Herta "Georgette" Groves (April 1920 – 27 April 2016) was an Austrian-born British milliner who made hats for Queen Elizabeth II.

Early life

Groves grew up in Vienna, the daughter of Jewish parents, Wilhelm and Amelia. Her father died of pneumonia which he caught after being forced at gunpoint to shovel snow from the streets of Vienna, and her mother and younger sister Alice died in a Latvian concentration camp in 1942.

Life in Britain

Groves emigrated to Britain and founded the London Hat Company, creating hats based on her own couture designs. The firm was successful and made hats for Queen Elizabeth II. Groves was married twice, and lived in

St John's Wood St John's Wood is a district in the City of Westminster, London, lying 2.5 miles (4 km) northwest of Charing Cross. Traditionally the northern part of the ancient parish and Metropolitan Borough of Marylebone, it extends east to west from ...

. Groves died on 27 April 2016, aged 96, after being knocked down by a lorry driver following a concert at London's

Wigmore Hall Wigmore Hall is a concert hall located at 36 Wigmore Street, London. Originally called Bechstein Hall, it specialises in performances of chamber music, early music, vocal music and song recitals. It is widely regarded as one of the world's leadi ...

References

1920 births 2016 deaths Businesspeople from Vienna People from St John's Wood Austrian emigrants to the United Kingdom British milliners Pedestrian road incident deaths Road incident deaths in London British fashion designers British women fashion designers Austrian fashion designers Austrian women fashion designers {{UK-artist-stub

Early life

Life in Britain

See also

References