The name Beryl Reid is barely known amongst today’s hipster crowd but having seen this video ‘Beryl Reid At Home’, I think her legacy deserves some street cred for her wacky earring collection which makes Camden market as boring as a box of All-Bran.
Beryl was a big deal in her day, winning a Golden Globe for The Killing of Sister George and a BAFTA for Smiley’s People. And now it seems, years after her death, Beryl has become an unwitting muse to the pop star Lady Gaga too. I’m sure Lady Gaga’s heard of Sister George, so perhaps she visited the British Pathé film archive and fell in love with Beryl’s fetching Telephone earrings?
We can’t confirm whether Lady Gaga is a fan of the British Pathé Film Archive, but we can confirm that Beryl was more than 40 years ahead of the Gaga wave. Take a look at her other crazy accessories. Look out for Lady Gaga wearing buckets on her ears – it’s surely only a matter of time before Gaga ditches her dog and bone for another Beryl Reid look?
The video itself is a brilliant clip about Beryl’s eccentric home-life. A bit like MTV Cribs, or for our older readers, Through The Keyhole:
“Situated on the Thames within easy reach of London. The easiest way to do the shopping, in good weather, is by dingy. A favourite mode of transport for actress Beryl Reid, better known to thousands as Marlene Queen of the Dance halls. The aptly-named cottage, which closely resembles a couple of thatched honey pots is also the home to the probably the most bizarre collection of earrings in the country”.
Marlene Queen of the Dance halls? We’re going to research this later, it sounds exciting.
We’re a bit concerned about Beryl’s hubby Derek though. He suddenly appears, shooting a rifle from a deck chair. The narrator describes him as double-bass player with part-time penchant for shooting squirrels. Eat your heart out Snoop Dogg, Beryl’s crib is truly gangster.
See the video here in the archive: http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=194
If Lady Gaga can get over 70 million hits on YouTube with her telephone video, surely Beryl Reid deserves a similarly grand reception in the British Pathe film archive. Get watching!
Read about Beryl on her Wikipedia page here
Read a short online memoir of Honey Pot Cottage, by Beryl’s niece Susan Reid-Povall.
We wonder if Honey Pot Cottage is this there today? Does anyone have any news or information about the quaint little retreat?
British Pathé 
Bery used to live .not far from me in a small village called Iver Heath in Bucks. I often saw her in the local shop. I don’t know if the cottage is there. This was about 40 years ago.