Lucy Birley

Lucy Birley
Born
Lucy Helmore

(1959-09-08)8 September 1959
Oswestry, Shropshire, England
Died23 July 2018(2018-07-23) (aged 58)
County Clare, Ireland
NationalityBritish
Other namesLucy Ferry
Occupation(s)Socialite, Model, photographer
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1982; div. 2003)​
​
​
(m. 2006; died 2018)​
Children4
FatherPatrick Helmore
RelativesOtis Ferry (son)

Lucy Margaret Mary Birley (née Helmore; 18 September 1959 – 23 July 2018)[1][2][3] was a British model, photographer, and socialite.[4][5]

Early life

Birley was born in Shropshire and raised in Kensington[6][7] She was the daughter of Mary (née Hull) and Patrick Helmore, an underwriter at the Lloyd's of London insurance corporation.[7][8] Her brother is Edward Helmore, a journalist for The Guardian and The Observer.[9]

She attended Woldingham School and began fox-hunting at the age of twelve.[5]

She left home at seventeen and moved in with several friends, including actor Rupert Everett.[7]

Career

Birley (then Helmore) began her career as a fashion model in her late teens.[7] She was photographed by Steven Meisel and Robert Mapplethorpe and influenced designers Christian Lacroix, Manolo Blahnik and Philip Treacy.[10][5]

In May 1982, she was photographed wearing a medieval helmet and holding a falcon at Crumlin Lodge, outside of Inverin, Connemara for the cover of Roxy Music's album Avalon.[7][10]

As a photographer, she worked solely with manual cameras and favoured a twin-lens Rolleiflex camera. Birley developed her own film and exhibited her work in London.[5] Some of her subjects were Damien Hirst and Isabella Blow.[5]

Personal life

She began dating Bryan Ferry after his girlfriend Jerry Hall left him for Mick Jagger.[5] Ferry was fourteen years her senior.[7]

On 26 June 1982, at the age of twenty two she married Bryan Ferry at the Church of St Anthony and St George at Duncton, West Sussex.[7] They had four sons: Otis, Isaac, Tara, and Merlin.[2] They divorced on 31 March 2003.[7]

She battled alcoholism, substance dependency and depression.[7] In the 1990s, Birley attended Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous to help recover from addiction.

In October 2006, she married Robin Birley, son of Mark Birley and Lady Annabel Goldsmith.[11]

Death

She died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on 23 July 2018, aged 58, while on holiday in County Clare, Ireland following what was described by her brother Ed Helmore as "a long battle with depression".[1] Her husband announced her death in a joint statement with her children: "On Monday Lucy Birley (nee Helmore) passed away whilst on holiday in Ireland, surrounded by her beloved dogs, Daisy, Peg and Daphne. Her husband Robin, and her sons – Otis, Isaac, Tara and Merlin – are understandably devastated and request that their privacy be respected during this difficult time".[2]

Birley's ashes were scattered at her mother's grave in County Clare.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b Manby, Christine (31 July 2018). "Lucy Birley: Model, photographer and pro-hunting campaigner". The Independent. Archived from the original on 10 July 2019. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  2. ^ a b c Powell, Tom (24 July 2018). "Bryan Ferry's ex-wife Lucy Birley dies on holiday aged 58". www.standard.co.uk. Archived from the original on 24 July 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  3. ^ "FreeBMD Entry Info". www.freebmd.org.uk. Retrieved 30 November 2020.[dead link‍]
  4. ^ "Lucy Birley, model, socialite and former wife of Bryan Ferry, dies at 58". Tatler. 24 July 2018. Archived from the original on 1 July 2020. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Day, Elizabeth (14 May 2011). "Lucy Birley: 'I didn't want to be put in the spotlight' | Interview". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 10 February 2021. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  6. ^ England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2007
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Egan, Barry. "A sad farewell to the loveliest girl". independent. Archived from the original on 1 July 2020. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
  8. ^ "Inquest hears of lodge blaze death". The Irish Times.
  9. ^ "Edward Helmore | The Guardian". the Guardian. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
  10. ^ a b "Faces of the week". 24 September 2004. Archived from the original on 10 February 2021. Retrieved 3 April 2021 – via news.bbc.co.uk.
  11. ^ Betts, Hannah (26 July 2018). "The tragedy of Lucy Birley – and the sadness of the gilded society set". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 26 July 2018. Retrieved 26 July 2018 – via www.telegraph.co.uk.