Ann Geraldine Mary Fleming (néeCharteris, 19 June 1913 – 12 July 1981), previously known as Lady O'Neill and Viscountess Rothermere, was a British socialite. She married firstly Lord O'Neill, secondly Lord Rothermere, and finally the writer Ian Fleming. She also had affairs with the Labour Party politicians Hugh Gaitskell[2] and Roy Jenkins.[3]
Fleming was born to Frances Lucy Tennant (1887–1925) and Captain Guy Lawrence Charteris (1886–1967) in Westminster, London on 19 June 1913. She was the eldest daughter and her grandfather was Hugo Charteris, 11th Earl of Wemyss. Her grandmother was Mary Constance Wyndham,[4] who had her own hedonistic past, having been one of The Souls.[5]
She was educated by governesses after an unsuccessful term at Cheltenham Ladies' College. She had a good understanding of literature but her future was to be a debutante and she quickly married Shane O'Neill, 3rd Baron O'Neill who was both an aristocrat and a financier in 1932. She had two children before beginning an affair with the influential Esmond Cecil Harmsworth in 1936.[6]
Harmsworth was the heir to Harold Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Rothermere, who owned the Daily Mail. Her husband went to war and Ann appeared with Harmsworth as well as having an affair with Ian Fleming, then a stockbroker, who became an assistant to the Director of Naval Intelligence. In 1940, Harmsworth became Lord Rothermere. Her husband was killed in action in 1944 and she married Lord Rothermere in 1945.
The couple entertained and their social circle included the painter Lucian Freud (who painted her portrait), the choreographer Frederick Ashton and the artist Francis Bacon. Meanwhile, Ian Fleming left the navy and became a journalist with The Sunday Times. He had built Goldeneye on land in Jamaica and he had demanded three-month vacations from his employer to enjoy his holiday home. The two spent three months of every year together in Jamaica.[2] Her new husband thought she was in Jamaica to visit Noël Coward.
In 1951 she was divorced by Lord Rothermere, and the following year she married Fleming. They had one child, Caspar. Ann was pregnant with her son when they married; he was born on 12 August 1952. Anxiety over his forthcoming marriage is said to be the reason that Ian Fleming wrote the first James Bond novel, Casino Royale. Ann had a £100,000 divorce settlement and Fleming sought additional sources of revenue to add to his salary from The Sunday Times. The book and its sequels were immediate successes.
The Flemings bought a house in London, where they entertained. They later rebuilt Warneford Place at Sevenhampton, near Swindon, renaming it Sevenhampton Place and moving there in 1963.[7] Her husband was not keen on the socialising, but their houses attracted Evelyn Waugh, Cyril Connolly and Peter Quennell.
Ian died in 1964 and their son Caspar died in London in October 1975 from an overdose of narcotics.[8] Ann Fleming died at Sevenhampton Place on 12 July 1981.[6] Both were buried alongside Ian at the church of St James in Sevenhampton.[9]
References
^"Index entry". FreeBMD. ONS. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
^ abAndrew Lycett, "Fleming, Ian Lancaster (1908–1964)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edition, October 2008 accessed 9 February 2017
^Andrew Marr (3 July 2009). A History of Modern Britain. Pan Macmillan. pp. 272–. ISBN978-0-330-51329-6.
^Anne Fleming, Spartacus, Retrieved 5 February 2017
^Jane Ridley, Clayre Percy, "Charteris , Mary Constance, Countess of Wemyss (1862–1937)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edition, October 2005 accessed 9 Feb 2017
^ abAndrew Lycett, "Fleming , Ann Geraldine Mary [other married names Ann Geraldine Mary O'Neill, Lady O'Neill; Ann Geraldine Mary Harmsworth, Viscountess Rothermere] (1913–1981)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edition, May 2014 accessed 9 February 2017
^Fitzgerald, Ben (28 May 2008). "Celebrating the life of the man from 00-Sevenhampton". Swindon Advertiser. Retrieved 18 February 2017.
^"Ian Fleming's Son Dies". The New York Times. 4 October 1975.
^"Ian Fleming: Died 50 Years Ago This Week". SwindonWeb. 12 August 2014. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
April 30, 2023
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For other people named Ann Fleming see Ann Fleming disambiguation Ann Geraldine Mary Fleming nee Charteris 19 June 1913 12 July 1981 previously known as Lady O Neill and Viscountess Rothermere was a British socialite She married firstly Lord O Neill secondly Lord Rothermere and finally the writer Ian Fleming She also had affairs with the Labour Party politicians Hugh Gaitskell 2 and Roy Jenkins 3 Ann FlemingFleming in 1957BornAnne Geraldine Mary Charteris 1 1913 06 19 19 June 1913Westminster London EnglandDied12 July 1981 1981 07 12 aged 68 Sevenhampton Wiltshire EnglandKnown forSocialiteSpousesShane O Neill 3rd Baron O Neill m 1932 died 1944 wbr Esmond Harmsworth 2nd Viscount Rothermere m 1945 div 1951 wbr Ian Fleming m 1952 died 1964 wbr Children4Life EditFleming was born to Frances Lucy Tennant 1887 1925 and Captain Guy Lawrence Charteris 1886 1967 in Westminster London on 19 June 1913 She was the eldest daughter and her grandfather was Hugo Charteris 11th Earl of Wemyss Her grandmother was Mary Constance Wyndham 4 who had her own hedonistic past having been one of The Souls 5 Her sister was Laura Spencer Churchill Duchess of Marlborough and her brother was the novelist Hugo Charteris She was educated by governesses after an unsuccessful term at Cheltenham Ladies College She had a good understanding of literature but her future was to be a debutante and she quickly married Shane O Neill 3rd Baron O Neill who was both an aristocrat and a financier in 1932 She had two children before beginning an affair with the influential Esmond Cecil Harmsworth in 1936 6 Harmsworth was the heir to Harold Harmsworth 1st Viscount Rothermere who owned the Daily Mail Her husband went to war and Ann appeared with Harmsworth as well as having an affair with Ian Fleming then a stockbroker who became an assistant to the Director of Naval Intelligence In 1940 Harmsworth became Lord Rothermere Her husband was killed in action in 1944 and she married Lord Rothermere in 1945 The couple entertained and their social circle included the painter Lucian Freud who painted her portrait the choreographer Frederick Ashton and the artist Francis Bacon Meanwhile Ian Fleming left the navy and became a journalist with The Sunday Times He had built Goldeneye on land in Jamaica and he had demanded three month vacations from his employer to enjoy his holiday home The two spent three months of every year together in Jamaica 2 Her new husband thought she was in Jamaica to visit Noel Coward In 1951 she was divorced by Lord Rothermere and the following year she married Fleming They had one child Caspar Ann was pregnant with her son when they married he was born on 12 August 1952 Anxiety over his forthcoming marriage is said to be the reason that Ian Fleming wrote the first James Bond novel Casino Royale Ann had a 100 000 divorce settlement and Fleming sought additional sources of revenue to add to his salary from The Sunday Times The book and its sequels were immediate successes The Flemings bought a house in London where they entertained They later rebuilt Warneford Place at Sevenhampton near Swindon renaming it Sevenhampton Place and moving there in 1963 7 Her husband was not keen on the socialising but their houses attracted Evelyn Waugh Cyril Connolly and Peter Quennell Ian died in 1964 and their son Caspar died in London in October 1975 from an overdose of narcotics 8 Ann Fleming died at Sevenhampton Place on 12 July 1981 6 Both were buried alongside Ian at the church of St James in Sevenhampton 9 References Edit Index entry FreeBMD ONS Retrieved 16 January 2021 a b Andrew Lycett Fleming Ian Lancaster 1908 1964 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Oxford University Press 2004 online edition October 2008 accessed 9 February 2017 Andrew Marr 3 July 2009 A History of Modern Britain Pan Macmillan pp 272 ISBN 978 0 330 51329 6 Anne Fleming Spartacus Retrieved 5 February 2017 Jane Ridley Clayre Percy Charteris Mary Constance Countess of Wemyss 1862 1937 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Oxford University Press 2004 online edition October 2005 accessed 9 Feb 2017 a b Andrew Lycett Fleming Ann Geraldine Mary other married names Ann Geraldine Mary O Neill Lady O Neill Ann Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Viscountess Rothermere 1913 1981 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Oxford University Press 2004 online edition May 2014 accessed 9 February 2017 Fitzgerald Ben 28 May 2008 Celebrating the life of the man from 00 Sevenhampton Swindon Advertiser Retrieved 18 February 2017 Ian Fleming s Son Dies The New York Times 4 October 1975 Ian Fleming Died 50 Years Ago This Week SwindonWeb 12 August 2014 Retrieved 19 May 2021 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ann Fleming amp oldid 1127216882, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
