Socialite Collection

The It Girl by George Whitelaw
Colour illustration showing an attractive socialite surrounded by attentive gentlemen

Miss Angela Dudley-Ward
Claire Angela Louise Dudley Ward (1916 1999) later Lady Laycock, or Angie, [7] who married in 1935 the commando leader Major-General Sir Robert Laycock by whom she had two sons and three daughters

Mrs McCorquodale (Barbara Cartland) dressed as champagne
Dame Mary Barbara Hamilton Cartland (1901-2000), married name Mrs Barbara McCorquodale, British novelist. Photographed here in a sparkling champagne dress

Gene Tierney (1920 - 1991), New York socialite who became an actress on film and stage, first on stage, then in Hollywood films

Mrs Whighams Ascot Party
A group at a house party held by Mrs George Hay Whigham at her home at Ascot, during Ascot Week. From left, Mr, C. Moore, Miss Margaret Whigham (Mrs Whighams daughter, later the Duchess of Argyll)

Mrs Flash Kellett, wife of Lieutenant Colonel Edward Orlando Kellett and formerly Helen Myrtle Dorothy Atherley, drawn by Olive Snell

Wallis Simpson
A glamorous studio portrait of Bessie Wallis Warfield Simpson, later Duchess of Windsor (1896-1986), American socialite. Born in Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania, she divorced her second husband

Countess Haugwitz-Reventlow - Barbara Hutton
Portrait of Countess Haugwitz-Reventlow, formerly Barbara Woolworth Hutton (1912-1979), socialite, heiress and philanthropist, dubbed the " poor little rich girl"

Dorothy Violet Wellesley, Duchess of Wellington (1889-1956), styled Lady Gerald Wellesley between 1914 and 1943, born Dorothy Violet Ashton, socialite, author, poet and literary editor

Mrs Charles Sweeny as Astrae the Star-Maiden
Mrs Charles Sweeny, formerly Miss Margaret Whigham and later the Duchess of Argyll (1912 - 1993), pictured as Astrae, the Star-Maiden for the Olympian Party at Claridges on 5 March 1935 in aid of

The Hon. Alicia Browne, later Alicia Edmonstone (1909 - 1992), only daughter of Lord and Lady Kilmaine. Seventh in a series of Bystander Beauties photographed in colour especially for The Bystander

The Hon. Eileen Nelson Hood
A portrait of Viscountess Bridports only daughter, sister to Viscount Bridport. Miss Nelson Hood, reported the Bystander was greatly interested in yachting, dogs and lawn tennis

Countess of Tankerville (Leonora Van Marter)
Lady Paget, formerly Minnie Stevens of New York, American heiress and prominent society hostess. Known as Mrs Arthur Paget before her husband was elevated to the peerage. Date: 1904

Tatler front cover featuring Viscountess Furness
Thelma, Lady Furness (1904 - 1970), born Thelma Morgan featured on the front cover of The Tatler. Thelma married twice, the second time to Marmaduke Furness, 1st Viscount Furness

Tatler front cover featuring Loelia, Duchess of Westminster
Front cover of The Tatler featuring a photograph of Loelia, Duchess of Westminster (1902 - 1993), born Loelia Mary Ponsonby

Mrs and Mrs Charles Sweeny at The Embassy Club
Mr and Mrs Charles Sweeny (Mrs Charles Sweeny was formerly Miss Margaret Whigham and later the infamous Duchess of Argyll)

Mrs Charles Sweeny contemplating her portrait
Mrs Charles Sweeny (1912 - 1993), formerly Miss Margaret Whigham and later the Duchess of Argyll, pictured looking at her own portrait in an exhibition of work by the portraitist Molly Bishop at

Iya, Lady Abdy in her Venetian palazzo
Iya (nee de Gay), Lady Abdy. (1897-1993), Socialite; first wife of Sir Robert Abdy, 5th Baronet; daughter of George de Gay, pictured at her home

Viscountess Castlerosse dressed as a fish course
Doris Delavigne, Viscountess Castlerosse, dressed as a fish part of a living Christmas dinner set of fancy dress at the Santa Claus Ball held at the Kit-Cat club on 18 December 1929 in aid of Queen

Harper's Bazaar - Margaret Lockwood - Molyneux Dress
Client: Harper's Bazaar - Margaret Lockwood - location legendary socialite Chips Channon's house at 5 Belgrave Square - Molyneux Dress - February 4, 1942 Date: 1942

Margaret Whigham as The Precious One at the Gay Party
Miss Margaret Whigham, celebrated debutante and it girl, later Mrs Charles Sweeny and then the Duchess of Argyll, whose divorce case in 1963 scandalised the country

Miss Inez Holden. Beatrice Inez Lisette (Paget) Holden (1903-1974) was a British writer and Bohemian social figure and journalist, also known for her association with George Orwell. Date: 1932

Bridgett Poulett, Jeanne Stourton & Joan Humphreys, Yevonde
Front cover of The Sketch with three portraits of socialites by Madame Yevonde. Top left is Lady Bridgett Poulett, right is Miss Jeanne Stourton and bottom left is Miss Joan Humphreys

Mme. Lucien Lelong wearing a Lelong design
Madame Lucien Lelong, formerly Princess Nathalie Paley, and wife of the dress designer, pictured modelling one of her husbands designs

A group at Murrays including Lady Idina Gordon
A group at Murrays River Club in Maidenhead, Jack Mays outpost of his Beak Street club in Londons Soho. From left, Jack Gordon, the Countess of Munster, Miss Olga Lynn (famous singing teacher)

Margaret Whigham & Mrs Colclough, Best of Everything Ball
Miss Margaret Whigham and Mrs Colclough displaying British gloves, stockings and scarves at the Best of Everything Dinner

Margaret Whigham at the British Porcelain Ball
Margaret Whigham (1912 - 1993), British society figure, debutante of the year in 1930. Later Mrs Charles Sweeny, after marrying the American golfer, and then Duchess of Argyll

Mrs Charles Sweeny and daughter
Mrs Charles Sweeny, formerly Miss Margaret Whigham and later, on her second marriage, Duchess of Argyll, pictured with her daughter Frances

Jewels of Empire Ball - Lady Diana Cooper
Lady Diana Cooper (nee Manners), leader of the Diamond group at the Jewels of Empire Ball, held at the Park Lane Hotel in aid of Enham Village Centre for Disabled Ex-Service Men

Ava Lowle Willing, Lady Ribblesdale (1868-1958), American socialite, wife of Thomas Lister, 4th Baron Ribblesdale. late 19th century

Princess Pauline von Metternich, Austrian socialite
Princess Pauline von Metternich (nee Countess Pauline Sandor de Szlavnicza, 1836-1921), Austrian socialite. She married her uncle, Prince Richard von Metternich, Austrian ambassador to France

Miss Elizabeth Asquith
A portrait painting of Elizabeth Charlotte Lucy Asquith Bibesco, an English woman who was to become a socialite, actress and writer

Mlle Lantelme, actress drowned in the Rhine
Mlle Genevieve Lantelme, actress (1883-1911), theatrical portraits, captioned France's most lovely actress, drowned in the Rhine'

Mrs Christa Brassey
Christa Brassey (1909-1986) was born Dorothea Christa Baronin von Bodenhausen. Here she is being celebrated for her talents as a linguist and aviatrix. Date: 1939

Portrait of a Miss Gebhard
Miss Gebhard, an American whose family appear to have taken residence at Corsham Court in Wiltshire. Date: 1910

Advertisement for Matita Ltd, clothing, with Mrs Balfour and two lurchers, fashion studio portrait. With description, Pleasantly assured in the matter of clothes

Lady Ravensdale, formal studio portrait with large pearl earrings. With description, A new portrait of Lady Ravensdale, the eldest of the late Marquess Curzon of Kedleston's three daughters; she

Yvonne Fitzroy, actress, theatrical portrait in costume in The Arcadians, Shaftesbury Theatre. Captioned, Arcadian with wine glass'. From an article, London Night's Entertainments'

Sir John Lavery at his easel in Palm Springs, painting Doris Delavigne, Lady Castlerosse, who is seated on a diving board. Date: 1938

Page from The Tatler reporting on the coming out dance of Christine Sekers, daughter of Miki Sekers. The event was held at Syon Park where a nightclub was created by with moss-covered castellated

Margaret Thesiger (1911-1991) youngest daughter of Frederic Thesiger, 1st Viscount Chelmsford. Following her marriage to John Goldman (Monck), she became the photographer Margaret Monck. Date: 1924

Familiar Faces, Brilliant Brunettes by Pat Charles
A sextet of well-known society women who happen to have brunette hair. Top left, model Hilary Charles, sister of the artist Pat Charles, top right Lady Pamela Smith, daughter of Lord Birkinhead

MMe, Drake-Exner wearing in a dress of her own design
Madame Drake-Exner, formerly Evelyn Boyriven, Parisian socialite, pictured wearing a simple patterned day dress of her own design, with a severe felt hat and snake belt. Date: 1929

Sketch cover, Marquise de Casa Maury (Paula Gellibrand)
Front cover of The Sketch featuring Paula Gellibrand, wife of the 1st Marquis de Casa Maury (1898-1986), socialite, pictured wearing a simple

Barbara Cartland
Dame Mary Barbara Hamilton Cartland (1901-2000), married name Mrs Barbara McCorquodale, prolific British novelist, though the Tatler describes her here as, " the pretty daughter of Mrs Cartland

Dickie Gordon and Walter Crisham at Eden Roc
Dorothy Mary " Dickie" Fellowes-Gordon (3 August 1891 11 August 1991) Scottish socialite, coal industry heiress and singer, companion of Elsa Maxwell

Fortnum & Mason fashion ad - Mrs Philip Kindersley
Advertisement for a ready-to-wear suit in pale green wool tweed with white revers from Fortnum & Mason, modelled by society beauty, Mrs Philip Kindersley

Beauty, brains and breeding 1919
Photographs of society women in 1919, (left to right): Margaret Sheila Mackellar Chisholm (1895 -1969), Lady Loughborough, Australian born wife of Francis Edward Scudamore St Clair-Erskine

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