Sitter: Mrs. Richard Ashley Hall, née Irene Mabel Beauchamp (1899-1951).

Biog: Elder daughter of Sir Frank Beauchamp, 1st Bt., of Woodborough; m. (1923) Richard Ashley Hall.

Date: 21 May 1924.

Image published in Cool, published by The Fan Museum, Greenwich

Occasion: The Court, 21 May 1924: presented, on her marriage, by her mother, Lady Beauchamp.

Location: The Lafayette Studio, 160 New Bond Street, London, W.

Descr: FL standing.

Costume: Court dress.

"The London season of 1924 got off to a blazing start with the Empire Exhibition at Wembley and state visits from the monarchs of Romania and Italy. Society pages of the illustrated press gurgled ever more lyrically over the costumes worn at court by the leading ladies who were then the arbiters of good fashion.
It is apparent from many of the standard court portraits that when “Monsieur Lafayette” was not photographing the “great ladies of the land”, he appears at a loss, either of inspiration or enthusiasm, as to what makes a good photograph, and his posing becomes dull with the sitter appearing plain either by omission or by default. The nature of the “flapper” style of court dress also makes for a less interesting photograph as the unstructured dress makes for a very flat starting point for a portrait.

In this case the elder daughter of Sir Frank Beauchamp, a coal mine owner, was being presented, on her marriage, by her mother, Lady Beauchamp. "

[RH - Presenting a Cooling Image]

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Furniture & Props: Panelled wall with a panoramic painting; armchair.

Evidence of photographer at work: -

No of poses: 3.

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Biog: Burke's Peerage.

Occasion: The Times, 23 may 1924, p 10d.

Costume: -

Costume Designer: -

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Reproduced: -