 She studied at the Guildhall School of Music, where she won the Melba scholarship, the Knill challenge cup for the best student of the year, and the Heilbut scholarship.She also studied with Liza Lehmann, who took her to sing to the music publisher and impresario William Boosey, who gave her a contract to sing songs published by his company, at "Ballad concerts, Promenades and Sunday evening concerts".She made her Wigmore Hall début in 1917, and in April 1918 married a soldier, Captain David Rogerson Strang of the Royal Engineers, son of the painter William Strang.