Suki Poitier
Encyclopedia
Melanie Susan Potier better known as Suki Potier, was an English
model
.
She was born to Gilbert and Mary (née Moore) Potier in Surrey
. She had an older sister Rosemary Sarah (Sally) Potier born February 12, 1946. As a teenager, she modeled for all the great English designers, becoming a favorite of Ossie Clark
. At the age of 18, Suki was dating Guinness
heir Tara Browne
, who was separated from his then-wife, Nicky.
On December 18, 1966, Suki was a passenger in Tara's Lotus Elan
when he drove through South Kensington
at high speed, colliding with a parked lorry and was killed instantly. Suki was not injured. Part of The Beatles
song, "A Day in the Life
" is based on this incident.
It was this tragedy that led her to Rolling Stones musician Brian Jones
. Suki said, "He gave me a shoulder to cry on and he picked up the pieces and made me feel a woman again". The two dated for approximately two years.
Suki moved to a fifteenth century farmhouse with 27-year-old Brian in the last few months before his death, which was once the home of AA Milne, creator of the Winnie the Pooh stories. It was there in the swimming pool that Brian, who had by then left the Rolling Stones, drowned mysteriously.
Suki was shattered by Brian's death. Suki remained friends with the Rolling Stones, going to parties with Mick Jagger
, attending the Isle of Wight Festival
with Keith Richards
, Charlie Watts
, and other members of the Stones camp.
In the Seventies, Suki married a Hong Kong
businessman named Robert Ho, the eldest son of casino mogul Stanley Ho
and wife Clementina Leitao Ho, with whom she had two daughters, Faye and Sarah. On June 23, 1981, while in Portugal
, the couple were both killed in an automobile accident in their Bentley
on the road to Cascais
, while returning home to their two children, having had a quiet dinner with Robert's mother, who lived nearby.
Today, eldest daughter Faye is active in Macau nonprofit organizations. An avid supporter of children, the elderly, and animal welfare, she is Chairwoman of the Macau Children's Association, Managing Director of Macau Charity Association, Director & President of SPCA - ANIMA Macau.
Meanwhile, youngest daughter Sarah Ho is a successful jewellery designer, who was trained as a goldsmith at the London Metropolitan University and then graduated as a gemologist from the HRD Institute of Gemology in Antwerp, Belgium. She established her own company, SHO Fine Jewellery, in 2006.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
model
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....
.
She was born to Gilbert and Mary (née Moore) Potier in Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
. She had an older sister Rosemary Sarah (Sally) Potier born February 12, 1946. As a teenager, she modeled for all the great English designers, becoming a favorite of Ossie Clark
Ossie Clark
Raymond "Ossie" Clark was an English fashion designer who was a major figure in the Swinging Sixties scene in London and the fashion industry in that era...
. At the age of 18, Suki was dating Guinness
Guinness
Guinness is a popular Irish dry stout that originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness at St. James's Gate, Dublin. Guinness is directly descended from the porter style that originated in London in the early 18th century and is one of the most successful beer brands worldwide, brewed in almost...
heir Tara Browne
Tara Browne
The Honourable Tara Browne was a young London socialite. He is perhaps most famous today for serving as an inspiration of the Beatles song "A Day in the Life".-Biography:...
, who was separated from his then-wife, Nicky.
On December 18, 1966, Suki was a passenger in Tara's Lotus Elan
Lotus Elan
Lotus Elan is the name of two convertible cars and one fixed head coupé produced by Lotus Cars. The original Type 26, 26R Racing version , 36R Racing version , 36 Fixed Head Coupe, 45 Drop Head Coupe, and the "Type 50" +2 Coupe, circa 1962 to 1975, are commonly known as the '60s Elans...
when he drove through South Kensington
South Kensington
South Kensington is a district in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London. It is a built-up area located 2.4 miles west south-west of Charing Cross....
at high speed, colliding with a parked lorry and was killed instantly. Suki was not injured. Part of 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...
song, "A Day in the Life
A Day in the Life
"A Day in the Life" is a song by The Beatles, the final track on the group's 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Credited to Lennon–McCartney, the song comprises distinct segments written independently by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, with orchestral additions...
" is based on this incident.
It was this tragedy that led her to Rolling Stones musician Brian Jones
Brian Jones
Lewis Brian Hopkins Jones , known as Brian Jones, was an English musician and a founding member of the Rolling Stones....
. Suki said, "He gave me a shoulder to cry on and he picked up the pieces and made me feel a woman again". The two dated for approximately two years.
Suki moved to a fifteenth century farmhouse with 27-year-old Brian in the last few months before his death, which was once the home of AA Milne, creator of the Winnie the Pooh stories. It was there in the swimming pool that Brian, who had by then left the Rolling Stones, drowned mysteriously.
Suki was shattered by Brian's death. Suki remained friends with the Rolling Stones, going to parties with Mick Jagger
Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of The Rolling Stones....
, attending the Isle of Wight Festival
Isle of Wight Festival
The Isle of Wight Festival is a music festival which takes place every year on the Isle of Wight in England. It was originally held from 1968 to 1970. These original events were promoted and organised by the Foulk brothers under the banner of their company Fiery Creations Limited...
with Keith Richards
Keith Richards
Keith Richards is an English musician, songwriter, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. Rolling Stone magazine said Richards had created "rock's greatest single body of riffs", and placed him as the "10th greatest guitarist of all time." Fourteen songs written by Richards and songwriting...
, Charlie Watts
Charlie Watts
Charles Robert "Charlie" Watts is an English drummer, best known as a member of The Rolling Stones. He is also the leader of a jazz band, a record producer, commercial artist, and horse breeder.-Early life:...
, and other members of the Stones camp.
In the Seventies, Suki married a Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
businessman named Robert Ho, the eldest son of casino mogul Stanley Ho
Stanley Ho
Stanley Ho, GBM, GLM, GBS, GML, OBE , also known as Ho Hung Sun, Stanley Ho Hung Sun, is an entrepreneur in Hong Kong and Macau. Ho is sometimes nicknamed "The King of Gambling", reflecting the government-granted monopoly he held of the Macau gambling industry for 40 years...
and wife Clementina Leitao Ho, with whom she had two daughters, Faye and Sarah. On June 23, 1981, while in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, the couple were both killed in an automobile accident in their Bentley
Bentley
Bentley Motors Limited is a British manufacturer of automobiles founded on 18 January 1919 by Walter Owen Bentley known as W.O. Bentley or just "W O". Bentley had been previously known for his range of rotary aero-engines in World War I, the most famous being the Bentley BR1 as used in later...
on the road to Cascais
Cascais
Cascais is a coastal town in Cascais Municipality in Portugal, 30 kilometres west of Lisbon, with about 35,000 residents. It is a cosmopolitan suburb of the Portuguese capital and one of the richest municipalities in Portugal. The former fishing village gained fame as a resort for Portugal's royal...
, while returning home to their two children, having had a quiet dinner with Robert's mother, who lived nearby.
Today, eldest daughter Faye is active in Macau nonprofit organizations. An avid supporter of children, the elderly, and animal welfare, she is Chairwoman of the Macau Children's Association, Managing Director of Macau Charity Association, Director & President of SPCA - ANIMA Macau.
Meanwhile, youngest daughter Sarah Ho is a successful jewellery designer, who was trained as a goldsmith at the London Metropolitan University and then graduated as a gemologist from the HRD Institute of Gemology in Antwerp, Belgium. She established her own company, SHO Fine Jewellery, in 2006.