| Lucie Clayton Charm Academy | |
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| Location: | Grosvenor Gardens |
| Country: | United Kingdom |
| Other Name: | Quest Professional |
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| Type: | Finishing school |
| Founder: | Sylvia Lucie Golledge |
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| Website: | http://www.questprofessional.co.uk |
Lucie Clayton College was founded by Sylvia Lucie Golledge in 1928 as a modelling agency and finishing school. It was bought by Leslie Kark who owned a successful model directory. It became Britain's top modelling agency during the 1950s and 1960s with Evelyn Gordine as the principal. Gordine (later Kark) was the business's public face using the name "Lucie Clayton".
Sylvia Lucie Golledge founded the organisation in 1928 as a modelling agency and finishing school. It had offices in Oxford Street. It was bought by Leslie Kark who owned a successful model directory named "Model". Kark's personal assistant Evelyn Gordine became the principal. Another employee in the office was Muriel Spark (before she was a full-time novelist). Gordine used the name "Lucie Clayton" as her business name.[1]
In 1956 the owner, Leslie, and the principal, Evelyn, married and it was the Karks who ran the business.[1] Modelling became a higher status profession in Britain and the business moved to 66 New Bond Street.[1]
The modelling agency closed in the late 1970s but the school now prepared their charges for "the Season".[2] During the 1960s the alumni of the school included Sandra Paul, Celia Hammond and Joanna Lumley, who actually had careers modelling. Many of the students did not expect to enter a modelling career and the business became a de facto finishing school.[1]
In the early 1990s, Lucie Clayton reinvented itself as a secretarial and business college. The courses ranged from a few days up to a full year and included skills such as shorthand to IT to budgeting, marketing, public relations, law and personal development. Along the way, students may have picked up the odd City & Guilds or London Chamber of Commerce & Industry professional qualification. At the end of the course they left with Lucie Clayton's certificate. The list of employers associated with the college includes Amanda Wakeley, Arthur Andersen, Hermes, JWT, the BBC, Vogue, and Schroders.[3]
In 2007, Lucie Clayton College merged with two secretarial colleges, Queen's College and St James's College, to form Quest Business Training. Today it is known as "Quest Professional" and it has moved to Grosvenor Gardens.[4] Lucie Clayton House in South Kensington, London was converted into seven serviced apartments.[5]