I mentioned in a previous post my friend Zsazsa’s visit from Hungary. Because she had missed the Weekend with the Oliviers back in May, we decided to take a trip out to Notley Abbey. I admit I was a bit nervous about doing so, for fear there would possibly be a wedding on. I needn’t have worried. All was quiet save for a few couples driving up to view it as a possible wedding location. The day was windy and overcast, but Autumn was definitely definitely set in, turning Larry’s Lime Walk to a brilliant yellow and brown. The various trees around the house were splashed with fiery reds and oranges.
I’ve already written about my experiences at Notley, so I asked Zsazsa if she’d like to write about her own, and will post her account later. For now, she’s given me permission to post some of the photos she took. As you may already know, Zsazsa is a brilliant photographer, and she perfectly captured the aura of romance and history that surrounds Vivien Leigh’s and Laurence Olivier’s former country estate.
My friend Zsazsa came to visit from Hungary two weeks ago. She’s a big Vivien Leigh fan, so we made some plans to see some of the places we visited back in May during the Weekend with the Oliviers (Zsazsa unfortunately couldn’t make it). One of the first things we did was have drinks at the Savoy. Three of my friends, Sami, Ali and Emma joined us and we went for cocktails at the ultra-classy Beaufort Bar.
The Beaufort Bar has the atmosphere of an upscale gin joint with its black and gold art deco furnishings. The bar itself occupies the former cabaret stage where Gershwin once performed. They still employ a piano player and cabaret singer who lend greatly to the ambiance by crooning Cole Porter, Ella Fitzgerald and Lena Horne. But the best part of the experience is the booze!
50 ml BACARDI – Reserva Superior 8 Year Old
15 ml BENEDICTINE – D.O.M.
15 ml LILLET – Blanc
10 ml NOILLY PRAT – Original French Dry
4 ml Black Treacle Syrup
1 dash(es) Bob’s Vanilla Bitters
It was fantastic but a bit heavy. This time I decided to go for something a little more girly and ordered the Princess Ida (named after the Gilbert and Sullivan Opera):
A nice light martini (by light I mean flavor-wise, definitely not alcohol by volume!). It was divine. I have to confess that I don’t like beer (with the exception of Crabbie’s alcoholic ginger beer, a delicious but probably tooth-rotting beverage that can be purchased in Wetherspoon’s) and therefore always prefer a proper cocktail bar over a regular pub, particularly one where fancy dress is required!
There have been many photos taken since the last blog post. A fellow Vivien Leigh fan, Zsazsa R., came to visit from Hungary and we went to all sorts of fun Viv and Larry-related places. More on that in the next post!
For the past few days, England has been experiencing an Indian Summer. With temperatures in the 80s for the first time since April, everyone including me has been outdoors soaking in the vitamin D. On Friday I spent the day in one of London’s largest and most beautiful Royal parks–Richmond! It was so nice to walk along the paths and see the giant deer laying in the grass and swans in the lake. Saturday, my friends Riikka, Katie, Sergio and I decided to get out of the city and spend the day at the beach. It turned out that all of London had the same brilliant idea because although we got to London Bridge bright and early, the train was so crowded we had to stand for the entire journey.
Due to the overwhelming amount of people flooding the sidewalks in Brighton, we took the train to another coastal town called Seaford, near Lewes. Seaford is a former port town that is now used as a seaside resort. The beaches are rocky and the sea, of course, is actually the English Channel, so there aren’t really waves. But the water is nice and blue-green. The nearby countryside is the location of the Seven Sisters–seven chalk cliffs similar to the White Cliffs of Dover. It also served as a filming location for the end scene in Joe Wright’s Atonement with James McAvoy and Kiera Knightley, which Sergio and I attempted to re-enact.
After a jaunt up the cliffs for some photos, we headed back to Brighton to catch a spectacular sunset on the pier. Brighton is a beautiful and lively city, and Laurence Olivier was a significant figure here in his post-Vivien Leigh life. After marrying Joan Plowright in 1961, Larry left London and settled in Brighton to raise a family. The new Oliviers lived in 4 Royal Crescent, two houses Larry had knocked together to make a bigger home. He continued to spend much of his time up in London (he often travelled on the Brighton Belle train) but many an older person living in Brighton still has fond memories of seeing him with his kids at the playground by the beach (no longer there, sadly). Apparently he was a regular at some of the pubs and restaurants on the waterfront, as well. In 1970, he was made a Life Peer and became Baron Olivier of Brighton.
Whenever I go to Sussex, I am immediately reminded of two brilliant novels: Brighton Rock by Graham Greene (I always throught Brighton Rock was rock candy in the American sense, but it’s actually just a giant candy cane) and Watership Down by Richard Adams. If you’re ever looking for a great read, I’d recommend either of these books. They both capture fascinating, albeit completely different, aspects of southern England.
Evening on Brighton Pier
Sunset over Brighton
Brighton Beach
A very crowded beach
The English Channel
The Seven Sisters
That hill was quite a workout
Seaford and the South Downs
Lovely view from the cliffs
The Sussex coastline
Seven Sisters
Seaford
The lone swimmer
The white cliffs of Seaford
The lights of Brighton Pier
Sunset over Brighton
Carnival, Brighton Pier
Shirt: Zara | Shorts: Abercrombie & Fitch | Purse: Miss Selfridge
Four original Angus McBean portraits from the last sitting he did with Vivien Leigh in 1965. They’re all signed and dated, and I only recall one of them from the book Vivien: A Love Affair in Camera. The others are new to me. As you know, McBean was Vivien’s “official” photographer and snapped her numerous times throughout her career for the stage and general fashion shots. I purchased this set today from a very nice collector here in London who has worked on several famous documentaries, including the Emmy-winning Laurence Olivier: A Life. Aren’t they fantastic? The detail is so sharp when looking at them in person and you can tell where touch-ups were made. These are real treasures, I’m so happy and honored to add them to my collection!
I know I said no new blog posts until I’ve handed in my dissertation. I lied. In desperate need of a break and a respite from writer’s block, my friend Sammi and I decided to hop a train to Devon to visit the fabled Topsham Museum. I say “fabled” because I’ve yet to meet any other Vivien Leigh fans who have been there. Well, it turns out we weren’t special after all because, as curator Rachel Nichols informed us, fans from all over the world visit the quaint hamlet near Exeter just to see the Vivien Leigh memorabilia on display in their museum. This includes her daughter Suzanne Farrington, who visits a few times a year. What’s the connection? Topsham is a picturesque port village on the River Exe with roots that date back to Roman times. The Holmans, whom Vivien Leigh married in to in 1932, were thriving ship builders here in the mid-19th century. Leigh Holman’s sister Dorothy lived in a massive house at 25 The Strand, and Suzanne used to spend holidays here. There are stories of Vivien coming to visit Dorothy on occasion in the 1940s and 50s (no word whether or not Larry Olivier ever tagged along). Members of the local youth club, which Dorothy founded in 1939, remember Vivien stopping by to play table tennis and offer practical advice about acting. In the 1960s, Dorothy decided to turn her home into a museum about local culture and history. Hearing about her aunt’s plans, Suzanne donated several items of her mother’s to be put on display. Suzanne and/or Dorothy have also donated Vivien’s belongings to a few other museums in Exeter. The prized piece in the Topsham collection is the silk nightgown Vivien Leigh wore as Scarlett O’Hara in Gone with the Wind. After filming wrapped, Vivien was allowed to keep two costumes from the wardrobe department. This was one of the pieces she chose. Rachel told us that she discovered the nightgown in the bottom of a chest at the back of the museum and that it still held traces of Vivien’s perfume. This dress is switched out for a replica every few months, which is the version we saw on our visit. Other items in the exhibit include the gown Vivien wore to the London premier of Richard III in 1955 (this was my personal favorite, it’s so beautiful), a chair from the St. James Theatre, a tan day-suit, Letters from Vivien to Dorothy, including an invitation to Suzanne’s wedding to Robin Farrington and a calling card for Lowndes Cottage, a veiled hat and fur muff, a scent bottle, a cashmere stole from India and a silk square Vivien used to cover her dirty clothes at the end of the day–a habit she picked up at the convent school in Roehampton as a child. It was a real treat to get to see these things up close and in person, and the staff at the museum could not have been more friendly. If you’re ever in the Westcountry or just feel like venturing out to see this museum, I’d definitely recommend it. The town itself is beautiful and the museum adds a nice extra touch. I’m so glad fans travel all the way there just for Vivien. It’s certainly a testament to her lasting power! Photos open in lightbox.
Sammi and I in Topsham
Sammi in the tea room with her postcard and a copy of Scarlett’s Women: Gone with the Wind and its Female Fans by Helen Taylor
Me at lunch on the Quay
Boats on the Exe
The Exe
View of the River Exe from the Strand
I love how many houses in England have unique names
Sammi at the museum
Detail of the Richard III premier dress
Richard III premiere dress
Necklace worn by Vivien Leigh
Vivien Leigh’s hat and muff
Cashmere stole, silk square, scent bottle and ring stand
Ivory box given as a first night present at the opening of Streetcar, 1949
Fortnum and Mason suit
Fortnum and Mason suit worn by Vivien Leigh
Vivien Leigh nightgown from GWTW (replica)
A chair from the St. James Theatre
Press clippings
Vivien Leigh clippings book
Invitation to Suzanne’s wedding to Robin Farrington
