#2826, Lilian Vaughan BARRON

Lillian's photograph portrays a beautiful and tranquil woman, but she had a keen and analytical mind, and her letters and diaries show that she was well aquainted with the international situation; indeed, in her correpondence with Queen Marie (of Romania) during 1935-36 she predicted the imminence of war.

Lillian's grasp of the political situation in Palestine was acute, and she was impatient of politicians who stirred up nationalist passions. There exist letters she wrote to leading Arab families deploring in strong language their political activities and stringently exhorting them to learn to live in peace with the Jews and not continually seek confrontation. Jews and Arabs worked peacefully together at the stud farm and she saw no reason why this state of affairs should not prevail elsewhere. When she espoused a cause she did so with all her heart, and she expressed her opinions vehemently.

During her later years Lillian was severely stricken with arthritis and was often in great pain, having to walk with a stick - sometimes two - and the way in which she coped with her infirmity showed great courage and determination. She derived some comfort from her talent as a watercolourist.