Denise Orme

Jessie Smither (25 August 1885 – 20 October 1960), best known by her stage name Denise Orme, was an English music hall singer, actress and musician who appeared regularly at the Alhambra and Gaiety Theatres in London in the early years of the 20th century.

Early life

The only daughter of Alfred John Smither and Jessicah Henrietta Pococke, she studied at the Royal Academy of Music (where she won the Wessely Violin Exhibition in 1899) and later the Royal College of Music where she was 'discovered' as a singer by George Edwardes.

Life & Career

Her first stage appearance was in 1906 in the chorus of The Little Michus, later taking the role of Blanche Marie in that production. Later the same year, she appeared in the title role of See See at the Prince of Wales Theatre then appeared in The Merveilleuses into early 1907.

In 1906, she also participated in gramophone recordings of Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado.

She married three times:

• In Kensington Register Office, on 24 April 1907, she secretly married Lord Churston (1873-1930). They had four daughters and two sons:
  • Joan Barbara Yarde-Buller (born 22 April 1908). Married (1) in 1927, G/Capt Loel Guinness, divorced 1936 (2) in 1936, Prince Aly Khan (son of the Aga Khan III) divorced 1949 (3) the 2nd Viscount Camrose.
  • Richard Francis Roger Yarde-Buller, 4th Baron Churston (born 12 February 1910)
  • John Reginald Henry Yarde-Buller (born 13 June 1915)
  • Denise Margaret Yarde-Buller (born 24 October 1916). Married the 5th Lord Ebury.
  • Lydia Yarde-Buller (born 17 October 1917-25 July 2006). Married John Robert Russell, 13th Duke of Bedford
  • Primrose Yarde-Buller (24 December 1918). Married William Gerald Charles Cadogan, 7th Earl Cadogan.

After the birth of their first daughter, she returned to the stage in The Hon'ble Phil in October 1908, and as Lady Elizabeth Thanet in Our Miss Gibbs at the Gaiety Theatre, London.

In 1928, Orme and Lord Churston divorced. She then married Theodore Wessell later the same year on 30 October, bearing one son. On 11 March 1946, she married Edward FitzGerald, 7th Duke of Leinster.

Persondata
Name	Orme, Denise
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Date of birth	25 August 1885
Place of birth
Date of death	20 October 1960
Place of death