Shirley Conran’s Garage Party «

Shirley Conran’s Garage Party

Wednesday 17th June 2014

Shirley Conran gave a party in the Aston Martin garage in Park Lane to launch her new Maths App, aimed mainly at girls but also those struggling with Maths in the teen years or at any age. She couldn’t have been more charming or more admirable. Genevieve Suzy and I were greeted as if already known but she was engagingly vague and much preoccupied with some missing leaflets although more than willing to talk to anyone were there but the time. Really it might have been a village function except it was Shirley Conran in Park Lane. But she’s been beavering away all these years, not too well, at less glamorous projects, trying to help. In her speech she thanked the Managing Director of Aston Martin for loan of the garage and said he’d given her his book, the history of Aston Martin. She’d thought it would be dull as ditch but loved it and read at one sitting. It was 8pm before she’d finished – which suggests she was under-functioned, for that day at least. And who was going to do her dinner? Such an inspiring story even for the non-car-ist.

Genevieve and I met Mrs Alencar, Shirley’s sister. She was in a superb cream coat, by Jasper ‘of course’ as was everything, including her husband who was exhibited in Jasper. She couldn’t have been more charming. ‘I’ll leave you to enjoy yourselves,’ she said as she graciously moved on.

Anne Robinson! Anne Robinson was glimpsed. She is now a solid block of terracotta from which face carved. Absolutely marvellous. Blouse and skirt, A-line skirt, in tan and indigo with wrap-around blouse – fresh, young, slim, straddling evening and day, above all free. Then Sir Moss appeared. Of course, it was a garage. Only 84 in fact. Tiny, a little shaky but brilliant white shirt front with small stand-up collar. A woman wanted me to take her picture with him. Sir Moss’s companion said, ‘He loves a pretty woman.’ Genevieve said the companion wasn’t a carer but his wife.

We talked to a couple from the City. They were delightful. They’d met at Bond Street tube despite being very high in the City. Much talk about his weight which used to be more. She’d got a dress specially made by an unknown dressmaker she was supporting. A good dress. In fact clothes was the topic although they could have been a rich football-loving couple by the look of them. But they never mentioned football. He must be in charge of Shirley’s money. We mentioned to her that we’d met him: ‘Oh yes,’ she said.