Blow by Blow

You might have thought that the escapades of Happy Valley stayed in Happy Valley, but you would be wrong.

You might ask yourself how one of the great fashion icons of the last 20 years could be impacted by Happy Valley.

Well, lets see.

You may remember The Temptress, Alice de Janzé, may have killed Lord Erroll who had been married to The Bolter, Idina Sackville. What we failed to tell you was who actually went on trial for the murder of Lord Erroll.

Jock & Diana

It was Jock Broughton. Broughton brought his new wife, Diana, to Happy Valley. Diana began an affair with none other than Lord Erroll, making Jock the main suspect in the murder. He went on trial and was acquitted. There were no witnesses and some confusion about the spiralling on the bullets. Oh yes, and his barber was the jury foreman and well... he probably didn't do it. Still, he was ostracised from Happy Valley, so he returned to England. Depressed and lonely, Broughton killed himself.

Depression often runs in families and the Delves Broughton's are no different. So Jock's suicide impacted the life and death of his granddaughter...

Isabella Blow.

Isabella Blow was one of those people who could see through the dross and find the shiny surface. Finding people was her supreme talent.

Isabella in Philip Treacy hat

She found Philip Treacy, who found a muse in Isabella. She found Sophie Dahl crying on her steps and turned the buxom Sophie into a sought-after model.

Lee McQueen and Isabella in Vanity Fair

She found Alexander McQueen, who treated her quite badly and eventually took his own life.

Isabella was one of those rare individuals who was s just that -- individual. In today's climate, women seem to all be striving to look alike. Isabella's unique looks plagued her own identity. Frankly, I wouldn't trade one Isabella Blow for the hundreds of clipped, spray tanned, botoxed Barbies out there.



Her husband, Detmar Blow, has written a bio/memoir about Isabella. It is a sad read. Those around her tried valiantly to provide a safe place for Isabella to be Isabella, but in the end, no one could save her. Isabella Blow was one of those women you wanted to see haunting the runways and back alleys of fashion well into her 90's. We will never get that experience and that make me sad.

There are several book about Isabella Blow surfacing now. I am most interested in Lauren Goldstein Crowe biography coming out later this year. When I read it, you will be the first to know!

Alice Did It!

Once upon a time in Africa, there was an enclave of druggie, over-indulged, ne'er-do-well Brits who made up Happy Valley. One of the women at Happy Valley was a socialite from middle America with the very European name of Alice de Janzé. More recently, she has become known as merely, The Temptress, thanks to a book of the same title by Paul Spicer.


If ever there is such a thing as a "poor little rich girl" Alice Silverthorne might have been one. There is much conflicting information about her, which is why she is such a fascinating subject and why The Temptress is such a good read. Here is just a partial list of highlights:

Consumptive as a child.

Lost mother at age 8 leaving young Alice loaded. (It is possible that her Mother died after being locked out of he house in the freezing cold, but that's a totally different bio!)

May or may not have been molested by her Father. ( One way or the other, Daddy lost custody.)

Married Comte de Janzé, who was sad that Alice would lose the name "Silverthorne" upon their marriage.

Fell in love with Raymond de Trafford in 1926.

Shot de Trafford who refused to marry her and turned the gun on herself. (F. Scott Fitzgerald used the incident in Tender Is The Night.)

Both lived and eventually married each other... then divorced.

Had an affair with Joss Erroll and then killed him. (According to Spicer.)

Killed herself.


I'm tired just thinking about it. If you read White Mischief or saw the exceptionally melodramatic movie of the same name ( Sarah Miles was cast as Alice), or if you are fond of beautiful train wrecks, do give this a read.

As the influx of expats hit Nairobi, the St. Andrew's Church Woman's Guild, Nairobi compiled the Kenya Settlers' Cookery Book and Household Guide to help the wives adjust. Check out a recipe at Cookbook Of The Day.