Page 115 - Classics Issue

the family fortune. However, most of them are highly educated and either hold or are being groomed to hold positions in very substantial organisations. Daisy 24, is the latest recruit and sees it as a bit of fun after university. As she sits with us in L’Escargot, a private club in Soho, Daisy declares that she has a Masters Degree in International Fashion from The London Collage of Fashion, an Accountancy degree and is also fuent in four languages including Chinese. Daisy is no dizzy blonde.As we chatted about life Daisy began to recall her family’s history. I’ve known her father for a while, so I have the rough outline but the facts are fascinating. Her great grandmother Stella Defries, the youngest of three sisters born to David and Marion McNair had emigrated from Scotland to Vancouver where they established a very successful timber business selling up in the 1890’s. They relocated to California where the three girls Edith, Ethel and Stella became American citizens. Now living in Los Angeles next to the Getty family, the Defries were busy purchasing extensive agricultural land including some barren hills from the State government.Daisy explains (jumping around the chronology) that her great grandmother, Stella married Colin Defries in 1909, who promptly whisked her off on honey moon to Australia, taking with him (by ship) a Wright Brothers Model A Bi Plane, which he had named Stella, (doesn’t everyone take a bi plane on their honey moon?). Colin, an accomplished English racing driver, had competed in the 1907 French Grand Prix in Dieppe driving a Boulogne manufactured 10.8 litre Porthos racing car. Colin had been taught to fy in Cannes along with his best friend Malcolm Campbell. The Honeymoon over, Colin made history. On December 9th 1909 at Victoria park raceway in Sydney, Colin broke a record becoming the frst Australian to pilot a powered fight maintaining a straight and level distance of 115 yards at a heady altitude of about 15 feet at a steady 36mph before landing safely. The Aircraft that Colin Defes piloted was owned by a gentleman called Lawrence Adamson and was “dumped at sea” to avoid paying customs duties. Most of the craft was lost, but the salvaged engine now belongs to the Museum of Victoria and is regarded as “one of the most signifcant aeronautical artefacts” in the collection by curator David Crotty.Daisy looks at me as if to say “are you getting this?” then continues… Los Angeles 1921 and the three Sisters met in the offce of their family lawyer to discuss the land they owned. Rather than pay the taxes they decided to sell off the barren hills. Hollywood was in its infancy so there was very little interest in their plot of land known now as “Beverly Hills” so it was promptly sold. A reminder that with property it maybe location, location, location, but timing can be a huge factor… Stella used her share of the sale to fnance her husband’s new venture with his friend and business partner Donald Campbell. That company was named The Bluebird Co Ltd in 1923, it located on London’s Kings Road in the Bluebird Garage. Today, no longer a garage but a Chelsea landmark fve star restaurant. Designed by architect Robert Sharp it was said to be one of the largest garages in Europe at the time. The 50,000 sq. ft. main garage could house 300 cars with further workshops of 7,000 sq ft, with two buildings either side of garage for lounges that were segregated for divers, owners and ladies.