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!

The Bolter

When we were last in Happy Valley, we learned that Alice de Janzé most probably killed her lover, Joss Erroll (Josslyn Victor Hay, 22nd Earl of Erroll). But what about Joss' wife or ex-wife? Yes, she too, has a bio out (we will talk about it later). In the above photo you will find, starting at the far left, none other than today's featured bio subject Idina Sackville (looking a bit frumpy in that housedress). Next to her you will find Raymond de Trafford (who, we know from yesterday, was shot because he wouldn't marry Alice de Janzé). Next to de Trafford is the shooter, Alice de Janzé (who eventually became de Trafford's wife and ex-wife). Next to Alice is Joss Erroll who was married to Idina and probably killed by Alice. This may finally prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Happy Valley was just a big old trailer park.

In fact, no one in the family ever even mentioned Idina, so when her great-granddaughter, Frances Osborne, started sifting through family info, one can only imagine her surprise. Idina Sackville was according to her great-granddaughter, the inspiration for Nancy Mitford's character the Bolter, the heroine Michael Arlen's The Green Hat, a William Orpen subject, and Molyneux's muse. Idina was always bolting, leaving her two sons and numerous husbands (four or five depending upon who's counting). Even the papers couldn't keep the story straight judging from this newspaper clipping featuring three of her husbands.



Again, if you like the 1920's and the debauched colonialism of the Happy Valley, here's another one to add to the list.

While her great-grandmother, The Bolter, was scandalizing Edwardian society, Frances Osbourne's other great-grandmother, Lilla Eckford, fought China. At age of 100, she won. Want to know more? Check out Lilla's Feast at Cookbook Of The Day.