# Nancy Beaton

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**Nancy Elizabeth Louise Hardy, Lady Smiley** (née **Beaton**; 30 September 1909 – 6 June 1999) was an English socialite who, together with her sister, [Baba Beaton](/source/Baba_Beaton), was known as one of the **Beaton Sisters** and was included in *The Book of Beauty* by their brother, [Cecil Beaton](/source/Cecil_Beaton).[1]

## Biography

Nancy Beaton was born 30 September 1909, in London, the daughter of Ernest Walter Hardy Beaton (1867–1936), a timber merchant from Hampstead,[2] and Esther "Etty" Sisson (1872–1962). Her paternal grandfather was Walter Hardy Beaton (1841–1904), founder of the family business "Beaton Brothers Timber Merchants and Agents".[3] On 4 December 1909 she was baptized into the [Church of England](/source/Church_of_England) as Nancy Elizabeth Louise Hardy at St Mary's Church, [Kilburn](/source/Kilburn,_London), with her parents recorded as Ernest Walter and Esther Beaton.[4]

Nancy was one of the first models of her brother Cecil.[2]

Nancy Beaton was presented as a debutante at court in 1928, at the [Queen Charlotte's Ball](/source/Queen_Charlotte's_Ball), in the presence of [George V](/source/George_V). She was part of a [Bright Young Things](/source/Bright_Young_Things)' scandal when she, [Stephen Tennant](/source/Stephen_Tennant), and [David Plunket Greene](/source/David_Plunket_Greene) were thrown out from a party at the home of the Countess of Ellesmere they were crashing.[2]

In January 1933 she married [Sir Hugh Houston Smiley, 3rd Baronet](/source/Smiley_baronets) (1905–1990). [Constance Spry](/source/Constance_Spry) arranged the flowers and the wedding was a notable society event.[2] The dresses were designed by her brother, Cecil Beaton. Baba Beaton, [Margaret Whigham](/source/Margaret_Whigham), [Lady Bridget Poulett](/source/Lady_Bridget_Poulett), and [Lady Anne Wellesley](/source/Anne_Rhys,_7th_Duchess_of_Ciudad_Rodrigo) were among the bridesmaids.[5][6]

According to her brother Cecil Beaton in *The Book of Beauty* (1933): "I am enthralled at the childish intentness and gaiety of Nancy when looking for a coral tiara in a curiosity shop, by the complexion that emerges from underneath the water after she has fallen off an aquaplane board, by her dazzling blondness when, like a Gainsborough, writing her diary on a haystack."[1]

She died on 6 June 1999.

## References

1. Beaton, Cecil (1933). [*The Book Of Beauty*](https://archive.org/stream/in.ernet.dli.2015.218224/2015.218224.The-Book#page/n65/mode/2up). Retrieved 19 January 2018.

1. Vickers, Hugo (1999). ["Obituary: Nancy, Lady Smiley"](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-nancy-lady-smiley-1099015.html). *The Independent*. [Archived](https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-nancy-lady-smiley-1099015.html) 18 June 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 23 January 2018.

1. Vickers, Hugo (1985), "Cecil Beaton: The Authorised Biography", Phoenix Press

1. "Nancy Elizabeth Louise Hardy Beaton" in *London, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1923*, citing "Baptisms Solemnized at St Mary's Church, Kilburn", no. 1410, 4 December 1909.

1. ["Wedding Style from England - 28 Jan 1933, Sat • Page 17"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/16801397/chicago_tribune/). *Chicago Tribune*. 1933. Retrieved 23 January 2018.

1. ["Miss Nancy Beaton Is Wedded to Sir Hugh Smiley at St. Margaret's, Westminster, January 18 - 04 Mar 1933, Sat • Main Edition • Page 25"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/16802631/honolulu_starbulletin/). *Honolulu Star-Bulletin*. 1933. Retrieved 23 January 2018.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Nancy Beaton](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy_Beaton) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy_Beaton?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.