Violet Gordon-Woodhouse

Violet Gordon-Woodhouse (nee Gwynne) (23 April 1872-1951) was an acclaimed British harpsichordist and clavichordist, highly influential in bringing both instruments back into fashion.

Family

Violet was the sister of Rupert Gwynne, MP for Eastbourne from 1910 to 1924, and Roland Gwynne, Mayor of Eastbourne from 1929 to 1931, and lover of suspected serial killer John Bodkin Adams. [Cullen, Pamela V., "A Stranger in Blood: The Case Files on Dr John Bodkin Adams", London, Elliott & Thompson, 2006, ISBN 1-904027-19-9.] Among her nieces was the renowned cookery writer, Elizabeth David. [Cooper, Artemis., Writing at the Kitchen Table: The authorised biography of Elizabeth David]

Life

Originally Violet played the piano but rose to fame playing the harpsichord and clavichord, after meeting Arnold Dolmetsch, a great pioneer of early instruments, in 1910. She was close to many of the leading artists of her day, including, amongst others; Ethel Smyth, Siegfried Sassoon and George Bernard Shaw.

She did however scandalise much of society with her private life. She married Gordon Woodhouse on July 31 1895 on the understanding that they would not sleep in the same room. Violet took lovers and in 1899, much to Gordon's humiliation, Bill Barrington moved in to the marital house. He was later joined in 1903 by Max Labouchere, and then, a little time later, by Dennis Tollemache. Barrington was once asked about this arrangement by Violet's niece, Katherine Ayling, and whether the 'menage-a-cinq' ever argued. He answered: "Yes, Denis and Max once - about a cricket match". This arrangement was referred to in society circles as the 'Woodhouse circus'.

Later years

As Violet aged, she took on more extreme views. During the 1930s she was often heard making anti-Semitic rants and admiring Hitler. [Ayling, Katharine, "My Father's Family", 1979]

In popular culture

In 2005 Roger Scruton premiered the opera "Violet", based on her life.

Sir Osbert Sitwell mentions her often in his autobiography.

Jessica Douglas-Home wrote a biography of her life, "Violet : The Life and Loves of Violet Gordon Woodhouse", which was published in 1997.

Radclyffe Hall, the lesbian novelist, dedicated a book of erotic poems to Violet. [Douglas-Home, Jessica, "Violet : The Life and Loves of Violet Gordon Woodhouse", 1997]

References