Miles Golding: Val St Cyr

Here's a studio portrait of Uncle Val taken on 16th February 1948 by Chaloner Woods that I found on Google Images.

I'm very grateful to Tonie Sands who kindly emailed me out of the blue (20.02.2008) to tell me that Uncle Val and her great-grandfather, Ernest St Cyr Sands, ran a fashion business called Baroque around 1922. It was situated at 97 New Bond Street London W1, and 37/38 Margaret Street, Cavendish Square, W1. Val and Ernest lived together and were very close. He used to send the same Christmas greeting cards from 168 Cromwell Road, London, SW5, the last being around 1954. Apparently the business continued into the 1960s when they sold up and retired at a time when the fur trade began to diminish. Ernest married Emma, one of the models at Baroque; they moved into a flat in Mayfair, and not long aferwards both fell ill and moved into a retirement home.

It's not surprising to hear that stories passed down the Sands family reveal that Val's flair at dress-designing and the success of the business provided a comfortable life-style; he could plainly afford to indulge his eccentricities and would turn up at suited dinner parties wearing Pierrot costumes or some sort of ethnic attire.

Tonie more recently sent some photos of sketches, pages from the Baroque brochure, cards etc. Scroll further down to see them.

Latest News!

Helen Armstrong has emailed me (16.12.09) to say that her mother was one of Val's models! Helen was researching Val on the 'net and reached this site. Here's what she wrote:

My mother (born in 1919) was a model for your uncle and somewhere we have photographic evidence! She was a model, actress and dancer at the Italia Conti Stage School and she was involved in the 1937 British Industries Show where she modelled for your uncle. She was 18, but was hired, she told me, because she was blond and looked 14. She modelled a bridesmaid dress (4 bridesmaids, two blond and two brunette) and the bride. They were visited by the King, Queen Mary and other members of the royal family. She says it was very embarrassing as Queen Mary was deaf and therefore spoke very loudly: as they drew opposite her in the front row she said loudly: "Oh no! Never green for a wedding!". She says your uncle was very kind and had an exceptionally nice manicure which she remembers to this day, beautiful oval nails, buffed to a high shine. She said that it was only later that she realised that he must have been gay. We do have a picture somewhere, but cannot lay our hands on it at the moment.

As soon as Helen can send the photo, I will add it to this site. She has suggested that Val and Ernest deserve a Wikipedia article.