SEVENTY YEARS AFTER WINNING MISS ENGLAND 1955: War Evacuee’s Remarkable Journey Revealed in Captivating Memoir

Pretty from the Outside marks the 70th anniversary of Margaret Rowe’s Miss England triumph with an intimate portrait of post-war Britain, wartime resilience, and the golden age of 1950s glamour.

This year marks seven decades since a young woman named Margaret Rowe stood on the stage of the Lyceum Theatre Ballroom and heard the announcement: “Number Fourteen, Miss England 1955.” Now, her extraordinary memoir Pretty from the Outside takes readers on an unforgettable journey from the bombed streets of wartime London to the glamorous world of international beauty pageants and high fashion.

Born in 1935, Margaret’s early years were defined by wartime evacuation to the Cotswolds, where she lived with various foster families while London endured the Blitz. Her vivid recollections of rural England during WWII – from helping with the harvest to listening to Churchill’s thundering speeches on the wireless – paint an intimate portrait of a child finding wonder despite upheaval. “I grew to love the beautiful Cotswolds,” she writes, “with the steep, sloping hills that were tough to climb but crazy to race down.”

After reuniting with her mother in 1951, Margaret moved to London with dreams of becoming a model. Working first as a waitress at the Cumberland Hotel, she gradually broke into the fashion world, navigating an industry that was both glamorous and demanding. Her account offers rare behind-the-scenes glimpses of 1950s modeling – from high-end fashion shows to encounters with legendary photographer Gordon Hireson, who became her mentor and greatest champion.

The memoir reaches its crescendo with Margaret’s unexpected victory at Miss England 1955. Her journey from nervous contestant to winner – destined for the Miss Universe competition in America – is both thrilling and deeply personal. Along the way, she dined with Elizabeth Taylor at Claridge’s, cruised the Côte d’Azur on luxury yachts, and experienced the jet-set lifestyle of Monte Carlo and the French Riviera.

What makes Pretty from the Outside particularly compelling for readers who love the 1940s and 1950s is Margaret’s elegant prose, written in the authentic colloquial style of the era. Her descriptions capture the social attitudes and cultural shifts of post-war Britain with remarkable clarity – from lingering food rationing to the dawn of consumer culture, from the “New Look” revolution in fashion to the emergence of television and Soho coffee bars.

Margaret’s love of Christian Dior fashion threads throughout the narrative. Her treasured eau-de-nil coat – ”designed with me in mind, of that I’m certain” – becomes a symbol of her transformation from insecure young woman to confident model. Fashion enthusiasts will relish her detailed accounts of 1950s style, from “winkle-pickers with the latest spindly, four-inch stiletto heels” to the voluminous swirling skirts that replaced wartime utility clothes.

Beyond the glamour, this is a story of remarkable resilience. Margaret doesn’t romanticize her journey or present herself simply as a victim of circumstances. Instead, she reveals a young woman who refused to be defined by abandonment and hardship. Her love of poetry – particularly Wordsworth’s “The Prelude” – and her appreciation for beauty in all its forms shine through every page.

Margaret Rowe completed this memoir as her final testament, a gift to readers who cherish authentic voices from Britain’s post-war era. She passed away in September 2024, but her words preserve not just her personal story, but an entire vanished world of wartime courage, post-war optimism, and 1950s sophistication.

Pretty from the Outside offers:
• An authentic wartime evacuation narrative told through a child’s eyes
• Behind-the-scenes insights into 1950s modeling and beauty pageants
• Vivid portraits of post-war British social history
• Encounters with Elizabeth Taylor, Sean Connery, Shirley Bassey, and other luminaries
• A love letter to Christian Dior and 1950s high fashion
• Honest reflections on transformation, identity, and finding one’s path

Margaret Rowe’s journey from war child to Miss England 1955 serves as an inspiring testament to determination, elegance, and the pursuit of dreams in an era of profound social change.

Pretty from the Outside By Margaret Rowe Published by Arena Books ISBN: 978-1-914390-41-8 (Paperback)|978-1-914390-42-5 (Ebook) Price: £16.00|US$20.99 Pages: 300

Available now from all major booksellers and online retailers.

For review copies, high-resolution images, or any other information, please contact:
Isabel Corfe
info@arenabooks.co.uk
01284 658979
www.arenabooks.co.uk

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Margaret Rowe (1935-2024) was crowned Miss England in 1955 and went on to represent her country at the Miss Universe pageant in California. She continued her modeling career until retirement, working with London’s top agencies and photographers. After leaving the fashion world, she became an accomplished nature photographer, winning a national competition and having her flower photographs listed with Getty Images.