Lady Bridget Elizabeth Felicia Henrietta Augusta Poulett (29 January 1912 – 31 July 1978), was an English socialite, sometime model of

Cecil Beaton Sir Cecil Walter Hardy Beaton (14 January 1904 – 18 January 1980) was a British fashion, portrait and war photographer, diarist, painter, and interior designer, as well as costume designer and set designer for stage and screen. His accolades ...

Biography

Lady Bridget Elizabeth Felicia Henrietta Augusta Poulett was born on 29 January 1912, the daughter of

William Poulett, 7th Earl Poulett William John Lydston Poulett, 7th Earl Poulett (11 September 1883 – 11 July 1918) was an English peer and British Army officer. Biography Educated at Cheltenham College Cheltenham College is a public school ( fee-charging boarding and d ...

, and Sylvia Lilian Storey, an actress and Gaiety girl. Lady Bridget Poulett was considered one of the great Society Beauties of the 1930s. She was famous for her almond green eyes and jet black hair. She was photographed by all the leading photographers of the day. A famous 1920 photo by Cecil Beaton depicts

Baba Beaton Barbara Jessica Hardy Beaton (21 January 1912 – 18 March 1973), known as Baba Beaton, was an English socialite who, together with her sister, Nancy, was known as one of the Beaton Sisters, and was included in ''The Book of Beauty'' by their br ...

, Wanda Baillie-Hamilton and Lady Bridget Poulett. She was one of a series of society beauties photographed as classical figures by

Madame Yevonde Yevonde Philone Middleton (née Cumbers; 5 January 1893 – 22 December 1975) was an English photographer, who pioneered the use of colour in portrait photography. She used the professional name Madame Yevonde or simply Yevonde in a career last ...

. In June 1932 Lady Bridget Poulett, together with

, Lady Patricia Moore, Jeanne Stourton, Molly Vaughan, Katherine Horlick, Margaret Livingstone-Learmonth and Priscilla Weigall, considered among the most beautiful debutantes of 1932, were supposed to be the bridesmaids to the wedding of Miss

Margaret Whigham Ethel Margaret Campbell, Duchess of Argyll (''née'' Whigham, formerly Sweeny; 1 December 1912 – 25 July 1993) was a Scottish heiress, socialite, and aristocrat who was most famous for her 1951 marriage and much-publicised 1963 divorce fr ...

Charles Greville, 7th Earl of Warwick Charles Guy Fulke Greville, 7th Earl of Warwick, 7th Earl Brooke (4 March 1911 – 20 January 1984), was a British peer and the last Earl of Warwick to live at the family seat Warwick Castle before its sale in 1978. He became the first British ...

, but the engagement was broken in April. In the end, she was a bridesmaid when Whigham married

Charles Francis Sweeny Charles Francis Sweeny (October 3, 1909 or 1910, Scranton, Pennsylvania – March 11, 1993) was an American businessman and socialite who played a major role in the formation of the Eagle Squadrons, composed mostly of volunteer American pilots eag ...

, an American golfer. In January 1933 she was the bridesmaid of Nancy Beaton who was marrying Sir Hugh Houston Smiley, 3rd Baronet (1905–1990). The dresses were designed by

and among the other bridesmaids there were

, and Lady Anne Wellesley. On 20 March 1933 she was a model for the 24th Birthday Celebrations and opening of the new building of

Selfridge's Selfridges, also known as Selfridges & Co., is a chain of upmarket department stores in the United Kingdom that is operated by Selfridges Retail Limited. It was founded by Harry Gordon Selfridge in 1908. The historic Daniel Burnham-designed Sel ...

; it was advertized as a Fashion Premiere presented by Society Beauties, and the other models were:

, Betty Colclough, Dorothy Hyson, Averil Streatfield, Audrey Simpson, Peta Dundas, Hilary Charles, Mona Simpson and Pat Charles; directing the parades was Jeanne Stourton. In April 1934 she did a charitable fashion parade in aid of the Manchester Babies' Hospital organized by Finnigans in conjunction with

Norman Hartnell Sir Norman Bishop Hartnell (12 June 1901 – 8 June 1979) was a leading British fashion designer, best known for his work for the ladies of the British royal family, royal family. Hartnell gained the Royal Warrant of Appointment (United Kingdom ...

. In March 1935 she was the bridesmaid of Lady Norah Jellicoe marrying Edward William Rhys Wingfield. The other bridesmaids were: Lady Gwendoline Jellicoe, Lady Prudence Jellicoe, Avice Cayzer, Pamela Blackett and Bridget Smiley. In November 1935 her name was linked to that of

George II of Greece George II (; 19 July ld Style and New Style dates, Old Style: 7 July1890 – 1 April 1947) was King of Greece from 27 September 1922 until 25 March 1924, and again from 25 November 1935 until his death on 1 April 1947. The eldest son of King ...

together with Primrose Salt, Lady

Mary Lygon Lady Mary Lygon (formerly Princess Romanovsky-Pavlovsky; 12 February 1910 – 27 September 1982), known as Maimie, was a British aristocrat and Russian princess by marriage. Royal match failure Lady Mary Lygon was born at Madresfield Court ...

, Lady

Sibell Lygon Lady Sibell Lygon (10 October 1907 – 31 October 2005) was an English socialite, part of the Bright Young Things. Biography Lady Sibell Lygon was born on 10 October 1907, the daughter of William Lygon, 7th Earl Beauchamp and Lady Lettice Grosv ...

In 1938 at the "Beau Geste" party, Lady Bridget Poulett wore pearls worth a million dollars ($ in dollars), while her friend

was showing off a fortune in diamonds and rubies. In 1948 she married Luis Robledo, a Colombian diplomat, one of the founders of

Independiente Santa Fe Club Independiente Santa Fe, known simply as Santa Fe, is a Colombian professional Association football, football team based in Bogotá, that currently plays in the Categoría Primera A. They play their home games at the Estadio El Campín, El Cam ...

football club of

Bogotá Bogotá (, also , , ), officially Bogotá, Distrito Capital, abbreviated Bogotá, D.C., and formerly known as Santa Fe de Bogotá (; ) during the Spanish Imperial period and between 1991 and 2000, is the capital city, capital and largest city ...

. They divorced later. In 1950 Lady Bridget Poulett modelled for

Pond's Pond's is an English brand of beauty and health care products, currently owned by Unilever. History Pond's Cream was invented in the United States as a patent medicine by pharmacist Theron T. Pond (1800–1852) of Utica, New York, in 1846. M ...

. Since both the 8th Earl and his sister Lady Bridget Poulett were childless, in 1968 the 8th and last Earl Poulett sold the Hinton estate, after which he and his wife settled in Jersey, Channel Islands. Lady Bridget died in 1978 in Bogotá.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Poulett, Bridget 1912 births 1978 deaths British debutantes English socialites English female models Daughters of British earls

Bridget Bridget is an Irish language, Irish female name derived from the Goidelic languages, Gaelic noun , meaning "power, strength, vigor, virtue". An alternative meaning of the name is "exalted one". Its popularity, especially in Ireland, is largely re ...

British emigrants to Colombia