Lady Edith Foxwell
Encyclopedia
Lady Edith Foxwell was a colorful eccentric
known as "The Queen of London
Cafe Society
" in the 1970s and early 1980s. In 1981, she became an investor in London
's famous Embassy Club, where celebrities mixed with the aristocracy
.
She was born Edith Sybil Lambart on 11 June 1918, the daughter of Captain Hon. Lionel John Olive Lambart and Adelaide Douglas Randolph. In 1940 she married the film producer Ivan Cottam Foxwell
, among whose movies was The Colditz Story
(1955). After her uncle, Horace Lambert
, inherited the earldom of Cavan
, she was granted the rank of a daughter of an earl by Royal Warrant of Precedence
in 1947.
In her role as a producer's wife she began meeting many celebrities and showed the forcefulness of her personality when she locked the Welsh
poet Dylan Thomas
in a room for five days, forcing him to remain sober long enough to complete a film script that her husband was producing. She also used to lunch regularly with Noel Coward
when he was in London.
She was one of the few members of London society who remained close friends with Margaret, Duchess of Argyll after the "headless man" scandal which, combined with the John Profumo
affair involving Christine Keeler
, threatened to topple the Government of the day.
In the 1970s she began running the Embassy Club in Mayfair
, which was London's first modern New York
-style nightclub and which attracted many celebrities - including Marvin Gaye
, who was a frequent guest at Sherston, Lady Edith's Wiltshire
estate. Sherston became notorious for its sex and drugs parties with a mixture of show business celebrities and members of the aristocracy.
She and Marvin Gaye
had an affair before Gaye was shot dead by his father. The story of their affair was told by writer Stan Hey in the April 2004 issue of GQ. The report quoted writer/composer Bernard J. Taylor
as saying he was told by Foxwell that she and Gaye had discussed marriage before his death.
As the Mail Online
reported Lady Edith's neighbors included Roddy Llewellyn
(Princess Margaret's boyfriend in the 1970s) who lived in a commune whose members and guests frequently used Lady Edith's swimming pool for nude swimming.
Lady Edith divorced Ivan Foxwell in 1976, after the couple had two daughters, Zia and Atalanta.
In the last two years before she died in March, 1996, she was active in trying to promote the musical works of the novelist and composer Bernard J. Taylor
.
----
Lady Edith Foxwell was an investor in a consortium that bought the Club in 1981 headed by Stephen Hayter, the manager of the Embassy Club under its previous owner. The Embassy had been revived spectacularly by Jeremy Norman, opening in 1978 at almost the same time as Saturday Night Fever
premiered. The Club opened with a star-studded fashion show by Ossie Clarke - the guests included Lady Diana Cooper
and Margaret, Duchess of Argyll. Norman employed Michael Fish, the men's fashion designer and society darling as his "greeter". The club was an instant rave success and the madness lasted for about two years until the fashion for Disco died in 1980. During the period of Norman's ownership, he went on to start Heaven Nightclub, the Embassy played host to nearly all the prominent names in the entertainment, fashion and young society worlds - a true melting pot and crossroads of many cultures. As at Studio 54, everyone came out to party, young and old, including many who had never come out on the scene before.
Eccentricity (behavior)
In popular usage, eccentricity refers to unusual or odd behavior on the part of an individual. This behavior would typically be perceived as unusual or unnecessary, without being demonstrably maladaptive...
known as "The Queen of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
Cafe Society
Café Society
Café society was the collective description for the so-called "Beautiful People" and "Bright Young Things" who gathered in fashionable cafes and restaurants in New York, Paris, and London beginning in the late 19th century...
" in the 1970s and early 1980s. In 1981, she became an investor in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
's famous Embassy Club, where celebrities mixed with the aristocracy
Aristocracy
Aristocracy , is a form of government in which a few elite citizens rule. The term derives from the Greek aristokratia, meaning "rule of the best". In origin in Ancient Greece, it was conceived of as rule by the best qualified citizens, and contrasted with monarchy...
.
She was born Edith Sybil Lambart on 11 June 1918, the daughter of Captain Hon. Lionel John Olive Lambart and Adelaide Douglas Randolph. In 1940 she married the film producer Ivan Cottam Foxwell
Ivan Foxwell
Ivan Foxwell was a British screenwriter and film producer. The screenplay for Tiara Tahiti on which he worked was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best British Screenplay in 1962.-Selected filmography:Producer...
, among whose movies was The Colditz Story
The Colditz Story
The Colditz Story is a 1955 prisoner of war film starring John Mills and Eric Portman and directed by Guy Hamilton.It is based on the book written by P.R...
(1955). After her uncle, Horace Lambert
Horace Lambart, 11th Earl of Cavan
The Venerable Horace Edward Samuel Sneade Lambart, 11th Earl of Cavan was an Anglo-Irish soldier and Anglican priest....
, inherited the earldom of Cavan
Earl of Cavan
Earl of Cavan is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1647 for Charles Lambart, 2nd Baron Lambart. He was made Viscount Kilcoursie, in the King's County, at the same time, also in the Peerage of Ireland...
, she was granted the rank of a daughter of an earl by Royal Warrant of Precedence
Royal Warrant of Precedence
A Royal Warrant of Precedence is a warrant issued by the Monarch of the United Kingdom to determine precedence amongst individuals or organisations....
in 1947.
In her role as a producer's wife she began meeting many celebrities and showed the forcefulness of her personality when she locked the Welsh
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
poet Dylan Thomas
Dylan Thomas
Dylan Marlais Thomas was a Welsh poet and writer, Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 11 January 2008. who wrote exclusively in English. In addition to poetry, he wrote short stories and scripts for film and radio, which he often performed himself...
in a room for five days, forcing him to remain sober long enough to complete a film script that her husband was producing. She also used to lunch regularly with Noel Coward
Noël Coward
Sir Noël Peirce Coward was an English playwright, composer, director, actor and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what Time magazine called "a sense of personal style, a combination of cheek and chic, pose and poise".Born in Teddington, a suburb of London, Coward attended a dance academy...
when he was in London.
She was one of the few members of London society who remained close friends with Margaret, Duchess of Argyll after the "headless man" scandal which, combined with the John Profumo
John Profumo
Brigadier John Dennis Profumo, 5th Baron Profumo CBE , informally known as Jack Profumo , was a British politician. His title, 5th Baron, which he did not use, was Italian. Although Profumo held an increasingly responsible series of political posts in the 1950s, he is best known today for his...
affair involving Christine Keeler
Christine Keeler
Christine Margaret Keeler is an English former model and showgirl. Her involvement with a British government minister discredited the Conservative government of Harold Macmillan in 1963, in what is known as the Profumo Affair....
, threatened to topple the Government of the day.
In the 1970s she began running the Embassy Club in Mayfair
Mayfair
Mayfair is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster.-History:Mayfair is named after the annual fortnight-long May Fair that took place on the site that is Shepherd Market today...
, which was London's first modern New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
-style nightclub and which attracted many celebrities - including Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
, who was a frequent guest at Sherston, Lady Edith's Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
estate. Sherston became notorious for its sex and drugs parties with a mixture of show business celebrities and members of the aristocracy.
She and Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
had an affair before Gaye was shot dead by his father. The story of their affair was told by writer Stan Hey in the April 2004 issue of GQ. The report quoted writer/composer Bernard J. Taylor
Bernard J. Taylor
Bernard J. Taylor is the writer and composer of ten stage musicals and two stage plays. His musicals have been produced around the world and translated into German, Romanian, Polish, Hungarian, Spanish and Italian. He is also the writer of 14 novels and three non-fiction books.Taylor was born and...
as saying he was told by Foxwell that she and Gaye had discussed marriage before his death.
As the Mail Online
Mail Online
Mail Online is the name of the website of the Daily Mail, a newspaper in the United Kingdom. It contains almost all the stories from the Daily Mail and includes a large archive of main stories...
reported
Roddy Llewellyn
Sir Roderic Victor Llewellyn, 5th Baronet is a British baronet, landscape gardener, gardening journalist, author and television presenter...
(Princess Margaret's boyfriend in the 1970s) who lived in a commune whose members and guests frequently used Lady Edith's swimming pool for nude swimming.
Lady Edith divorced Ivan Foxwell in 1976, after the couple had two daughters, Zia and Atalanta.
In the last two years before she died in March, 1996, she was active in trying to promote the musical works of the novelist and composer Bernard J. Taylor
Bernard J. Taylor
Bernard J. Taylor is the writer and composer of ten stage musicals and two stage plays. His musicals have been produced around the world and translated into German, Romanian, Polish, Hungarian, Spanish and Italian. He is also the writer of 14 novels and three non-fiction books.Taylor was born and...
.
----
Lady Edith Foxwell was an investor in a consortium that bought the Club in 1981 headed by Stephen Hayter, the manager of the Embassy Club under its previous owner. The Embassy had been revived spectacularly by Jeremy Norman, opening in 1978 at almost the same time as Saturday Night Fever
Saturday Night Fever
Saturday Night Fever is a 1977 drama film directed by John Badham and starring: John Travolta as Tony Manero, an immature young man whose weekends are spent visiting a local Brooklyn discothèque; Karen Lynn Gorney as his dance partner and eventual friend; and Donna Pescow as Tony's former dance...
premiered. The Club opened with a star-studded fashion show by Ossie Clarke - the guests included Lady Diana Cooper
Lady Diana Cooper
Lady Diana Cooper, Viscountess Norwich was an English socialite and actress.-Birth and youth:Born Lady Diana Olivia Winifred Maud Manners, she was officially the youngest daughter of the 8th Duke of Rutland and his wife, the former Violet Lindsay, but Lady Diana's real father was widely supposed...
and Margaret, Duchess of Argyll. Norman employed Michael Fish, the men's fashion designer and society darling as his "greeter". The club was an instant rave success and the madness lasted for about two years until the fashion for Disco died in 1980. During the period of Norman's ownership, he went on to start Heaven Nightclub, the Embassy played host to nearly all the prominent names in the entertainment, fashion and young society worlds - a true melting pot and crossroads of many cultures. As at Studio 54, everyone came out to party, young and old, including many who had never come out on the scene before.