Veronica Eileen Bethell nee Connolly Country Life Magazine Portrait December 20 1930

Veronica Eileen Bethell nee Connolly and Son Guy Anthony John Bethell Country Life Magazine Portrait, Frontispiece, December 20 1930. LXVIII No. 1770

The featured frontispiece this week is a portrait of The Hon. Mrs. Bethell with her young son, Guy.

• Identity: Veronica Eileen Bethell (née Connolly), the second daughter of the Hon. Sir James Connolly, a prominent Western Australian politician and former Agent-General in London.
• Marriage: She married John Raymond Bethell (1902–1965) in 1927, who later became the 2nd Baron Bethell.
• Family Background: Her husband was the eldest surviving son of John Bethell, 1st Baron Bethell, following the death of his elder brother during the First World War.
• Children:
  • Guy Anthony John Bethell (1928–1967): The son pictured, who later succeeded as the 3rd Baron Bethell.
  • Jennifer Mary Bethell: The “little daughter” referenced in the caption, born in the year of publication (1930).
• Social Context: Portraits such as this reflected the prominence of aristocratic family life, often highlighting heirs and the continuation of notable lineages.

This is an authentic original page from Country Life magazine, part of the iconic series often affectionately referred to as the “Girls in Pearls” portraits — elegant society images that captured a distinctive era of British publishing and portraiture.

Size: Approximately 13.75 x 9 inches (35 x 23 cm)

Condition: Very good for its age. As with all vintage magazine pages, light signs of handling or minor age-related blemishes may be present. Please review the large photo carefully for full condition details.

This original Country Life Magazine frontispiece portrait forms part of The Old Map Shop’s curated archive of society portraits published between 1897 and 2026.