Contents
Who was Suzanne Farrington?
Suzanne Farrington was the only child of British actress Vivien Leigh and her first husband, Herbert Leigh Holman. She was born on October 12, 1933, in London, and was named Suzanne Holman. Her mother was 19 years old at the time, and had been married to the barrister Holman for less than a year. Her birth was difficult, as she was born a month prematurely and the delivery was not easy
Suzanne grew up mostly with her father and maternal grandmother, Gertrude Hartley, as her mother pursued her acting career and later married Laurence Olivier. During the Second World War, Suzanne and her grandmother travelled to Canada, where they stayed with her aunt, Florence Thompson. Suzanne attended a convent school in Vancouver and later a day school. She saw her mother only once during the war, in 1940
Suzanne became close with Simon Tarquin Olivier, her stepfather’s son from his previous marriage to Jill Esmond. She also had occasional contact with her mother, who visited her in 1950 and attended her wedding to Robin Neville Farrington in 1957. Suzanne and Robin had three sons, Neville, Jonathan and Rupert
How did Suzanne Farrington die?
Suzanne Farrington died on March 1, 2015, at the age of 81, in Lower Zeals, Wiltshire, where she lived with her husband until his death in 2002. The cause of her death was not disclosed to the public, and there was no official obituary or funeral announcement
Suzanne was known to be a private person, who rarely talked about her famous mother or her own life. She inherited her mother’s papers, including her letters, photographs, contracts and diaries, after her death in 1967. She donated some of them to the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, but kept most of them in her possession. She also owned some of her mother’s personal belongings, such as her jewellery, paintings and furniture
Suzanne was described by those who knew her as a kind, generous and loving woman, who enjoyed gardening, reading and spending time with her family and friends. She was survived by her three sons and 12 grandchildren
Why was Suzanne Farrington’s death a mystery?
Suzanne Farrington’s death was a mystery because of the lack of information and publicity surrounding it. Unlike her mother, who was one of the most celebrated and glamorous actresses of her time, Suzanne lived a quiet and modest life away from the spotlight. She did not seek fame or fortune, and preferred to keep her personal affairs private
Suzanne also had a complicated relationship with her mother, who was often absent from her life and suffered from mental illness and tuberculosis. Suzanne reportedly said once, “You’re not like your mother, are you?” to which she replied, “No, thank God.”
Suzanne’s death was also overshadowed by the death of her stepfather, Laurence Olivier, who died on the same day, 28 years earlier, in 1989. Olivier was widely regarded as one of the greatest actors of the 20th century, and his death received much more attention and tribute than Suzanne’s
Suzanne Farrington’s death was a mystery that revealed the contrast between her life and her mother’s, and the challenges and choices they both faced. Suzanne chose to live a simple and normal life, while her mother chose to live a glamorous and extraordinary life. Suzanne died quietly and peacefully, while her mother died tragically and prematurely. Suzanne was a mystery, while her mother was a legend
