Josephine Hart (1 March 1942 – 2 June 2011), also known as Baroness Saatchi and Lady Saatchi, was an Irish writer, theatrical producer, and television presenter, who lived in London, England. She is known for her novels Damage (1991) and Sin (1992), and for founding The Poetry Hour at the British Library, which continues to be held monthly. The Josephine Hart Poetry Prize is awarded by the Josephine Hart Foundation, which was founded by her husband Maurice Saatchi in her honour.
Hart was appointed director of Haymarket Publishing, only woman in the role, and launched several trade magazines during her time there.[1]
Poetry readings
She organised a public poetry reading for the first time in 1987, at a gallery in Cork Street in the West End of London, at which actor Gary Bond read poetry by Auden.[1]
In 1993 she presented the inaugural T.S. Eliot Poetry Prize to Ciaran Carson, upon request by Eliot's widow Valerie. She read Eliot's favourite poem, "Eyes That Last I Saw In Tears", at the event.[1]
In 2004, she organised poetry readings at the British Library, which proved very popular.[1] She was a founder of Gallery Poets in the mid-1980s,[3] which was later renamed Josephine Hart Poetry Hour, which is held monthly.[4]
She also wrote Sin, published in 1992. This novel was about a woman who seduces her adopted sister's husband.[1]
Personal life
Hart first married publisher Paul Buckley, with whom she had a son.[1]
She later married Maurice Saatchi, who had briefly been her boss at Haymarket Publishing, with whom she had one son,[1]Edward Saatchi. Maurice was granted a peerage and became Baron Saatchi and as a result, she was entitled to the title Lady Saatchi. She was also known as Baroness Saatchi.[5]
Interest in Hart's poetry is maintained by the Josephine Hart Poetry Foundation, a registered charity under English law,[9] which was established by her husband Maurice Saatchi. Its purpose is "the advancement of arts, culture and education, with a particular focus on poetry, literature, and dramatic performance".[2]
The foundation supports The Poetry Hour repertory company, which includes actors Eileen Atkins, Adrian Dunbar, Freddie Fox, Lily James, and Dominic West, all alumni of the Guildhall School of Music & Drama,[2] and many others. They present events at which poetry by the great classic poets favoured by Hart is read by some of the members.[10] This is a continuation of her Gallery Poets (founded mid-1980s), which was later renamed Josephine Hart Poetry Hour.[4]
The foundation also awards the Josephine Hart Poetry Prize.[2]
