Jump to content

Cynthia Payne

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cynthia Payne
Born
Cynthia Diana Paine

(1932-12-24)24 December 1932
Bognor Regis, Sussex, England
Died15 November 2015(2015-11-15) (aged 82)
Camberwell, London, England
Burial placeStreatham Park Cemetery, Streatham, South London, England
Other names
  • Cynthia Diane Payne
  • Madam Cyn
Occupation(s)Madam, brothel keeper, party hostess, politician, media personality
Years active1978–2014
Known forBritain's best-known madam
Notable workEntertaining at Home: 101 Party Hints from Britain's Most Popular Hostess
Political partyRainbow Alliance Payne and Pleasure Party (1988)
Children2
Websitecynthia-payne.co.uk

Cynthia Diana Paine (24 December 1932 – 15 November 2015), known professionally as Cynthia Payne and nicknamed Madam Cyn, was an English madam, brothel keeper, party hostess, politician, and media personality. She was widely considered to be Britain's best known madam. She made headlines throughout the 1970s and 1980s, when she was convicted of running a brothel at 32 Ambleside Avenue in Streatham, South London.

Early life

[edit]

Cynthia Diana Paine[1] was born in Bognor Regis, Sussex, England on 24 December (Christmas Eve) 1932,[2][3] as the elder child to Nelson Arthur Paine (1904–1979),[4][5] a hairdresser, who worked on Union Castle liners, and his wife,[6] Elizabeth (née Light; 1906–1945),[7][8] a housewife, who died from throat cancer when her daughter was 12 years old.[9] Her birth was registered in Westhampnett in January 1933.[2] She had a younger sister, Wendy A Stokes[10] (née Paine; born 1934).[11]

Payne was expelled from her convent boarding school for being a "bad influence". She trained as a hairdresser, before working as a waitress,[12] and later, as a shop assistant. As a teenager, she moved to London to work in a department store, Swan & Edgar.[9]

Career

[edit]

Payne, known as "Madam Cyn",[13][14] first came to national attention in December 1978,[15][16] when police raided her home, 32 Ambleside Avenue,[17] in Streatham, a suburb in South London,[18] while a sex party was in progress. Men, using difficult-to-forge luncheon vouchers to provide "proof of services performed", paid to dress up in lingerie and be spanked by young women.[19] Police found 53 men at her residence, in varying levels of undress, including "a peer of the realm, an MP, a number of solicitors and company directors and several vicars". A cartoon in the press at the time, according to Sarah Baxter in The Sunday Times, "showed a vicar in bed with a prostitute, confronted by a policeman. 'I demand to see my solicitor,' said the vicar, 'who is in the next bedroom.'"[20] She slipped into prostitution to avoid eviction from her flat.[9]

When the case came to trial in 1980,[21] Payne was sentenced to 18 months in prison, reduced to a fine and six months on appeal.[22] She served four months in HM Prison Holloway, a closed category prison for adult women and young offenders in Holloway, London.[19] She was released from prison on 17 August 1980,[23] where she was picked up by a former client in his Rolls-Royce. She gave the awaiting photographers a V-sign and the quote: "V for victory, V for voucher."[9]

In 1986, the police raided Payne's home again, this time, during a "special party" she was hosting after shooting of the film of her life had been completed. Although she was acquitted on this occasion,[22][24] the resulting court case in 1987[25] made headlines for several weeks with lurid tales, some details of which she aired on the ITV comedy talk-show The Dame Edna Experience, broadcast on 17 October, co-guesting with Sir John Mills and Rudolf Nureyev,[26] on which she launched her book, Entertaining at Home: 101 Party Hints from Britain's Most Popular Hostess (ISBN 978-0-14-010618-3), which was published by Penguin. The court case ended her career as a party giver.[27][28]

Payne appeared on the BBC Two programme Joan Rivers: Can We Talk?, in the episode broadcast on 31 March 1986.[29]

Payne appeared on the BBC Two documentary, Personal Services-The Making of a Celebrity, which was broadcast on 1 May 1987. She spoke to Joan Bakewell.[30]

Payne appeared as a panellist on the BBC One comedy game show Blankety Blank, hosted by Les Dawson, in the episode broadcast on 20 November 1987.[31]

While appearing on The Dame Edna Experience in 1987, Payne expressed an interest in becoming a Member of Parliament in order to change Britain's sex laws, which she followed through by standing for Parliament as a candidate for the 'Rainbow Alliance Payne and Pleasure Party' banner in the Kensington by-election in July 1988,[32][33] followed by her standing in her own area, Streatham, for the Rainbow Dream Ticket in the 1992 UK General Election. She did not gain a parliamentary seat.[34]

Payne appeared on BBC News with Robert Kilroy-Silk on 31 July 1990.[35]

Payne appeared as a guest on the BBC One talk show Wogan, in the episode broadcast on 5 August 1991.[36]

Payne appeared on three episodes of the BBC Radio 2 radio programme The Law Game, in the episodes broadcast on 24 September 1991,[37] 1 October 1991[38] and 4 March 1992.[39]

Payne appeared on the BBC One programme Showbiz People, in the episode broadcast on 9 July 1992.[40]

Payne was the subject of the BBC Two series Celebrity Mantelpiece. The episode, directed and produced by Nicholas Barker, was broadcast on 6 October 1993.[41]

Payne appeared as a guest on the BBC Two mock talk show The Mrs Merton Show, in the episode broadcast on 24 February 1995.[42][43] She made a second appearance in the episode broadcast on 18 May 1995.[44]

Payne appeared as a guest on the BBC Two talk show Esther, in the episode broadcast on 19 April 1996.[45] She made a second appearance in the episode broadcast on 10 February 1998.[46] She made a third appearance in the episode broadcast on 17 August 1998.[47]

Payne appeared the BBC Two magazine show Menzone, in the episode broadcast on 21 March 1998, where she was spoke to Tim Grundy.[48]

Payne made appearances as an after-dinner speaker, and launched a range of "adult" services and products in 2006.[49]

Personal life

[edit]

Payne had two sons. She fell pregnant by a much older married man and gave birth to her elder child, who was eventually fostered. She financed his boarding school education and later attended his wedding. She gave her younger child up for adoption at a few weeks old. She had three abortions.[9] Although she was always known as Mrs. Payne, she never married.[50] She had five grandchildren.[51]

Payne lived at 32 Ambleside Avenue,[52] SW16 1QP,[53][54] a detached Edwardian four-bed house, in Streatham, South London, which she bought for £16,000 in 1974, until her death. Her secretary and advisor, Gloria Walker, later moved in with her.[18] At one time, the musician and perennial parliamentary candidate, Screaming Lord Sutch, lived with her.[55] Land Registry records show her house was sold for £1.25M in October 2016.[50]

Payne had once been a muse of the London-based Scottish fashion designer Christopher Kane at London Fashion Week.[56]

Death

[edit]

Payne died at King's College Hospital[1] in Camberwell on 15 November 2015. She was 82.[57][58][59][9] Her family celebrated her life with a colourful humanist[60] funeral service on 9 December 2015, in accordance with her wishes. She was buried at Streatham Park Cemetery in Greater London.[61][62]

In November 2016, it was reported that Payne had left nearly £1.3M in her will, which was divided equally between her sons. The bulk of her estate was made up by the value of her house in Streatham.[50]

Filmography

[edit]
Year Title Notes
1982 Book Four Episode: "Episode #1.2"
1986 Joan Rivers: Can We Talk? Episode: "31/03/1986"
1987, 1991 Wogan 2 episodes
1987 The Last Resort Episode: "Episode #1.8"
1987 Personal Services Consultant
1987 Late Night with David Letterman Episode: "Episode #6.56"
1987, 1994 The Rock 'n' Roll Years 2 episodes
1987 Frox on the Box Episode: "30/09/1987"
1987 The Dame Edna Experience Episode: "Episode #1.6"
1987 Blankety Blank Episode: "Episode #11.10"
1988 Bains de minuit 3 episodes
1988 One More Audience with Dame Edna Everage Audience member; Uncredited
1989 The James Whale Radio Show 2 episodes
1990 Gilbert's Fringe Episode: "08/02/1990"
1990 The Garden Party Episode: "Episode #3.7"
1990 An Audience with Jackie Mason Audience member
1991, 1996, 1997 This Morning 3 episodes
1992 The Time, The Place Episode: "29/04/1992"
1992 Showbiz People Episode: "Episode #1.9"
1992 TV Squash Episode: "Episode #1.3"
1993 The Brain Drain Episode: "Episode #2.6"
1993 Celebrity Mantelpiece Episode: "Cynthia Payne"
1995 The Mrs Merton Show Episode: "Episode #1.3"
1995 The Ghost Files
1995 Cynthia Payne's House of Cyn
1996 Mistresses Episode: "Men Behaving Badly"
1997 In Bed with Medinner Episode: "Episode #3.4"
1997 Selection Box Episode: "Porridge"
1997 The Lily Savage Show Episode: "Episode #1.3"
1997 The Jack Docherty Show Episode: "04/12/1997"
1998 Esther Episode: "When The Truth Comes Out"
1999 Omnibus Episode: "Our Julie"
2000 The 11 O'Clock Show Episode: "Episode #4.10"
2001 Through the Keyhole Episode: "16/05/2001"
2001 Ceri Dupree Unfrocked Episode: "09/11/2001"
2001 80s Mania
2005 Greatest Before They Were Stars TV Moments
2006 Madam Cyn's Home Movies
2007 The Most Shocking Celebrity Moments of 2006
2007 Cynthia Payne: At the 'House of Cyn' Uncredited
2007 Most Shocking Celebrity Moments of the 21st Century
2014 Inside Holloway Episode: "Women in Chains: 1948-2014"

Source(s): [63][64][65][66]

Legacy

[edit]

There are two verified biographies that are about Payne's life; An English Madam: The Life and Work of Cynthia Payne (ISBN 978-0-224-02037-4), written by Paul Bailey and published by Jonathan Cape in 1982,[67][68][69] and Sexplicitly Yours: Trial of Cynthia Payne (ISBN 978-0-14-010543-8), written by Gloria Walker, her secretary and advisor, which was published by Penguin Books Ltd in 1987.[70]

There are two comedy films that are loosely based on Payne's life, both released in 1987; Wish You Were Here,[71] about her adolescence growing up on the Sussex coast,[72] with Emily Lloyd in the lead role of Lynda Mansell,[73] and Personal Services,[74] about her adult life, starring Julie Walters in the lead role of Christine Painter,[75] and directed by Terry Jones.[76] Both were written by David Leland,[77] who also directed Wish You Were Here,[78] which was filmed in Brighton, Worthing and Bognor Regis[79] over a period of six weeks; the first day of filming was on Lloyd's 16th birthday. Personal Services was banned in the Republic of Ireland on 13 March, upon theatrical release, although the ban was lifted two months later, after being overturned by the Film Appeals Board on 12 May.[80]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Hamilton, Christine (2019). "Payne, Cynthia Diane (1932–2015)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/odnb/9780198614128.013.110892. ISBN 9780198614128. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  2. ^ a b England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2007: JAN 1933 2b 498 WESTHAMPNETT — Cynthia D Paine
  3. ^ "Cynthia Payne". The Times. 17 November 2015. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  4. ^ England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915: JAN 1905 2b 370 CHICHESTER — Nelson Arthur Paine
  5. ^ England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007: APR 1979 (aged 74) 18 1625 CHICHESTER — Nelson Arrthur Paine
  6. ^ England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005: APR 1930 2b 983 WESTHAMPNETT — Nelson A Paine = Elizabeth Light
  7. ^ England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915: JAN 1906 2b 375 CHICHESTER — Elizabeth Light
  8. ^ England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007: OCT 1945 (aged 39) 2b 531 CHICHESTER — Elizabeth Paine
  9. ^ a b c d e f Campbell, Duncan (16 November 2015). "Cynthia Payne obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  10. ^ England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005: APR 1956 5h 799 CHICHESTER — Wendy A Paine = Victor K Stokes
  11. ^ England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2007: JUL 1934 2b 529 WESTHAMPNETT — Wendy A Paine
  12. ^ le Duc, Frank (16 November 2015). "Brighton's most famous former waitress – Madame Cyn – dies aged 82". Brighton and Hove News. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  13. ^ Rawlinson, Kevin (15 November 2015). "Former brothel madam Cynthia Payne dies, aged 82". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  14. ^ Brooks-Pollock, Tom (16 November 2015). "Cynthia Payne: Brothel keeper known as 'Madame Cyn' dies aged 82". The Independent. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  15. ^ O'Connell, Dee (5 May 2002). "What happened next?". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  16. ^ "Britain's best known madam Cynthia Payne has died". ITVX. 15 November 2015. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  17. ^ Masey, Anthea (27 January 2017). "This well-connected South London town is on the rise". The Standard. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  18. ^ a b "Sex in Streatham". The Economist. 28 November 2015. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  19. ^ a b Davies, Hugh (14 December 2004). "Payne's sex party souvenirs for sale". The Telegraph. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  20. ^ Baxter, Sarah (22 November 2015). "So long, Madam Cyn, a spanking, ethical example to us all". The Times. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  21. ^ Ballantyne, Aileen (16 May 2013). "From the archive, 16 May 1980: Lunch voucher madame wins cut in jail term". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  22. ^ a b "1987: Mrs Payne is no brothel Madam". BBC. 11 February 1987. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  23. ^ "Cynthia Payne". Getty Images. 23 October 2003. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  24. ^ Jacobson, Philip; Cross, David (12 February 2003). "On This Day The Times, February 12, 1987". The Times. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  25. ^ Moncur, Andrew (12 February 2016). "Cynthia Payne trial - sexual marathon that strained courtroom calm". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  26. ^ Benedictus, Leo (19 March 2012). "Barry Humphries as Dame Edna: a career in clips". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  27. ^ Furness, Hannah (10 January 2019). "'Madam Cyn', Britain's best-known brothel keeper, takes her place in history". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  28. ^ Mann, Sebastian (16 November 2015). "Britain's best-known madam Cynthia Payne dies aged 82". The Standard. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  29. ^ "Joan Rivers: Can We Talk?". BBC. 31 March 1986. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  30. ^ "Personal Services-The Making of a Celebrity". BBC. 1 May 1987. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  31. ^ "Blankety Blank". BBC. 20 November 1987. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  32. ^ Boothroyd, David. "Results of Byelections in the 1983–87 Parliament". United Kingdom Election Results. Archived from the original on 5 April 2018. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  33. ^ "Payne". British Parliamentary By Elections. 27 October 2009. Archived from the original on 27 October 2009. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  34. ^ Reid, Rebecca (16 November 2015). "Cynthia Payne: The desperately British brothel madam all feminists should remember". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  35. ^ "News". BBC. 31 July 1990. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  36. ^ "Wogan". BBC. 5 August 1991. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  37. ^ "The Law Game". BBC. 24 September 1991. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  38. ^ "The Law Game". BBC. 1 October 1991. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  39. ^ "The Law Game". BBC. 4 March 1992. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  40. ^ "Showbiz People". BBC. 9 July 1992. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  41. ^ "Celebrity Mantelpiece". BBC. 6 October 1993. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  42. ^ "The Mrs Merton Show". BBC. 24 February 1995. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  43. ^ "The Mrs Merton Show". BBC. 24 February 1995. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  44. ^ "The Mrs Merton Show". BBC. 18 May 1995. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  45. ^ "Esther". BBC. 19 April 1996. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  46. ^ "Esther". BBC. 10 February 1998. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  47. ^ "Esther". BBC. 17 August 1998. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  48. ^ "Menzone". BBC. 21 March 1998. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  49. ^ Dowling, Tim (18 November 2015). "When Cynthia Payne gave me a luncheon voucher". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  50. ^ a b c "Cynthia Payne, madam - obituary". The Telegraph. 16 November 2015. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  51. ^ "Monty Python's Terry Jones leads tributes at funeral of Cynthia Payne". Belfast Telegraph. 9 December 2015. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  52. ^ Noble, Will (21 April 2023). "Cynthia Payne - Queen Of Streatham's Luncheon Voucher Sex Parties". Londonist. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  53. ^ UK, Electoral Registers, 2003-2010: 2003-2009 32, Ambleside Avenue, SW16 1QP London, London — MS Cynthia Payne
  54. ^ UK, Electoral Registers, 2011-2018: 2014-2015 32 Ambleside Avenue, SW16 1QP City of London, London — Cynthia Payne
  55. ^ Moynihan, Tim (1 September 1999). "Lord Sutch fought long battle with depression". The Free Library. Archived from the original on 18 April 2024. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  56. ^ Cochrane, Lauren (20 September 2017). "Cynthia Payne, the Queen and Offred: a who's who of London fashion week". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  57. ^ "Brothel keeper Cynthia Payne dies". BBC News. 15 November 2015. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  58. ^ England and Wales, Death Index, 1989-2023: 15 NOV 2015 (aged 82) CITY OF LONDON — Cynthia Diana Paine
  59. ^ "Notorious Brothel Owner Cynthia Payne Dies". Sky News. 15 November 2015. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  60. ^ "Humanist funeral for 'Madam Cyn' Cynthia Payne, 'the best hostess in London'". Humanists UK. 7 December 2015. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  61. ^ Bullen, Jamie (9 December 2015). "Mourners pay tribute at funeral for notorious former brothel madam Cynthia Payne". The Standard. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  62. ^ Waring, Olivia (9 December 2015). "Britain's best-known brothel madam sent off with 'sex' wreath and French maid mourners". Metro. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  63. ^ "Cynthia Payne - BBC Programme Index". BBC. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  64. ^ "Cynthia Payne". IMDb. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  65. ^ "Cynthia Payne". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  66. ^ "Cynthia Payne". TV Guide. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  67. ^ Brown, Craig (12 October 2017). "Writing Cynthia Payne's biography – archive, 1982". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  68. ^ "Paul Bailey, novelist who explored love and loss and wrote an acclaimed biography of Cynthia Payne". The Telegraph. 28 October 2024. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  69. ^ "Paul Bailey obituary: award-winning novelist and gleeful gossip". The Times. 30 October 2024. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  70. ^ Robertson Qc, Geoffrey (18 November 2015). "Geoffrey Robertson QC: 'The police wasted a lot of taxpayers' money in bringing Cynthia Payne to trial'". The Independent. Archived from the original on 13 December 2021. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  71. ^ Clarke, Jude (17 April 2017). "How we made Wish You Were Here". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  72. ^ Ebert, Roger (31 July 1987). "Wish You Were Here". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on 25 September 2014. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  73. ^ Woolley, Stephen (29 December 2023). "My friend David Leland's films always cheered for the underdog". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  74. ^ "Julie Walters tells of fear over Mo Mowlam role". BBC. 20 January 2010. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  75. ^ Beddington, Emma (25 February 2024). "An audience with Cynthia Payne, 1987". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  76. ^ Bradshaw, Peter (22 January 2020). "Monty Python film director Terry Jones: full of fun and innocence – and a very naughty boy". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  77. ^ "David Leland, writer-director who had success with Personal Services and Wish You Were Here – obituary". The Telegraph. 1 January 2024. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  78. ^ Pulver, Andrew (27 December 2023). "Wish You Were Here director David Leland dies aged 82". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  79. ^ "Wish You Were Here". Reelstreets. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  80. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 16 July 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cynthia_Payne&oldid=1280247790"