Jump to content

Rhoda Birley

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Rhoda Pike)

Lady
Rhoda Birley
Lady Rhoda Birley in her garden at Charleston Manor, Sussex, c.1970s [1]
Born
Rhoda Vava Mary Pike

(1899-02-03)3 February 1899
County Carlow, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (present-day, Ireland)
Died15 June 1981(1981-06-15) (aged 82)
Sussex, England
Other namesRhoda Vava Mary Lecky Pike
Occupations
  • Gardener
  • model
  • artist
Known forGardens and festival at Charleston Manor
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1921; died 1952)​
Children
Relatives

Rhoda Vava Mary, Lady Birley (née Pike; 1899–1981) was an Anglo-Irish gardener, model, and artist, known for developing the Charleston Manor gardens and founding the Charleston Manor Festival.

Early life and marriage

[edit]

Rhoda Vava Mary Birley was born on 3 February 1899 in County Carlow [2] to Catherine Henrietta Pike (née Howard; c.1858–1930) [3][4] and Robert Lecky Pike (c.1858–1933).[5][6] Birley's birth year is sometimes miscited as 1900.[7]

Birley grew up in Kilknock House in County Carlow.[8] On the 14 September 1921, Birley married Oswald Birley at St Mary's Church, in St Marylebone, London.[9][10] The couple had two children Maxime de la Falaise, born in 1922, and Mark Birley, born in 1930.[11][12][13]

Career

[edit]

In 1931, Birley and Oswald bought 12th century Charleston Manor in East Sussex. In 1932, the couple employed Walter Godfrey to restore the property, and to transform the properties barn into a concert hall.[14] Birley designed the gardens, and planted them alongside Oswald.[15][14]

Rhoda Birley founded the Charleston Manor Festival, initially calling it the Sussex Festival.[7][15] The festival emerged from poetry recitals, readings and talks that Birley began organising at the Manor in 1935.[citation needed]

Charleston Manor was sold in 1980.[16]

Death and legacy

[edit]

Birley died on the 15 June 1981 aged 82.[17]

In 1928, William Reid Dick carved a stone bust of Birley.[18] Birley was the inspiration for Peter Jensen's Spring 2017 Ready-to-wear collection.[19][20]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Unmounted slide of Lady Rhoda Birley". RHS Digital Collections. London: Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
  2. ^ "Rhoda Vava Mary Pike". Quarterly Returns of Births in Ireland with Index to Births. 3. Dublin: General Register Office: 310. 1899.
  3. ^ "Catherine Henrietta Pike". Calendar of the Grants of Probate and Letters of Administration Made in the Probate Registries of the High Court of Justice in England. London: Principal Probate Registry: 718. 1931.
  4. ^ "Catherine Henrietta Pike". 1921 Census Returns (RG 15/581, ED 9, Sch 85, Book 00581). Kew, Surrey: The National Archives of the UK. 1921.
  5. ^ "Robert Lecky Pike". 1921 Census Returns (RG 15/581, ED 9, Sch 85, Book 00581). Kew, Surrey: The National Archives of the UK. 1921.
  6. ^ "Robert Lecky Pike". Calendar of the Grants of Probate and Letters of Administration Made in the Probate Registries of the High Court of Justice in England. London: Principal Probate Registry: 749. 1933.
  7. ^ a b "Rhoda (née Lecky Pike), Lady Birley – National Portrait Gallery". Npg.org.uk. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  8. ^ Collins, Liam (15 July 2018). "Artistic legacy of the Irish beauty with 'the exotic name'". Independent.ie. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  9. ^ "Rhoda Vava Mary Pike and Oswald Hornby Joseph Birley". London Church of England Parish Registers (P89/MRY2/089). London: London Archives: 120. 1921.
  10. ^ Black, Jonathan (2017). "Chronology". Power & Beauty | The Art of Sir Oswald Birley. London: Philip Mould & Co. pp. 10–17. ISBN 978-0-9927264-3-0.
  11. ^ Fox, Margalit (2 May 2009). "Maxime de la Falaise, Model, Designer and Muse, Is Dead at 86". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  12. ^ Horwell, Veronica (8 May 2009). "Maxime de la Falaise". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  13. ^ Orth, Maureen (1 February 2008). "Hurly Birley". Vanity Fair. p. 152. ISSN 0733-8899. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  14. ^ a b "Charleston Manor, Cuckmere Valley – 1000164 | Historic England". Historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  15. ^ a b Cohen, Robert. "History". Charleston Manor Festival. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  16. ^ Macnaughton, Ollie (2023). "Landscapes and portraits by Sir Oswald Birley and Lady Birley will be sold at auction". Tatler. New York City; London: Condé Nast; Illustrated Newspapers Ltd. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
  17. ^ "Lady Rhoda Vava Mary Birley". Calendar of the Grants of Probate and Letters of Administration Made in the Probate Registries of the High Court of Justice in England. London: Principal Probate Registry: 749. 1933.
  18. ^ "'Lady Rhoda Birley', a Reid Dick carved stone bust". Christies.com. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  19. ^ Farrell, Aimee (17 September 2016). "Peter Jensen: SPRING 2017 READY-TO-WEAR". Vogue. New York City: Condé Nast. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
  20. ^ Socha, Miles (18 September 2016). "Peter Jensen RTW Spring 2017". Women's Wear Daily. New York City: Fairchild Fashion Media. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rhoda_Birley&oldid=1297884384"