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Rosemary is an actress, fashion historian
and writer. She has been variously described
as “having the style and timing of pure
comic genius” and as “the Joyce
Grenfell of knickers”. |
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At RADA, where she was a scholar, she was
awarded a Medal for Acting as well as the Prize for
Costume. After a few short years in ‘rep’, she
married John, then an adman. Seven children quickly
followed, which made pursuing an acting career
somewhat difficult. So alongside collecting
children, she began collecting costume, creating
what was eventually to become “The Rosemary
Hawthorne Collection”, ranging from the late
eighteenth century to the present day
She became a passionate student of costume history
and, in particular, how clothes affected women’s
lives and vice versa. A keen member of The Costume
Society she soon became a well known and respected
Fashion Historian. She saw clothes and fashion as a
social history, not only of women but of men.
Husband, John, had what Rosemary describes as a
mid-life crisis and became a priest. She is, she
says, “the original of the actress who woke up in
bed one morning with a parson.”
Asked one day by a student where the word ‘bloomers’
came from, Rosemary was inspired to write her first
book, ‘Knickers: An Intimate Appraisal’. This
brought her international acclaim and she soon
became known as ‘The Knicker Lady’ - now a
registered trademark. Other books quickly followed.
Her books have been sold and translated across the
world, from Russia to Brazil.
She became, and is still, in great demand throughout
the UK as a speaker and entertainer. Like Sir John
Reith, the BBC’s first Director General, she
believes that whatever the occasion, whatever the
audience, people want to be entertained as well as
informed – and they love her for it.
The stage has now reclaimed her, and she tours
theatres with her own two act, One Woman Show.
Husband John, now retired, is, poor man, her Roadie.
“I tell him not to complain,” says Rosemary, “not
many ageing clerics get a chance to handle luminous
thongs in Cleethorpes."
But it is not only the UK that seeks her. Rosemary
was commissioned by Lycra to mount, from her own
Collection, an Exhibition in Barcelona to mark the
Centenary of The Bra. She received wide Spanish
media coverage. She was also invited by The British
Council to represent Great Britain at The Harare
International Festival of The Arts – an invitation
she declined. |
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Books:
The Costume Collector’s Companion 1890 – 1990
Knickers: An Intimate Appraisal.
Knickers: An Intimate Re-appraisal.
Bras: A Private View.
Stockings & Suspenders: A Quick Flash.
Dear Worried Violet.
Chinstraps, Nose-Moulds and Corsets. |
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Television and Radio credits include: |
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The One Show. |
Antiques Roadshow |
The Antiques
Trail |
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Bra Wars. |
Christmas Stockings |
The Victorians |
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This Morning. |
Lingerie. |
William and Kate: The Wedding of The
Century. |
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Midweek |
Woman’s Hour. |
Breakfast. |
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Richard and Judy/ |
.Pebble Mill at One. |
Beat The Band. |
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Tell The Truth. |
Big Breakfast. |
Noel’s House Party. |
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Pick of The Week. |
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Museums include:
Bowes Museum.
Exeter Museum
Holburne Museum
Rutland Museum
Kettering Museum
Rosemary Hawthorne is a Fab and Funny Fashion Lady
www.rosemaryhawthorne.co.uk
For further information please contact
Sara Cameron
on 020 7209 3777 |
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