Vera Brittain

Date of Birth: December 29, 1893

Zodiac Sign: Capricorn

Date of Death: March 29, 1970

Biography

Vera Brittain was a renowned English writer, feminist, and pacifist, who rose to prominence with her autobiographical work, “Testament of Youth.” Born into a well-off family, Brittain initially pursued a conventional path of education but was deeply affected by the outbreak of World War I. She interrupted her studies at Oxford University to serve as a Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) nurse, experiencing the harrowing realities of war first-hand. Her fiancé, Roland Leighton, and several close friends were killed in the war, profoundly shaping her perspectives and future works. After the war, Brittain returned to Oxford and completed her degree, becoming a fervent advocate for pacifism and women’s rights. Her literary career flourished with the publication of “Testament of Youth” in 1933, which garnered critical acclaim for its poignant depiction of the war’s impact on her generation. She continued to write extensively, producing both fiction and non-fiction works, and remained active in political causes throughout her life.

5 Interesting Facts about Vera Brittain

1. Vera Brittain was the mother of politician Shirley Williams, a prominent figure in British politics.

2. She was actively involved in the League of Nations Union and later in the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.

3. Brittain’s “Testament of Youth” was adapted into a successful film in 2014, bringing her story to a new generation.

4. During World War II, she worked as a fire warden and continued to write about her pacifist beliefs.

5. Brittain was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Oxford in 1967.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Vera Brittain

1. “There is no more usual basis of union than a mutual misunderstanding.”

2. “Politics are usually the executive expression of human immaturity.”

3. “All that a pacifist can undertake—but it is a very great deal—is to refuse to kill, injure, or otherwise directly harm any human being for any cause, however just.”

4. “Loneliness is not only for the single woman, it is the plight of all women.”

5. “I thought that spring must last forevermore; for I was young and loved, and it was May.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Vera Brittain’s highest net worth is not well-documented, but her literary success and the continued influence of her works suggest she was comfortably well-off, particularly through her family’s wealth and her own earnings as a writer.

Children

Vera Brittain had two children: 1. Shirley Williams (born July 27, 1930) – A prominent British politician and co-founder of the Social Democratic Party. 2. John Brittain-Catlin (born 1927) – An artist and writer.