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Lady Helen Hamlyn, CBE (née Jones; born 28 March 1934) is an English designer and philanthropist who heads the Helen Hamlyn Trust.
Lady Helen Hamlyn CBE | |
|---|---|
| Born | Helen Roice Jones 28 March 1934 London, England |
| Education | St Christopher School |
| Alma mater | Royal College of Art |
| Occupation(s) | Designer and Philanthropist |
| Known for | Philanthropy |
| Spouses |
|
Life and career
Helen Roice Jones was born in London in 1934.[1] Her father, E. William Jones,[2] an engineer, died during World War II.[3] She and her sister, Margaret O’Rorke, a light maker in fine porcelain, attended the progressive co-educational St Christopher School in Letchworth.[1][4] Hamlyn then went on to the Royal College of Art where she graduated as a fashion designer.[1] After graduation, she became a designer at Cresta Silks where she remained for 15 years.[4] Her marriage to architect Paul Guest in 1957[2] ended in divorce. In 1970 she married Paul Hamlyn, Baron Hamlyn, a publisher and philanthropist.[citation needed]
Together, Paul and Helen. bought in the 1980s the 13th century Chateau de Bagnols in Beaujolais.[4][5] After four years of restoration, it opened in 1992 as “one of the world's most famous and exclusive hotels.”[6] In recognition of her work she was named a Chevalier de l'Ordre des Artes et Lettres by the French government.[6]
Philanthropy
In 1984, Paul Hamlyn gave to his wife as her 50th birthday present her own foundation, the Helen Hamlyn Trust.[4] One aim of the trust is to fund projects that improve people's lives.[7][8] Her interests include the design of products to be used by people of all ages,[9] and the restoration and re-use of the Albarquel fort in Setúbal, Portugal.[10]
Awards and honors
Hamlyn’s charitable work has been recognized by many institutions in the UK and abroad. She was named a CBE in 2019.[11] She has received honorary doctorates from Fordham University (2004),[12] the Rochester Institute of Technology (2014)[13] and the Royal College of Art (2016).[14] She was designated an honorary graduate of Imperial College London (2006).[15] Her honorary fellowships include the Royal College of Art (1994),[14] City and Guilds of London Institute (2012),[16] the Royal Institute of British Architects (2022),[17] and University College London (2023).[18] In February 2013 she was assessed as one of the 100 most powerful women in the UK by Woman's Hour on BBC Radio 4.[7]
References
External links
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