Joyce Irene Grenfell, OBE (nee Phipps; 10 February 1910 – 30 November 1979) was a British comedian, actress and, in her time, one of the country's best loved entertainers, immortalised in roles such as the gym mistress Miss Gossage in The Happiest Days of Your Life and Ruby Gates in the St Trinian's films.: She achieved success as a writer and performer of songs and monologues at a time when it was unusual for a woman of her social background to work.