| Anne Naysmith | |
| Birth Date: | 13 January 1937 |
| Birth Place: | Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England |
| Death Place: | London, England |
| Education: | Royal Academy of Music |
| Occupation: | Classical pianist |
Anne Margaret Naysmith (Smith; 13 January 1937 – 10 February 2015)[1] was a British classical pianist who became notable later in life for sleeping rough in Chiswick, West London.[2] [3]
She was born in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, in 1937. Her family moved to Hounslow, West London, when she was eight. The 'Nay' was added much later.[4]
Naysmith studied with Harold Craxton and Liza Fuchsova at the Royal Academy of Music, and gave a well received recital at Wigmore Hall in 1967, but experienced personal difficulties in the late 1960s and was evicted from her house in Prebend Gardens, Chiswick.[2] Following her eviction Naysmith slept in her car, a Ford Consul, for 26 years until 2002 when it was towed away following campaigning from neighbours to have it removed.[5] [6] [7] Naysmith then lived in a handmade shelter next to Stamford Brook Underground station.[2] [8]
The Guardian noted parallels with Mary Shepherd, the subject of Alan Bennett's 1999 play The Lady in the Van, who had also been a classical pianist.[3]
At 01:00 on 10 February 2015 Naysmith died after being struck by a lorry on Chiswick High Road.[2] She was buried at Chiswick New Cemetery on 7 March 2015.