Postcard
Lilian Stiles-allen
1921

Lilian Stiles-Allen, who dropped her forename for performing purposes, is best remembered for Vaughan Williams’s Serenade to Music, performing as one of sixteen soloists at famed composer Henry J Wood's golden jubilee.

Little Histories focus: Lilian's career was long and successful, however she owed her lack of operatic experience to unfair misogynistic standards of both the era and the operatic tradition. A commended soloist, Stiles-Allen was deemed "unsuited for the operatic stage" as directors and conductors did not approve of her looks. Despite these setbacks, Lilian was by the 1920s one of the UK's most commended concert singers and had led a successful radio career, performing operatic pieces for BBC broadcasts.

Fun fact: Lilian also spent time as a voice teacher - among her pupils was a young Julie Andrews!