Her love of writing took over and between 1926 and 1971 she wrote 31 novels and collaborated on a play called 'Poor man’s castle' with Mundy Whitehouse which was performed on the West End stage.

Barbara wrote books as Barbara Blackburn, Frances Caste and Jane Grant.

She married Claude Leader and had 2 sons.

She lived at Anchor Cottage in Latchingdon when she died on 14 May 1981.