LONDON — 1955 will go down in history books as Cecil Beaton’s annus horribilis and also the making of him.

The British photographer’s most fashionable and prolific photographic years were between 1927 to 1956. He took thousands of photographs of aristos, actresses, literary types and socialites for Vogue magazine until it came to a halt in 1955.

Beaton had a disagreement with Edna Woolman Chase, the editorial director of the magazine, who was editor in chief from 1914 to 1952. Simultaneously, in 1955, British Vogue also decided not to renew his contract for the poor standards of his work.

A pile of letters from British Vogue’s editor in chief Audrey Withers telling the photographer that his heart and soul was not into his work, are now on display at the National Portrait Gallery in

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