Margaret Rawlings


Margaret Rawlings, Lady Barlow was an English stage actress, born in Osaka, Japan, daughter of the Rev. George William Rawlings and his wife Lilian Rawlings.

Personal life/affiliations

She was educated at Oxford High School and Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford. She first married Gabriel Toyne and then Sir Robert Barlow who pre-deceased her.
Her entries in Who's Who in the Theatre record her private address as 10 Duke Street, Adelphi, London WC2, Flat 12, 72 Westbourne Terrace, London W2, then finally Rocketer Farm, Wendover, Buckinghamshire.
She was a co-founder of Equity, serving as a Council member for 30 years and was twice appointed Vice-President, in 1973–74 and 1975–76.

Theatre career

While still at Oxford, Rawlings appeared at the Little Theatre with John Masefield's company. She made her professional debut in March 1927 with The Macdona Players as Jennifer in The Doctor's Dilemma at Croydon, and subsequently also played in The Philanderer, Arms and the Man, You Never Can Tell and The Dark Lady of the Sonnets.
She made her London stage debut on 22 January 1928 with the Venturers company as Louise in Jordan at the Strand Theatre, then toured as Gwen in The Fanatics and as Jill in Chance Acquaintance. In October 1928 at the Embassy Theatre she played Vivian Mason in The Seventh Guest and Moya in The Shadow, before touring with Maurice Colbourne and Barry Jones in Shaw repertory to Canada and the United States in 1929–30.

1930s

Roles included:

1940s

1950s

  • The Countess in The Purple Fig Tree, Piccadilly Theatre February 1950
  • Lady Macbeth to the Macbeth of Alec Clunes, who also directed, Arts Theatre June 1950
  • Anna Sergievna in Spring at Marino directed by John Fernald, Arts Theatre February 1951
  • Zabrina in Tamburlaine the Great co-starring with Donald Wolfit in the title role and directed by Tyrone Guthrie, Old Vic September 1951
  • Lysistrata in The Apple Cart co-starring with Noël Coward as King Magnus, Theatre Royal Haymarket, May 1953
  • The Countess in The Dark is Light Enough, Old Vic 1955–56 season
  • Title role in Phedre, Theatre-in-the-Round November 1957 and tour

1960s

1970s

Films/television

Films

Television

The Plane Makers – Marion BrownWives and Daughters – Mrs. Hamley