While reading Pattie Boyd's excellent memoir, Wonderful Tonight: George Harrison, Eric Clapton, And Me, I came across repeated reference to a 1960s book called Birds Of Britain by fashion photographer John E. Green. I was unfamiliar with this title, so I decided to look into it. To my dismay, I discovered that this scarce and out-of-print book is listed in the price range of $200+ by third party sellers on Amazon. Fortunately, my school library had it on hand, so I was able to check it out.
Birds Of Britain (1967) is without a doubt one of the best books on the 60s that I've come across. It is large format in size and features profiles of the reigning dollybirds (models, singers, actresses, and movers and shakers) of Swinging London. Many of the black and white photographs are two-page spreads, which made scanning a bit of a challenge.
The lovely ladies included in the book are: Pattie Boyd, Sandie Shaw, Charly Rampling, Sue Murray, Susannah York, Sue Cornwallis, Ingrid Boulting, Lady Eliot, Edina Ronay, Rory Davis, Sibylla, Julie Christie, Sarah Miles, Paula Noble, Annette Andre, Susan Hampshire, Lane and Victoria Ornsby-Gore, Victoria Mills, Jane Asher, Diana Macleod, Angela Pringle, Mary Quant, Marianne Faithfull, Pat Booth, Annabella Macartney, Ingrid Hepner, Shirley Scott-James, Lulu, Juliet Harmer, Susan Maughan, Martine Beswick, Alexandra Bastedo, The Jay Twins, Claire Bewick, Hayley Mills, Jane Barry (Birkin), Lady Mary-Gaye Curzon, Chrissie Shrimpton, Viviane Ventura, Venetia Cuninghame, Lady Jacqueline Rufus-Isaacs, Cathy McGowan, Sandra Paul, Paddy Carrington-Bates, Shirley Ann Field, Mary Bee, Samantha Juste, Shirley Watts, Vicky Hodge, Cilla Black, Suzanna Leigh, Annegret, Sue Lloyd, Ilona Rodgers, Cetra Hearne, Dusty Springfield
Pattie Boyd - Beatle's Wife, model, and rock muse
Chrissie Shrimpton - sister of Jean and former lady love of Mick Jagger
Mary Quant - legendary fashion designer
Jane Asher - actress and one-time girlfriend of Paul McCartney
Hayley Mills - child star turned serious actress
Charly (Charlotte) Rampling - actress
Jane Barry (Birkin) - actress, singer, fashion icon, and Gainsbourg muse
Alexandra Bastedo - model. Smiths fans may recognize this iconic shot.
