Shirley Conran
Author, designer, and campaigner for maths education.
Dame Shirley Ida Conran was an English author, designer, journalist, and social entrepreneur. After a serious illness left her with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, she wrote best-selling books including the feminist self-help Superwoman and the bonkbuster Lace. In later life, she campaigned and founded charities to encourage maths education for women, for which she was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
Quick Facts
- Birth name
- Shirley Ida Pearce
- Born
- 21 September 1932
- Birthplace
- Middlesex, England
- Died
- 9 May 2024
- Place of death
- London, England
- Occupation
- Novelist
- Journalist
- Founder
- Spouse
- Terence Conran (1955–1962)
- John Stephenson
- Kevin O'Sullivan
- Children
- Sebastian Conran; Jasper Conran
Facts from the source article.
Early life
Shirley Ida Pearce was born on 21 September 1932 in Hendon, Middlesex, to Ida and Thirlby Pearce. She went to St Paul's Girls' School and later a Swiss finishing school, which inspired the fictional L'Hirondelle in her 1982 novel Lace. Her father owned a successful dry-cleaning business but turned violent when drunk, forcing her out at 19. She returned home after two months, malnourished and jobless, then left again with a small weekly allowance from her mother. Working as an artist's model, she funded training as a sculptor at Portsmouth College of Art and as a painter at Chelsea Polytechnic.
Career
Conran married Terence Conran in 1955 and worked with him as a fabric designer. After divorcing him due to his unfaithfulness, she turned to writing to support their two children. She wrote for the Daily Mail and in 1968 became women's editor, launching Femail, the newspaper's first dedicated women's section. She later reflected that this was the first time women in British journalism were allowed free rein to write about what interests them. She also became women's editor for The Observer and wrote columns for Vanity Fair. At age 36, a serious viral pneumonia left her with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, a debilitating condition that made it difficult for her to cope. She made notes to help with housework, which became the basis for Superwoman, published after her friend Patrick Seale obtained an advance from a publisher. The book coined the feminist slogan 'Life's too short to stuff a mushroom.' Her first novel, Lace, published in 1982, was a huge bestseller, spending 13 weeks on the New York Times Best Seller list and reaching No. 6. It became known as a 'bonkbuster' for its explicit sex scenes and was adapted into a US miniseries starring Phoebe Cates, containing the line 'Which one of you bitches is my mother?'
Personal life
Conran was married to Terence Conran from 1955 to 1962; they had two sons, Sebastian and Jasper Conran, both designers. She later married John Stephenson and then Kevin O'Sullivan, each marriage lasting two to three years. After becoming a successful author, she gave up on marriage, stating that 'a woman has to be her own Prince Charming.' She wrote in 2009 that she suffered from ME. She had homes in France and London, lived in Monaco for several years, and founded the educational non-profit Maths Action. She died from pneumonia at a hospital in London on 9 May 2024, at age 91.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Shirley Conran born?
Shirley Conran was born on 21 September 1932 in Middlesex, England.
When did Shirley Conran die?
Shirley Conran died on 9 May 2024 in London, England.
What did Shirley Conran do?
Shirley Conran was a Novelist, journalist and founder.
What is Shirley Conran known for?
Shirley Conran is known for founder of Maths Action and founder of Maths Anxiety Trust.
More in People with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/chronic Fatigue Syndrome
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