Anne Naysmith
Anne Naysmith | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 13 January 1937 Southend-on-Sea,Essex, England |
| Died | 10 February 2015(aged 78) London, England |
| Education | Royal Academy of Music |
| Occupation | Classical pianist |
Anne Margaret Naysmith(néeSmith;13 January 1937 – 10 February 2015)[1]was a British classical pianist who became notable later in life for sleeping rough inChiswick,West London.[2][3]
She was born inSouthend-on-Sea,Essex, in 1937. Her family moved toHounslow,West London, when she was eight. The 'Nay' was added much later.[4]
Naysmith studied withHarold Craxtonand Liza Fuchsova at theRoyal Academy of Music,and gave a well received recital atWigmore Hallin 1967, but experienced personal difficulties in the late 1960s and was evicted from her house in Prebend Gardens, Chiswick.[2]Following her eviction Naysmith slept in her car, aFord Consul,for 26 years until 2002 when it was towed away following campaigning from neighbours to have it removed.[5][6][7]Naysmith then lived in a handmade shelter next toStamford Brook Underground station.[2][8]
The Guardiannoted parallels withMary Shepherd,the subject of Alan Bennett's 1999 playThe Lady in the Van,who had also been a classical pianist.[3]
At 01:00 on 10 February 2015 Naysmith died after being struck by a lorry onChiswick High Road.[2][7]She was buried at Chiswick New Cemetery on 7 March 2015.[7]
References
[edit]- ^"Chiswick Bids Farewell To Anne Naysmith".Chiswickw4.Archivedfrom the original on 15 March 2015.
- ^abcd"Anne Naysmith, pianist - obituary".The Daily Telegraph.11 February 2015. Archived fromthe originalon 11 February 2015.
- ^abSteven Morris (11 February 2015)."From concert pianist to lady in the car: the extraordinary life of Anne Naysmith".The Guardian.Retrieved12 February2015.
- ^"A musician of promise and then a concert pianist. But she died a homeless recluse."The Guardian12 February 2015 page 11
- ^Emily Cockayne(2012).Cheek by Jowl: A History of Neighbours.Random House. p. 196.ISBN9781409027737.Retrieved13 February2015.
- ^"Woman's car home towed away".7 March 2002.Retrieved19 May2021.
- ^abcCumber, Robert (11 February 2015)."Tributes paid to 'rag lady of Chiswick' Anne Naysmith, killed in lorry crash".MyLondon.Retrieved19 May2021.
- ^"Homeless concert pianist's anger over shelter's removal".BBC News.5 September 2012.Retrieved13 February2015.
- 1937 births
- 2015 deaths
- 20th-century British classical pianists
- 20th-century English musicians
- 20th-century English women musicians
- 20th-century British women pianists
- Alumni of the Royal Academy of Music
- English classical pianists
- English women pianists
- British homeless people
- Musicians from the London Borough of Hounslow
- People from Chiswick
- Pedestrian road incident deaths
- Road incident deaths in London
- British women classical pianists