
- ^ a b Thomson, Liz (22 June 2020). "Felicity Bryan obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
- ^ a b Smith, Harrison (21 June 2020). "Felicity Bryan, British literary agent who spearheaded journalism fellowship, dies at 74". The Washington Post. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
- ^ "Chair and Founder Felicity Bryan steps down from FBA", Felicity Bryan Associates, 9 June 2020.
- ^ Ah! News. "Honorary doctorate for Felicity Bryan". Oxford Brookes University. Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 4 April 2011.
- ^ "No. 62866". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 December 2019. p. N16.
- ^ Mehta, Ved (2 August 1993), "Casualties of Oxford", The New Yorker.
- ^ Bryan, Felicity (22 April 2006). "Once We Had A Daughter". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 4 April 2011.