Cynthia Payne

She hit the headlines in 1978 when the police raided her home in a pleasant tree-lined avenue in Suburban Streatham, to find a sex party in full swing. Queues of middle aged and elderly men waited to exchange their "luncheon vouchers" for food, drink, friendly chat, striptease shows, and a trip upstairs with the girl of their choice. Vicars, MPs and lawyers were among those who considered her to be the best hostess in London.

When the case came to court in 1980, she was sent to prison for 18 months for the biggest disorderly house in history, but on appeal, this was reduced to six months and a hefty fine for running a brothel.

Novelist Paul Bailey wrote the story of her life "An English Madam", and she became a television and media personality. Two films were made about her life: "Personal Services", which starred Julie Walters, and "Wish You Were Here", which made the young Emily Lloyd an overnight star.

Convinced that she was doing no wrong since she no longer ran a brothel, she continued to give an occasional swinging party, and it was an "end of filming" party for "Personal Services" which the police chose to raid in 1986. The resulting court case in January 1987 stole the headlines and kept the nation amused for three weeks with its stories of sex, slaves, transvestites and undercover policemen in disguise. Cynthia won a resounding victory and was found not guilty on ten charges of controlling prostitutes.

Two more books followed: "Entertaining at Home", by Cynthia Payne - a coffee table book packed with stories and hints on how to give fun parties and how to deal with the police, and "Sexplicitly Yours- The Trial of Cynthia Payne", by Gloria Walker with Lynn Daly.

She completed a three-week season at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 1992 where she played to packed houses.

Incensed by the second trial, Cynthia was determined to change Britains archaic sex laws, and stood for parliament as a candidate in the Kensington by-election in July 1988. She did not get in, but the world's media took notice of what she had to say.

Cynthia is now an accomplished after-dinner speaker and recently won the title of "Ideal Dinner Guest" awarded by the BBC "Good Food Show".

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