Anne Naysmith

Anne Naysmith
Born(1937-01-13)13 January 1937
Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England
Died10 February 2015(2015-02-10) (aged 78)
London, England
EducationRoyal Academy of Music
OccupationClassical pianist

Anne Margaret Naysmith (née Smith; 13 January 1937 – 10 February 2015)[1] was a British classical pianist who became notable later in life for sleeping rough in Chiswick, West London.[2][3]

She was born in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, in 1937. Her family moved to Hounslow, West London, when she was eight. The 'Nay' was added much later.[4]

Naysmith studied with Harold Craxton and Liza Fuchsova at the Royal Academy of Music, and gave a well received recital at Wigmore Hall in 1967, but experienced personal difficulties in the late 1960s and was evicted from her house in Prebend Gardens, Chiswick.[2] Following her eviction Naysmith slept in her car, a Ford Consul, for 26 years until 2002 when it was towed away following campaigning from neighbours to have it removed.[5][6][7] Naysmith then lived in a handmade shelter next to Stamford Brook Underground station.[2][8]

The Guardian noted parallels with Mary Shepherd, the subject of Alan Bennett's 1999 play The Lady in the Van, who had also been a classical pianist.[3]

At 01:00 on 10 February 2015 Naysmith died after being struck by a lorry on Chiswick High Road.[2][7] She was buried at Chiswick New Cemetery on 7 March 2015.[7]

References

  1. ^ "Chiswick Bids Farewell To Anne Naysmith". Chiswickw4.com. Archived from the original on 15 March 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d "Anne Naysmith, pianist - obituary". The Daily Telegraph. 11 February 2015. Archived from the original on 11 February 2015.
  3. ^ a b Steven Morris (11 February 2015). "From concert pianist to lady in the car: the extraordinary life of Anne Naysmith". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  4. ^ "A musician of promise and then a concert pianist. But she died a homeless recluse." The Guardian 12 February 2015 page 11
  5. ^ Emily Cockayne (2012). Cheek by Jowl: A History of Neighbours. Random House. p. 196. ISBN 9781409027737. Retrieved 13 February 2015.
  6. ^ "Woman's car home towed away". 7 March 2002. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  7. ^ a b c Cumber, Robert (11 February 2015). "Tributes paid to 'rag lady of Chiswick' Anne Naysmith, killed in lorry crash". MyLondon. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  8. ^ "Homeless concert pianist's anger over shelter's removal". BBC News. 5 September 2012. Retrieved 13 February 2015.