Blanche Blackwell
Born
Blanche Lindo

(1912-12-09)9 December 1912
San José, Costa Rica
Died8 August 2017(2017-08-08) (aged 104)
London, England
Spouse
Middleton Joseph Blackwell
​
​
(m. 1936; div. 1949)​
ChildrenChris Blackwell
Parent

Blanche Blackwell[1] (née Lindo; 9 December 1912 – 8 August 2017) was a Jamaican heiress, mother of Chris Blackwell, and an inspirational muse to Ian Fleming and Noël Coward.[2][3]

Early life

Blanche Lindo was born on 9 December 1912 in San José, Costa Rica, the second daughter and third child (of four) of Percy Lindo and Hilda Violet (née Lindo) Lindo.[4][1][5][6] Lindo was a product of cousin marriage, both her mother and father descendants of the Lindo family, a Sephardi Jewish family originally from Spain who suffered persecution for their religion, and so became New Christians.

Blackwell's ancestor, Alexandre Lindo, would go on to settle in Kingston, Jamaica in the 18th century and he and his descendants would make their fortune as merchants, financiers, and planters.

Blanche Lindo was educated in Kingston by a private tutor until, at sixteen, she was sent to Garrett Hall to further her studies. She married Middleton Joseph Blackwell, of the Crosse & Blackwell fortune, in 1936 and their only child, Christopher, was born the following year.[5] The couple divorced in 1949.

Relationship with Ian Fleming

During her life, Blackwell became known for her role as friend, mistress, and muse to Ian Fleming,[7] who lived nearby in Jamaica. On first meeting Fleming at a dinner party in 1956, the two did not immediately hit it off, but their friendship developed into a deeper and creative one.[8] Fleming's marriage to Ann Charteris had suffered, owing in part, to her disapproval of the James Bond novels, and she was often away from the couple's home in Jamaica.[9] Blackwell is believed by some to have been the inspiration for some of Fleming's most memorable female characters, Pussy Galore and Honeychile Ryder.[10][3] Her brother, Roy Lindo, sold land to Fleming and Coward for their Jamaican houses.[2]

Blackwell became friends with prominent figures and celebrities of the time, including Errol Flynn, whom she met when he was holidaying in Jamaica.[3] She continued to be involved with her son's life and work, hosting parties and giving advice.[11]

Death

Blanche Blackwell died in London on 8 August 2017 at the age of 104.[12][10]

References

  1. ^ a b Berger, Doreen. Blanche Lindo Blackwell. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  2. ^ a b Hoare, Philip (22 May 1998). Noel Coward: A Biography. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 9780226345123.
  3. ^ a b c Schudel, Matt (12 August 2017). "Mistress and muse of James Bond's creator, Ian Fleming, dies at 104". The Washington Post. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  4. ^ "Blanche Blackwell, Ian Fleming's mistress – obituary". The Daily Telegraph. 10 August 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  5. ^ a b Thomson, Ian (29 August 2017). "Blanche Blackwell obituary". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  6. ^ Jackie, Ranston (2000). The Lindo legacy. London: Toucan Books. ISBN 1903435005. OCLC 44534048.
  7. ^ "Blanche Blackwell". The Times. 12 August 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  8. ^ Lycett, Andrew (25 October 2012). Ian Fleming. Orion Publishing Group. ISBN 9781780225531.
  9. ^ Thomson, Ian (29 August 2017). "Blanche Blackwell obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 August 2017.
  10. ^ a b "In Passing". The Sydney Morning Herald. 11 August 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  11. ^ "The Barefoot Mogul". Men's Journal. Archived from the original on 13 August 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  12. ^ Limited, Jamaica Observer. "Chris Blackwell's mom, Blanche passes at 104". Jamaica Observer. Archived from the original on 13 August 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
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