SUDDEN DEATH

Greymouth Evening Star, 30 April 1938, Page 2

SUDDEN DEATH

BEAUTIFUL MANNEQUIN. LONDON, March 28. . Death came to blonde Miss Valerie Payne, beautiful 26-year-old mannequin, as she was riding in Rotten Row. At one moment her fair hair was ruffling in the breeze as she cantered past, the Sunday crowd of sightseers. A second later she was lying huddled at. the foot of a tree, while her chestnut horse "walked slowly away. A groom rushed forward. But he could only cover her with an overcoat while an ambulance was summoned. Miss Payne had left her flat at Park West, Edgware Road, W., an hour earlier, after bidding her room-mate, Miss Gilman, also a mannequin, an revoir. She had telephoned morning greetings to her mother, Mrs. M. Graname, of Eairlawn Mansions, New Cross, S.E.. and had talked gaily of celebrations she had on her 26th birthday earlier in the week. The rain had ceased as she cantered along the Row towards Kensington Barracks. Troopers Flower and Lewis, of the R.H.A., watched her from a window. This is what they said: — “We noticed her because she was so smartly turned out and so pretty. She was hatless, and as she came nearer we saw her chestnut looked <i bit restive. He began to gallop and she seemed to lose control. “She cried out for help, and a rider coming in the opposite direction tried to aid her. but her horse swerved and she fell off, striking the side of her head against a tree.” Miss Payne was taken to St George s Hospital, and a few hours later her stepfather, Mr. M. Grahame, her mother and Miss Gilman arrived to identify her.