Sylvia, Lady Ashley (born Edith Louisa Hawkes, 1 April 1904 – 29 June 1977) was an English model, actress, and

socialite A socialite is a person from a wealthy and (possibly) aristocratic background, who is prominent in high society. A socialite generally spends a significant amount of time attending various fashionable social gatherings, instead of having tradit ...

who was best known for her numerous marriages to British and Georgian noblemen and American movie stars.

Early life

Ashley was born as Edith Louisa Hawkes on 1 April 1904, at 112 Hall Place,

Paddington Paddington is an area within the City of Westminster, in Central London. First a medieval parish then a metropolitan borough, it was integrated with Westminster and Greater London in 1965. Three important landmarks of the district are Padd ...

, London, England, the elder daughter of Edith Florence Hyde and Arthur Hawkes. The family moved to nearby Wharncliffe Gardens, Lisson Grove, before 1910. She later renamed herself Sylvia and preferred giving her year of birth as 1906. Her 1927 marriage certificate records her name as Edith Louisa Sylvia Hawkes and her father as Arthur Hawkes (deceased), gentleman. Her father was a livery stable employee, latterly porter in a block of flats and doorman at a restaurant. When he died, his younger daughter administered his estate. Ashley's sister, Lilian Vera Hawkes married British film producer Basil Bleck on 18 December 1929.

Professional career

As Sylvia Hawkes, she worked as a lingerie model and became a Cochran Dancer. After this brief career in the

chorus line A chorus line is a large group of dancers who together perform synchronized routines, usually in musical theatre. Sometimes, singing is also performed. Chorus line dancers in Broadway musicals and revues have been referred to by slang terms ...

of musical comedy, she appeared in

West End West End most commonly refers to: * West End of London, an area of central London, England * West End theatre, a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London, England West End may also refer to: Pl ...

plays. In 1924, she debuted in ''Midnight Follies''. She appeared in '' Primrose''. In 1925, she acted in ''Tell me More'' at London's

Winter Garden Theatre The Winter Garden Theatre is a Broadway theatre at 1634 Broadway in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. It opened in 1911 under designs by architect William Albert Swasey. The Winter Garden's current design dates to 1922, when ...

, and in ''The Whole Town's Talking''. In the 1920s, Ashley regularly appeared on stage with American writer Dorothy Fields in the comedy duo "Silly and Dotty" in "Midnight Follies" at the London Metropole. On 1 March 1941, Lady Ashley filed articles of incorporation to establish an organisation known as the British Distressed Areas Fund. Organised along with her sister, Vera Bleck,

Constance Bennett Constance Campbell Bennett (October 22, 1904 – July 24, 1965) was an American stage, film, radio, and television actress and producer. She was a major Hollywood star during the 1920s and 1930s; during the early 1930s, she was the highest-pai ...

, and Virginia Fox Zanuck, as directors, the Fund focused on soliciting financial support to provide food, clothing and medical aid for refugees of World War II. The headquarters of the organisation was located in Los Angeles, California.

Primrose audition

In their joint memoir '' Bring on the Girls!'', P. G. Wodehouse and Guy Bolton relate the story of Ashley's audition for

George Grossmith Jr. George Grossmith Jr. (11 May 1874 – 6 June 1935) was an English actor, theatre producer and Actor-manager, manager, director, playwright and songwriter, best remembered for his work in and with Edwardian musical comedies. Grossmith was also a ...

for the 1924 musical '' Primrose'':

Personal life

Anthony Ashley-Cooper, Lord Ashley and Sylvia Ashley

Ashley was married five times: * Major

Lord Ashley Earl of Shaftesbury is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1672 for Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 1st Baron Ashley, a prominent politician in the Cabal then dominating the policies of King Charles II. He had already succeeded his f ...

(married 3 February 1927 – 28 November 1934; divorced). * Douglas Fairbanks, Sr., American actor (married 7 March 1936 – 12 December 1939, his death). * The 6th Baron Stanley of Alderley (married 18 January 1944 – 1948; divorced). * Clark Gable, American actor (married 20 December 1949 – 21 April 1952; divorced). * Prince Dimitri Jorjadze, hotel executive and race-car driver (married 1954). Lady Ashley died of cancer on 29 June 1977 at age 73 in Los Angeles. She is interred in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Hollywood; her grave is 680 feet north of that of her second husband, Douglas Fairbanks, Sr., at the north end of the "Garden of Legends", aka "Section 8".

References

External links

*
National Portrait Gallery – Sylvia Ashley
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ashley, Sylvia 1904 births 1977 deaths People from Paddington English musical theatre actresses English stage actresses English female models Burials at Hollywood Forever Cemetery Deaths from cancer in California Sylvia Actresses from London British courtesy baronesses and ladies of Parliament Stanley of Alderney

Sheffield Sheffield is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is Historic counties o ...

20th-century British actresses 20th-century English women singers 20th-century English singers British expatriates in the United States