#lady idina sackville

[corallapis]

Olga “Oggie” Lynn (1882-1961), born Lowenthal, was a singer and singing teacher, who, despite being somewhat older than most of the Bright Young Things, was a staple of their circle. She was “short,” “dumpy,” and “jolly,” and would often host tableuax vivants for charity or sing at parties with “a rather sweet, pure little voice” when she wasn't giving lessons. She “was inclined to get into situations with which she could not cope and was always being helped by her friends,” chief among them Oliver Messel.

For a time, she lived together with Gladys Cooper, Lady Idina Sackville, and Tallulah Bankhead. According to Chips Channon, she and Tallulah Bankhead were “the queens of London's wickedest world — la haute lesbie [coterie of smart lesbians].” Her girlfriend, Maud “the Admiral” Nelson (1904-1969), though “unable to type,” was secretary first to Napier, Lord Alington, and then Cecil Beaton. It is undoubtedly Maud Nelson to whom Anthony Powell refers when he describes the mixed make-up of the parties of the age:

At one end of the scale there'd be quite smart people, Diana Cooperish sort of figures and so on. At the other there'd always be a lot of these girls who were sort of living on the margin — you know, they'd do a little modeling; at the same time they were not quite tarts but they were being half kept. And then it would tail off into the queer, almost criminal world — lesbians dressed as admirals, that sort of thing. (emphasis mine, qtd. in Taylor, Bright Young People)

As a Christmas present, in 1933, Baba and Cecil Beaton gifted Olga Lynn a scrapbook filled with signed photographs of their friends, giving us a glimpse of her social circle. It included Lady Idina Sackville; Violet, Duchess of Rutland; Gertrude Lawrence; Lady Diana Cooper; Napier, Lord Alington; Sir Michael Duff; Audrey Pleydell-Bouverie; and Viola Tree.

[bisluthq]

I LOVE The Bolter. I love when that woman reflects on her "serial dating." I do think it's pretty auto-biographical, but not about any one specific situation. It's reflective of a pattern of behaviour. The "cad" in the second verse could refer to literally any of her exes. She REALLY knows how to pick 'em.

ALSO, I found out recently that the term of "the bolter" originally derives from the woman Lady Idina Sackville:

"She was a part of the Happy Valley set, a group of British aristocrats who settled in colonial Kenya in the 1930s and became notorious for their drinking and sexual promiscuity.

According to the New York Times, Sackville first “shocked Britain” by leaving her husband, named “the most eligible bachelor of her generation,” and running off with another man to Kenya. She got married and divorced five times in her lifetime, earning her the “Bolter” title."

So that's who she's comparing herself to (presumably). Also the whole "reviled" thing reminded me how she used to say in interviews that her mum would be the one to ground her before Award shows and tell her, "Look, you probably won't win this one," and her Dad would act as if every song she wrote was the best thing to ever Grace the planet, and how that allowed her balance.

So.. yeah, she kind of was reviled by everyone except her father lmao. Scott may have his issues, but she has made it clear time and time again that he is passionately supportive of her in a way that, yes, even her mother isn't (though she's obviously incredibly supportive in her own way!)

interesting about that Sackville lady - not sure if she was intentionally referencing that but an interesting story. I also hear what you're saying.

[yesterdaysprint]

Lady Idina Sackville and the Hon. Josslyn Hays, recently engaged, in Italy 1923 

[mea-gloria-fides]

Lady Idina Wallace, née Sackville, daughter of Gilbert Sackville, 8th Earl De La Warr: William Orpen, 1915

[mmmnooope]

William Orpen (Irish, 1878-1931)

Portrait of Lady Myra Idina Sackville

[fawnvelveteen]

Lady Idina Sackville