Penelope Tree
Encyclopedia
Penelope Tree is an Anglo-American former fashion model
prominent in swinging sixties London.
, a socialite and Democratic political activist, and Ronald Tree
, a bisexual journalist
, investor
and MP
. Tree is a great-granddaughter of American retailer Marshall Field
and of American educator Rev. Endicott Peabody
.
Tree's family objected to her career as a model, and when she was first photographed at the age of 13 by Diane Arbus
, her father vowed he would sue if the pictures were published.
Tree made a striking appearance at the 1966 Black and White Ball thrown by author Truman Capote
, wearing a black V-neck tunic with long slashes from the bottom making floating panels, worn over black tights. The sensation she caused led photographers Cecil Beaton
and Richard Avedon
to work together to make her a supermodel
. She was sixteen and her father had relented. David Bailey described Penelope as 'an Egyptian Jimminy Cricket". In 1967, she moved into Bailey's flat in London's Primose Hill neighbourhood. It became a hang-out for spaced-out hippies during the "Swinging Sixties" who, Bailey recalled, would be "smoking joints I had paid for and calling me a capitalist pig!" In another famous quote, John Lennon, asked to encapsulate Tree in three words, called her, "Hot, Hot, Hot, Smart, Smart, Smart!" She has been extensively compared to The Beatles
for inspiring the swinging 60's movement and for galvanizing a generation of young American females. Scars from late-onset acne ended her career in the early 1970s: "I went from being sought-after to being shunned because nobody could bear to talk about the way I looked."
In 1974, Bailey and Tree split up and she moved to Sydney, Australia. She appeared in the British comedy film The Rutles
in 1978. She is the half-sister of author Frances FitzGerald and a niece of former Massachusetts governor Endicott Peabody
.
She has been married once, to the South African rock musician Ricky Fataar
(who was a member of The Flames
, The Rutles
, and the Beach Boys). She has two children, Paloma Tree Fataar (a graduate of Bard College
and a student of Tibetan Buddhism
and music), and Michael McFarlane, by her relationship with Australian psychoanalyst Stuart McFarlane.
She currently works for Lotus Outreach, a charity which works in Cambodia
in partnership with local grassroots women's organisations to give girls from the very poorest families the wherewithal to go to school.
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
prominent in swinging sixties London.
Life and career
She was the only child of Marietta Peabody TreeMarietta Peabody Tree
Marietta Peabody Tree was an American socialite and political supporter, who represented the United States on the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, appointed under the administration of John F...
, a socialite and Democratic political activist, and Ronald Tree
Ronald Tree
Arthur Ronald Lambert Field Tree , was an American-born British journalist, investor and Conservative Member of Parliament for the Harborough constituency in Leicestershire.-Biography:...
, a bisexual journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, investor
Investor
An investor is a party that makes an investment into one or more categories of assets --- equity, debt securities, real estate, currency, commodity, derivatives such as put and call options, etc...
and MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
. Tree is a great-granddaughter of American retailer Marshall Field
Marshall Field
Marshall Field was founder of Marshall Field and Company, the Chicago-based department stores.-Life and career:...
and of American educator Rev. Endicott Peabody
Endicott Peabody (educator)
The Reverend Endicott Peabody was the American Episcopal priest who founded the Groton School for Boys , in Groton, Massachusetts in 1884. Peabody served as headmaster at the school from 1884 until 1940, and also served as a trustee at Lawrence Academy at Groton...
.
Tree's family objected to her career as a model, and when she was first photographed at the age of 13 by Diane Arbus
Diane Arbus
Diane Arbus March 14, 1923 – July 26, 1971) was an American photographer and writer noted for black-and-white square photographs of "deviant and marginal people or of people whose normality seems ugly or surreal." A friend said that Arbus said that she was "afraid.....
, her father vowed he would sue if the pictures were published.
Tree made a striking appearance at the 1966 Black and White Ball thrown by author Truman Capote
Truman Capote
Truman Streckfus Persons , known as Truman Capote , was an American author, many of whose short stories, novels, plays, and nonfiction are recognized literary classics, including the novella Breakfast at Tiffany's and the true crime novel In Cold Blood , which he labeled a "nonfiction novel." At...
, wearing a black V-neck tunic with long slashes from the bottom making floating panels, worn over black tights. The sensation she caused led photographers Cecil Beaton
Cecil Beaton
Sir Cecil Walter Hardy Beaton, CBE was an English fashion and portrait photographer, diarist, painter, interior designer and an Academy Award-winning stage and costume designer for films and the theatre...
and Richard Avedon
Richard Avedon
Richard Avedon was an American photographer. An obituary published in The New York Times said that "his fashion and portrait photographs helped define America's image of style, beauty and culture for the last half-century."-Photography career:Avedon was born in New York City to a Jewish Russian...
to work together to make her a supermodel
Supermodel
The term supermodel refers to a highly-paid fashion model who usually has a worldwide reputation and often a background in haute couture and commercial modeling. The term became prominent in the popular culture of the 1980s. Supermodels usually work for top fashion designers and labels...
. She was sixteen and her father had relented. David Bailey described Penelope as 'an Egyptian Jimminy Cricket". In 1967, she moved into Bailey's flat in London's Primose Hill neighbourhood. It became a hang-out for spaced-out hippies during the "Swinging Sixties" who, Bailey recalled, would be "smoking joints I had paid for and calling me a capitalist pig!" In another famous quote, John Lennon, asked to encapsulate Tree in three words, called her, "Hot, Hot, Hot, Smart, Smart, Smart!" She has been extensively compared to The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
for inspiring the swinging 60's movement and for galvanizing a generation of young American females. Scars from late-onset acne ended her career in the early 1970s: "I went from being sought-after to being shunned because nobody could bear to talk about the way I looked."
In 1974, Bailey and Tree split up and she moved to Sydney, Australia. She appeared in the British comedy film The Rutles
The Rutles
The Rutles are a band that are known for their visual and aural pastiches and parodies of The Beatles. Originally created by Eric Idle and Neil Innes as a fictional band to be featured as part of various 1970s television programming, the group recorded, toured, and released two UK chart hits in...
in 1978. She is the half-sister of author Frances FitzGerald and a niece of former Massachusetts governor Endicott Peabody
Endicott Peabody
Endicott "Chub" Peabody was the 62nd Governor of Massachusetts from January 3, 1963 to January 7, 1965.-Early life:...
.
She has been married once, to the South African rock musician Ricky Fataar
Ricky Fataar
Ricky Fataar is a South African multi-instrumentalist of Malay descent, who has performed as both a drummer, and a guitarist. He gained fame as an actor in the comedic television movie, The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash, a spoof on the actual history of The Beatles, and for his performance as a...
(who was a member of The Flames
The Flames
The Flames was a musical group from Durban in South Africa. The band was originally formed in 1963 by guitarist Steve Fataar, bassist Brother Fataar , drummer George Faber and guitarist Eugene Champion. However this line-up would only be together to record a couple of songs...
, The Rutles
The Rutles
The Rutles are a band that are known for their visual and aural pastiches and parodies of The Beatles. Originally created by Eric Idle and Neil Innes as a fictional band to be featured as part of various 1970s television programming, the group recorded, toured, and released two UK chart hits in...
, and the Beach Boys). She has two children, Paloma Tree Fataar (a graduate of Bard College
Bard College
Bard College, founded in 1860 as "St. Stephen's College", is a small four-year liberal arts college located in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York.-Location:...
and a student of Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and certain regions of the Himalayas, including northern Nepal, Bhutan, and India . It is the state religion of Bhutan...
and music), and Michael McFarlane, by her relationship with Australian psychoanalyst Stuart McFarlane.
She currently works for Lotus Outreach, a charity which works in Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
in partnership with local grassroots women's organisations to give girls from the very poorest families the wherewithal to go to school.