Ghislaine Alexander
Encyclopedia
Ghislaine Alexander, née Ghislaine Marie-Rose Edith Dresselhuys (January 7, 1922 – April 25, 2000) was a wealthy heiress and British socialite
who was a panelist on the British version of What's My Line?.
where her father was consul. Her parents divorced when Ghislaine was young. Her mother remarried and her stepfather was newspaper publisher Lord Kemsley. Ghislaine was married three times, first to Major Denis Alexander, 6th Earl of Caledon
, then to Henry Cubitt, 4th Baron Ashcombe, which both ended in divorce. At the time of her death she was married to Adrian Foley, 8th Baron Foley
, a former composer and pianist.
Tall and attractive, often described as one of the most beautiful women in the world, Ghislaine Alexander became famous for her appearances on Britain’s What’s My Line?. Her charm made her a favourite of British audiences and her choice in clothes became a topic of fashion columns of the press. She had also been a fashion journalist and had modelled for women’s magazines such as Vogue
and Women's Illustrated. She was also a hostess
for the major personalities of the time. Among those attending her parties were the King of Jordan, Ian Fleming
, Douglas Fairbanks Jr, David Niven
, Charles Addams
and members of the British Royal Family. Likewise, no chic party would be complete without her.
In October 2009 two dresses worn by Alexander, one in 1934 the other in 1938, were purchased by the Bath Fashion Museum
in Bath, Sommerset, England for £101,365.
where her parents, Lord and Lady Kemsley, had a home. Then as Lady Foley she resided in Beverly Hills
. Alexander was a regular visitor to New York. On January 10, 1954 appeared on the American version of What’s My Line?, first as a mystery guest, then joining the panel for the second round. Her arrival for the show was reported in Ed Sullivan's
newspaper column. Americans began to name their baby girls Ghislaine. In 1969, while Ghislaine, now Lady Ashecombe, was staying at the Colony Hotel in Palm Beach she visited the hotel jeweler while he was showing a 52-carat canary
diamond
to a group of people. Thinking the diamond looked familiar, she discovered that it had been the diamond her late father, Cornelius Dresselhuys, had purchased for her late stepmother, Lorraine Manville. The jeweler had just purchased it from her stepmother's estate and was selling it for an asking price of $4,250,000.
Socialite
A socialite is a person who participates in social activities and spends a significant amount of time entertaining and being entertained at fashionable upper-class events....
who was a panelist on the British version of What's My Line?.
Life and times
She was the only daughter of Cornelius William Dresselhuys and Edith Merandon du Plessis, born at the Dutch consulate in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
where her father was consul. Her parents divorced when Ghislaine was young. Her mother remarried and her stepfather was newspaper publisher Lord Kemsley. Ghislaine was married three times, first to Major Denis Alexander, 6th Earl of Caledon
Denis Alexander, 6th Earl of Caledon
Denis James Alexander, 6th Earl of Caledon was a soldier and landownerHe was the son of Lt.-Col. Hon. Herbrand Charles Alexander and Millicent Valla Meredyth and grandson of James Alexander, 4th Earl of Caledon. He was educated at Eton College and at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst...
, then to Henry Cubitt, 4th Baron Ashcombe, which both ended in divorce. At the time of her death she was married to Adrian Foley, 8th Baron Foley
Adrian Foley, 8th Baron Foley
Adrian Gerald Foley, 8th Baron Foley is a British peer and a former composer and pianist.Upon the death of his father, the 7th Baron Foley, in 1927, Foley succeeded to his title at the age of three. In 1946, he composed music for the film Piccadilly Incident and for Bond Street in 1947...
, a former composer and pianist.
Tall and attractive, often described as one of the most beautiful women in the world, Ghislaine Alexander became famous for her appearances on Britain’s What’s My Line?. Her charm made her a favourite of British audiences and her choice in clothes became a topic of fashion columns of the press. She had also been a fashion journalist and had modelled for women’s magazines such as Vogue
Vogue (magazine)
Vogue is a fashion and lifestyle magazine that is published monthly in 18 national and one regional edition by Condé Nast.-History:In 1892 Arthur Turnure founded Vogue as a weekly publication in the United States. When he died in 1909, Condé Montrose Nast picked up the magazine and slowly began...
and Women's Illustrated. She was also a hostess
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
for the major personalities of the time. Among those attending her parties were the King of Jordan, Ian Fleming
Ian Fleming
Ian Lancaster Fleming was a British author, journalist and Naval Intelligence Officer.Fleming is best known for creating the fictional British spy James Bond and for a series of twelve novels and nine short stories about the character, one of the biggest-selling series of fictional books of...
, Douglas Fairbanks Jr, David Niven
David Niven
James David Graham Niven , known as David Niven, was a British actor and novelist, best known for his roles as Phileas Fogg in Around the World in 80 Days and Sir Charles Lytton, a.k.a. "the Phantom", in The Pink Panther...
, Charles Addams
Charles Addams
Charles "Chas" Samuel Addams was an American cartoonist known for his particularly black humor and macabre characters...
and members of the British Royal Family. Likewise, no chic party would be complete without her.
In October 2009 two dresses worn by Alexander, one in 1934 the other in 1938, were purchased by the Bath Fashion Museum
Fashion Museum, Bath
The Fashion Museum is housed in the Assembly Rooms in Bath, Somerset, England.The collection was started by Doris Langley Moore, who gave her collection to the city of Bath in 1963. It focuses on fashionable dress for men, women and children from the late 16th century to the present day and has...
in Bath, Sommerset, England for £101,365.
American connections
Alexander had close connections to the United States. She spent much of her youth in Palm Beach, FloridaPalm Beach, Florida
The Town of Palm Beach is an incorporated town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The Intracoastal Waterway separates it from the neighboring cities of West Palm Beach and Lake Worth...
where her parents, Lord and Lady Kemsley, had a home. Then as Lady Foley she resided in Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills, California
Beverly Hills is an affluent city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. With a population of 34,109 at the 2010 census, up from 33,784 as of the 2000 census, it is home to numerous Hollywood celebrities. Beverly Hills and the neighboring city of West Hollywood are together...
. Alexander was a regular visitor to New York. On January 10, 1954 appeared on the American version of What’s My Line?, first as a mystery guest, then joining the panel for the second round. Her arrival for the show was reported in Ed Sullivan's
Ed Sullivan
Edward Vincent "Ed" Sullivan was an American entertainment writer and television host, best known as the presenter of the TV variety show The Ed Sullivan Show. The show was broadcast from 1948 to 1971 , which made it one of the longest-running variety shows in U.S...
newspaper column. Americans began to name their baby girls Ghislaine. In 1969, while Ghislaine, now Lady Ashecombe, was staying at the Colony Hotel in Palm Beach she visited the hotel jeweler while he was showing a 52-carat canary
Diamond color
A chemically pure and structurally perfect diamond is perfectly transparent with no hue, or color. However, in reality almost no gem-sized natural diamonds are absolutely perfect. The color of a diamond may be affected by chemical impurities and/or structural defects in the crystal lattice...
diamond
Diamond
In mineralogy, diamond is an allotrope of carbon, where the carbon atoms are arranged in a variation of the face-centered cubic crystal structure called a diamond lattice. Diamond is less stable than graphite, but the conversion rate from diamond to graphite is negligible at ambient conditions...
to a group of people. Thinking the diamond looked familiar, she discovered that it had been the diamond her late father, Cornelius Dresselhuys, had purchased for her late stepmother, Lorraine Manville. The jeweler had just purchased it from her stepmother's estate and was selling it for an asking price of $4,250,000.
Titles and styles
- 7 January 1922 – 6 April 1943: Miss Ghislaine Dresselhuys
- 1943 – 1948: Mrs. Denis Alexander
- 1948 – 1955: Mrs. Ghislaine Alexander
- 1955 – 1968: the Rt. Hon. The Baroness Ashcombe
- 1968 – 1972: Ghislaine, Baroness Ashcombe
- 1972 – 25 April 2000: the Rt. Hon. The Baroness Foley
External links
- UK Telegraph Obituary
- Video Ghislaine Alexander's appearance on What's My Line