Image: Ann Barr and friend, from article "Ann Barr, The Woman Who Invented Sloanes".
Ann Barr did most of the work on the first Official Sloane Ranger books. Peter York (Peter Wallis, actually) did much less to comprehend and map the terrain. Ann is a Sloane, and Peter is not. One source reports that York has done no work on the new book leaving it to Olivia Stewart-Liberty.
The authorship of the Sloane Ranger Handbook is apparently a sore point with poor Peter York (Wallis).
"From Peaches Geldof to David Cameron, a fresh breed of Sloane is taking over the country. This work unveils them to an unsuspecting public. It includes breeds of a subtle and powerful social network: Chav Sloanes (who call friends 'Blud'), Turbo Sloanes (who live in NYLON), and Eco Sloanes (who have strong preferences for veg boxes and kaftans)...." the York/Liberty "Sloane" book is just wrong.
Some Sloanes have always functioned - and made fortunes - in an international environment; that's why so much of the map of the world became pink. Creative marketing claims to the contrary, values and traits of Sloanes have not changed.
The original books are unsurpassed, and Sloanes thank Ann Barr!
A short letter from Ann Barr to the editor of The Observer was a delightful surprise.
Sloanes are OK, ya?
Carole Cadwalladr's spiky article 'The rebirth of posh' (Review, last week) was very interesting, but two points. Peter York was not the author of the original Sloane Ranger's Handbook, 1982; it was a communal book by 60 Harpers & Queen contributors, woven together by me as features editor and deputy editor (and Sloane Ranger person). Peter York was the co-author, for his media skills.
My other concern is confusing the Sloane Ranger with the super-rich. Sloane Rangers are not necessarily well-off or aristocrats, but a stratum of a bygone middle class, at least one rung down from David Cameron and friends. They work behind the scenes to help the community, but do not expect to lead it - and don't all vote Tory.
Ann Barr
London W11
Link
Nicholas Coleridge was mentored by Ann Barr and remembers her here.
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