Joan Imogen Muriel Skirving JP (, c. 1937 – 1 July 2016) was a British

hotelier A hotel manager, hotelier, or lodging manager is a person who manages the operation of a hotel, motel, resort, or other lodging-related establishment. Management of a hotel operation includes, but is not limited to: management of hotel staff, b ...

and

restaurateur A restaurateur is a person who opens and runs restaurants professionally. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who owns a restaurant, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspe ...

, who turned her family home

Langar Hall Langar Hall is a Grade II listed house, now a hotel, next to the church in Langar, Nottinghamshire. The current building dates back to the 18th century, but parts are "probably a survival of an earlier building". History The Howes came into pos ...

into an award-winning country house hotel.

Biography

Skirving was born as Joan Imogen Muriel Huskinson in 1937 in

Marylebone Marylebone (usually , also ) is an area in London, England, and is located in the City of Westminster. It is in Central London and part of the West End. Oxford Street forms its southern boundary. An ancient parish and latterly a metropo ...

, London, England. She was the daughter of Geoffrey Huskinson, a "pre-war captain of

Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club is one of eighteen first-class county clubs within the domestic cricket structure of England and Wales. It represents the historic county of Nottinghamshire. The club's limited overs team is called th ...

," and his wife, Carmen Imogen de las Casas, who was the daughter of a Spanish nobleman from Cuba. She had three siblings, including cartoonist Geoffrey Huskinson. Skirving's great-grandmother bought Langar Hall, outside Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, in 1860. Skirving inherited the family home, where her father used to entertain famous cricketers of the 1930's, after his death in 1968. She turned the residence into an award-winning boutique country house hotel. Guests at Langar Hall included

Keira Knightley Keira Christina Knightley ( ; born 26 March 1985) is an English actress. Known for her work in independent films and Blockbuster (entertainment), blockbusters, particularly Historical drama, period dramas, she has received List of awards and no ...

Barbara Cartland Dame Mary Barbara Hamilton Cartland (9 July 1901 – 21 May 2000) was an English writer who published both contemporary and historical romance novels, the latter set primarily during the Victorian or Edwardian period. Cartland is one of the ...

Henry Blofeld Henry Calthorpe Blofeld (born 23 September 1939), nicknamed Blowers by Brian Johnston, is an English retired sports journalist, broadcaster and amateur ornithologist best known as a cricket commentator for '' Test Match Special'' on BBC Radi ...

, and the

Archbishop of Canterbury The archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and a principal leader of the Church of England, the Primus inter pares, ceremonial head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the bishop of the diocese of Canterbury. The first archbishop ...

. The former Labour Party leader

Ed Miliband Edward Samuel Miliband (born 24 December 1969) is a British politician who has served as Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero since July 2024. He has been Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliament (MP) for D ...

married

Justine Thornton Dame Justine Thornton (born 16 September 1970), styled The Hon Mrs Justice Thornton, is a British barrister and High Court judge (England and Wales), judge of the High Court of England and Wales. Thornton was appointed to the High Court of Eng ...

there in 2011. Skirving served as chair of the Nottinghamshire Building Preservation Trust in 1976. Skirving died on 1 July 2016, when she was hit by a car whilst on holiday in

Menorca Menorca or Minorca (from , later ''Minorica'') is one of the Balearic Islands located in the Mediterranean Sea belonging to Spain. Its name derives from its size, contrasting it with nearby Mallorca. Its capital is Maó, situated on the isl ...

, Spain.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Skirving, Imogen 1937 births 2016 deaths People from Rushcliffe (district) 20th-century English businesswomen 20th-century English businesspeople 21st-century English businesswomen 21st-century English businesspeople British hoteliers Road incident deaths in Spain British expatriates in Spain Women hoteliers