Margaret Francesca Ramsay (Peggy) was an Australia born British theatrical agent who spent many years living in Brighton. There is a blue plaque ison the house she used as a weekend retreat in Kensington Place, Brighton which was unveiled by her friend Simon Callow in 2009. Peggy set up her business in 1953 and over the years nurtured some of the most dazzling theatrical talents of the day. Among her clients were Windsor Davies, Simon Callow, Gunther Grass, Alan Ayckbourn, John Lennon, Colin McInnes, John Mortimer, Muriel Spark and Joe Orton. Ramsay was particularly proud at discovering the darkly humorous Joe Orton who she helped in his career before finally identifying his battered body in 1967.
Peggy’s last years were affected by the onset of Alzheimer’s disease and she died on 4 September 1991. The Peggy Ramsay Foundation was established by her estate and makes grants and awards to help writers and writing for the stage. Her archive has been donated to the British Library.
