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Muriel Belcher
Muriel Belcher
Muriel Belcher
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Muriel Belcher photographed by John Deakin at the Colony Room c. the mid 1950s

Muriel Belcher (1908–1979) was an English nightclub owner and artist's model who founded and managed the private drinking club The Colony Room. She was described by the journalist Jeffrey Bernard as "Originally from Birmingham, a Jewish lesbian" [1] The club opened in 1948 at 41 Dean Street, Soho, London[2] and became known as "Muriel's". Its long term popularity amongst London's bohemians lasted for 60 years and is widely credited to the exclusivity resulting from Belcher's charisma, strong personality and daunting door policy as "a tough, sharp-tongued veteran of the Soho drinking club scene".[3]

Belcher was the model and muse for a number of paintings, including several single panels and triptychs by Francis Bacon, who was one of the club's first members and used his fame to draw early clientele.[4] His portrait of her, Seated Woman (Portrait of Muriel Belcher), sold at Sotheby's in Paris in December 2007 for €13.7 million.[5] Over time, the club was frequented by people such as Lucian Freud, George Melly, Jeffrey Bernard and the Kray Twins. The club saw a resurgence in the early 1990s during the Young British Artists boom in the early 1990s, before eventually closing in 2008, some 29 years after her death.

Career

[edit]

The Colony Room

[edit]
Main article: The Colony Room
The Colony Room location on Dean Street

Belcher had earlier run a club called the Music-box in Leicester Square during World War II. She managed to secure a 3pm-to-11pm drinking licence for the Colony Room bar as a private members' club, whereas public houses had to close at 2:30pm. Francis Bacon was a founding member, walking in the day after it opened in 1948. He was "adopted" by Belcher as a "daughter" and allowed free drinks and £10 a week to bring in friends and rich patrons. The club gained notoriety for its décor and clientele; its bilious green walls were as famous as the club itself. In addition to its vile colour, the staircase that led to the establishment was described as foul-smelling and flanked by dustbins. The Room was operated by Belcher between opening and her death in 1979. The Museum of London website says of the Colony Room, "The Colony Room was one of many drinking clubs in Soho. The autocratic and temperamental owner Muriel Belcher created an ambiance which suited those who thought of themselves as misfits or outsiders." Belcher was filmed inside the club in the 323rd. Look at Life (film series) short, ' Members Only '. [6]

According to Christopher Hitchens, "Muriel, arguably the rudest person in England ("shut up cunty and order some more champagne"), almost never left her perch at the corner of the bar and was committed to that form of humour that insists on referring to all gentlemen as ladies."[7]

Model

[edit]
Left hand panel from Bacon’s 1966 triptych Three Studies for a Portrait of Muriel Belcher

Belcher's sexuality attracted a large number of gay men to the club, many of them brought to the club by her Jamaican girlfriend, Carmel Stuart. She had a knack for attracting or discovering interesting and colourful people, and the patronage of men like George Melly and Bacon helped to establish the Colony Room's close-knit community. Lady Rose McLaren, one of Bacon's friends, was a habituée of the club in her London days. Belcher was also famous for her rudeness, a trait which rubbed off onto the club and became part of its culture.

Her favourite word was "cunt",[8] and this she delivered in distinctive and ringing tones. According to Belcher, "cunt" was a term of abuse, "cunty" a term of affection. Her ultimate accolade and sign of acceptance was the endearment "Mary".

Death and reputation

[edit]

After Belcher's death, the club continued under the stewardship of her long-term barman Ian Board, known as Ida, until his death in 1994. In turn, it then passed to his veteran barman Michael Wojas, and from him to Dick Bradsell. Until it closed, the Colony Room remained popular with artists of all types, in particular those who had come to be known as Young British Artists (YBAs), including Damien Hirst, Sarah Lucas and Tracey Emin.

Belcher was portrayed by Tilda Swinton in John Maybury's 1999 film Love Is the Devil: Study for a Portrait of Francis Bacon.[9]

References

[edit]

Sources

[edit]
  • Farson, Daniel. The Gilded Gutter Life of Francis Bacon. London: Vintage, 1994. ISBN 978-0-0993-0781-5
  • Muir, Robin. "A Maverick Eye". London: Thames & Hudson, 2002. ISBN 0-500-54244-9
  • Peppiatt, Michael. Francis Bacon in the 1950s. London: Yale University Press, 2006. ISBN 0-300-12192-X
  • Peppiatt, Michael. Francis Bacon: Anatomy of an Enigma. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1996. ISBN 0-297-81616-0
[edit]
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Muriel Belcher

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Muriel Belcher (1908–1979) was a British nightclub owner and artist's model renowned for founding and operating the Colony Room, a private drinking club in Soho, London, that became a vital hub for the city's bohemian and artistic community from its opening in 1948 until her death. Born into a Jewish family in Birmingham, Belcher moved to London in her youth and immersed herself in the demimonde, eventually entering the nightlife scene during World War II by co-founding the Music Box, a club in Leicester Square catering to homosexual officers. In 1948, she secured a special 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. drinking license for the Colony Room—located on the first floor of a building at 41 Dean Street—transforming it into an exclusive members-only venue with its distinctive green walls, cigarette haze, and no-frills decor that fostered uninhibited conversation and camaraderie. The club quickly attracted a diverse, louche clientele, including prominent figures from the "School of London" such as painter Francis Bacon, whom Belcher paid £10 weekly plus free drinks to recruit new patrons, as well as Lucian Freud, Frank Auerbach, Jeffrey Bernard, and Henrietta Moraes, alongside journalists, writers, and queer individuals seeking refuge from postwar London's conservative norms. Belcher's management style was as legendary as the club itself; bisexual and openly affectionate with both men and women—including a long-term relationship with her Jamaican partner, Carmel—she cultivated a camp atmosphere, addressing male customers as "she" or "darling" and delivering sharp, obscene wit that could both welcome and eviscerate newcomers. Described by jazz musician George Melly as a "benevolent witch," she balanced ruthless sarcasm with underlying generosity, such as fundraising for local causes or supporting ailing members, while her love of money and talent for drawing in London's creative elite sustained the club's enduring allure. Beyond proprietorship, Belcher served as a muse for artists, notably posing for multiple portraits by Bacon, including Miss Muriel Belcher (1959) and Three Studies for a Portrait of Muriel Belcher (1966), capturing her formidable presence. The Colony Room, often called "Muriel's," remained a symbol of Soho's postwar cultural vibrancy under her rule, closing only in 2008 long after her passing from a heart attack in 1979.

Early life

Birth and family background

Muriel Amelia Belcher was born on 26 June 1908 in Birmingham, , , to a working-class Jewish family. Her father, Myer Belcher (born April 1865 in Birmingham), worked in a occupation, while her mother was Ida Amelia Barnett; limited records exist on siblings, underscoring the modest nature of their household. Belcher grew up in the industrial environs of Birmingham during the , a period marked by rapid and labor-intensive industries such as and , which shaped the daily lives and social norms of working-class communities. This context exposed her to the challenges and cultural vibrancy of early 20th-century England's proletarian society, including tight-knit immigrant influences within the Jewish population. The family's modest circumstances and resilient environment likely fostered Belcher's independent spirit in her later years.

Early experiences in Birmingham

Muriel Belcher grew up in Birmingham during the early , a with a burgeoning that included music halls and theater venues serving as hubs for and social interaction. Little is known about her specific early experiences, but this environment provided general exposure to the performative arts and eclectic social circles in the .

Career

Modeling career

Muriel Belcher moved to London from Birmingham in the early 1930s, where she initially worked at Harrods before entering the world of artistic modeling. She began posing as an artist's model during this decade, working primarily in Soho and nearby areas to support herself financially. Her modeling involved sessions with various painters and sculptors, including notable figures such as Roger Fry and Augustus John, though she was not a traditional muse but rather a pragmatic participant in the artistic community. This role offered her a degree of economic independence at a time when opportunities for women were limited, allowing her to navigate the city's vibrant cultural landscape without reliance on conventional employment. Through these connections, Belcher gained entry into London's and artistic , forging relationships that would later influence her entrepreneurial pursuits in nightlife. The experience immersed her in a network of creative and marginalized individuals, shaping her reputation as a tough, no-nonsense figure amid Soho's eclectic undercurrents.

Pre-Colony nightclub ventures

In the mid-1930s, Muriel Belcher transitioned from modeling to London's vibrant nightlife scene by co-founding the Sphinx Club with her partner Dolly Mayers. Opened in 1937 on Gerard Street in , the venue operated as a discreet club, providing a safe haven for individuals and bohemian patrons in the West End amid prevailing social taboos. Belcher and Mayers soon expanded their operations to the Music Box Club, located at 4 Leicester Place off , which commenced around 1940 during . This establishment primarily attracted homosexual officers from the and other eclectic figures, underscoring Belcher's knack for cultivating a loyal, diverse crowd in an era of heightened repression. Managing the Music Box presented significant hurdles due to wartime , which limited access to food, , and other essentials, alongside rigid licensing laws that curtailed alcohol service to traditional hours. Belcher navigated these constraints with resourcefulness, obtaining special permits to extend opening times and sustain the club's viability as a refuge for its members. Throughout these ventures, Belcher exhibited a charismatic and inclusive management style, using her sharp wit and welcoming demeanor to draw in artists, intellectuals, and outsiders, laying the groundwork for her reputation as a pivotal figure in Soho's underground social world.

The Colony Room

The Colony Room, established by Muriel Belcher in 1948, served as a private members' drinking club at 41 in , , designed to evade the strict pub closing hours of 2:30 p.m. by operating from 3:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. under a special license for private establishments. Belcher, drawing on her prior experience in 's scene, opened the club on , 1948, above an Italian in a single upstairs room to provide a haven amid the post-war austerity and gloom that characterized Britain at the time. The initial setup was modest and unpretentious, featuring a cramped space with a small bar, basic seating, and walls that would later become adorned with artworks from patrons, reflecting Belcher's vision of an intimate refuge for creative and bohemian circles. Daily operations under Belcher's management from 1948 until her death in 1979 emphasized a hands-on, personality-driven approach, with her serving as the club's sharp-tongued hostess who enforced a code of lively engagement through her characteristic foul-mouthed banter and verbal tests for new members. The layout consisted of one bilious accessed via a rickety , equipped with a bar at one end, simple furniture, a for impromptu performances, and limited seating that encouraged close-knit interactions among the roughly 30-40 patrons at peak times. Strict membership rules prevailed, requiring potential joiners to demonstrate wit and resilience against Belcher's ritualistic insults , encapsulated in her maxim: "Don't be dull and fucking boring," which set the tone for an environment intolerant of pretension or idleness. Belcher's role extended to overseeing service, often funding rounds from her own pocket to maintain the flow, while navigating the club's exemption from public house regulations through its private status. The club's clientele formed a vibrant cross-section of London's artistic and literary elite, including regulars like , whom Belcher paid £10 weekly plus free drinks to attract high-profile friends starting the day before opening; ; ; and later figures such as and John Deakin, fostering an atmosphere of hedonistic revelry, intense artistic discussions, and occasional scandals. Anecdotes abound of the room's chaotic energy, such as Bacon's collaborative inspirations sparked by overheard conversations or the verbal sparring that doubled as social bonding, all within a space where social hierarchies dissolved amid endless drinking and unfiltered exchanges—no jokes were permitted, only sharp observations. This lively milieu, often described as a "wayward family," drew a mix of aristocrats, writers, actors like , and eccentrics, creating a microcosm of post-war where creativity thrived alongside excess. Belcher faced ongoing challenges in sustaining the Colony Room, including strict licensing laws that demanded vigilant compliance to preserve its private club status amid periodic police raids and regulatory scrutiny in 's vice-prone district. The wartime aftermath brought economic hardships, with and scarcity complicating supplies, yet Belcher's resourceful management—leveraging personal connections and her commanding presence—kept the club afloat through economic shifts into the . Her hands-on style, involving direct intervention in disputes and curating the social dynamic, proved essential but taxing, as the club's anarchic spirit occasionally spilled into feuds or legal brushes, all while resisting the encroaching commercialization of .

Personal life

Relationships and sexuality

Muriel Belcher identified as a in an era when female , though not criminalized in the , faced significant social stigma and legal ambiguities under laws, often leading to and limited public expression. Post-World War II Britain, with its conservative attitudes toward sexuality, presented particular challenges for openly women like Belcher, who navigated personal relationships amid broader societal repression that persisted until partial for men in 1967. Belcher's most notable long-term relationship was with Carmel Stuart, a Jamaican she met after the war, with whom she shared a life in starting in the late . The couple cohabited and maintained a committed , with Stuart often described as Belcher's or partner; Stuart assisted in attracting to the Colony Room, providing mutual support in their Soho-based existence. Their interracial and was unconventional for the time, reflecting Belcher's defiance of norms, though it drew occasional belittlement within social circles. Within London's emerging queer networks, Belcher cultivated close friendships with individuals from artistic and bohemian communities, including figures like , though these were primarily platonic bonds formed in shared social spaces. Her openness about her sexuality helped foster environments where queer identities could be expressed more freely, subtly shaping her personal associations without venturing into further romantic entanglements documented in historical accounts.

Daily life and habits

Muriel Belcher was renowned for her charismatic and commanding personality, often characterized as a "benevolent witch" who combined sharp wit, camp delivery, and relentless humor to captivate those around her. Described as foul-mouthed and scabrously obscene, she freely used terms like "" as both endearment and , while referring to male patrons as "she" in a playful, deflating manner that underscored her camp sensibilities. Generous and maternal, she earned the nickname "den mother" among Soho's bohemian artists, fostering a protective, inclusive atmosphere for figures like , to whom her nurturing traits provided emotional refuge. Her daily routines revolved around the rhythms of Soho's social underbelly, beginning in the early afternoon with oversight of the private drinking club she managed, where she perched birdlike on a high stool, one eye on entrants and the other on conversations unfolding below. Evenings extended into leisurely interactions with a rotating cast of writers, painters, and eccentrics, filled with animated banter and the facilitation of Soho's signature gossip, which she wielded to maintain the club's lively, egalitarian vibe. This immersion in the area's vibrant, nocturnal scene defined her leisure, prioritizing communal entertaining over solitude. Belcher's habits reflected her unapologetic embrace of bohemian excess, including heavy drinking and chain-smoking, often seen with a in one hand and a drink in the other as she navigated the club's hazy confines. She delighted in gossip as a social lubricant. Eschewing domesticity entirely, Belcher thrived in the demimonde's fluid, non-conformist lifestyle, where entertaining guests and sustaining the club's irreverent energy supplanted any conventional homebound routines.

Later years and legacy

Health and death

In her final years during the , Muriel Belcher suffered from increasing health problems due to a long illness; her habitual heavy smoking and drinking were emblematic of the bohemian atmosphere she cultivated at the Colony Room. Belcher died on October 31, 1979—Halloween—at the age of 71. Following her death, the Colony Room continued operations under her longtime barman and successor, Ian Board, though the club's vibrant energy waned in the ensuing years.

Cultural impact and reputation

The Colony Room, established by Muriel Belcher in 1948, became a pivotal hub for British artists, providing a discreet space for creative exchange and social refuge amid London's austerity era, influencing the bohemian ethos of and attracting luminaries such as , , and later . This salon-like environment, characterized by Belcher's sharp wit and egalitarian rules, fostered collaborations that shaped mid-20th-century art without forming a formal school, emphasizing raw, uninhibited dialogue over structured movements. The club's legacy persisted beyond Belcher's death in , enduring under subsequent proprietors until its closure in 2008 due to mounting financial pressures after 60 years of operation. The club was revived in 2023 at a new location in , continuing its bohemian tradition. Preservation efforts followed, including campaigns by artists for status to negotiate with landlords, alongside modern tributes such as the Colony Room Green venue in , which hosts exhibitions, talks, and events recreating the original's bohemian spirit through curated discussions on its history. Belcher's reputation as a commanding hostess is vividly captured in artistic portrayals, most notably Francis Bacon's oil paintings Three Studies for a Portrait of Muriel Belcher (1966) and Miss Muriel Belcher (1959), which depict her with distorted intensity reflecting her acerbic personality and central role in his social world. These works, alongside Bacon's Sphinx-Portrait of Muriel Belcher, underscore her influence on his oeuvre, positioning her as a muse who embodied Soho's defiant glamour. In literature and media, she features prominently in Darren Coffield's Tales from the Colony Room: Soho's Lost Bohemia (2020), which chronicles her as the club's irreplaceable founder through oral histories, and in Vanity Fair's nostalgic accounts of the venue's final days, highlighting her enduring charisma. Regarded as a pioneering queer icon, Belcher's open lesbian identity and the club's appeal to homosexual men—creating a safe haven—established it as a forerunner to gay Soho, challenging post-war norms. Belcher's broader impact cements her place in Soho's cultural history as a catalyst for London's artistic underbelly, where the Colony Room symbolized resistance to conformity and nurtured a legacy of hedonistic creativity. Contemporary recognition in LGBTQ+ narratives frames her as an early architect of queer-friendly spaces, with exhibitions like Bacon's Portraits of Women: Moraes, Belcher and Rawsthorne (2019) at the Hugh Lane Gallery exploring her alongside other female figures in Bacon's queer circle. Artistic tributes, such as the 2018 Artists of the Colony Room Club: A Tribute to Muriel Belcher at Michael Parkin Fine Art, further amplify her role in bridging bohemian and queer histories, ensuring her influence resonates in modern discussions of 20th-century British cultural innovation.

References

  1. https://www.francis-bacon.com/life/family-friends-sitters/muriel-belcher
  2. https://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/07/arts/design/07whea.html
  3. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/1999/jan/16/weekend.oliverbennett
  4. https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/deakin-muriel-belcher-in-the-colony-room-x66412
  5. https://www.tretyakovgallerymagazine.com/articles/2-2016-51/green-door-colony-artists
  6. https://www.3ammagazine.com/3am/the-colony-of-outsiders-professional-bohemians-in-soho/
  7. https://archive.spectator.co.uk/article/10th-november-1979/31/to-muriel
  8. https://fivebooks.com/best-books/bohemian-living-darren-coffield/
  9. https://lgbthistoryuk.org/wiki/Sphinx
  10. https://hyperallergic.com/585064/tales-from-the-colony-room-london-darren-coffield/
  11. https://www.sothebys.com/en/articles/the-art-of-carousing-at-the-colony-room
  12. https://historicengland.org.uk/campaigns/visit/walking-tours/queer-soho-walking-tour/colony-room/
  13. https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2020/sep/13/from-francis-bacon-to-tracey-emin-soho-historic-colony-room-club-in-pictures
  14. https://www.historicengland.org.uk/campaigns/visit/walking-tours/queer-soho-walking-tour/colony-room/
  15. https://www.the-independent.com/property/house-and-home/me-and-my-home-michael-wojas-490207.html
  16. https://airmail.news/issues/2019-11-30/london-after-dark
  17. https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%257CA632755787&sid=googleScholar&v=2.1&it=r&linkaccess=abs&issn=0307661X&p=AONE&sw=w
  18. https://www.dellasposa.com/press/80-seventy-years-in-a-colourful-trade/
  19. https://www.momat.go.jp/en/collection/o00877
  20. https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/culture/article/colony-room-soho
  21. https://www.bonhams.com/magazine/22315/
  22. https://www.timeout.com/london/news/sohos-infamous-colony-room-club-is-making-a-big-comeback-110923
  23. https://www.thetimes.com/travel/destinations/uk-travel/england/london-travel/art-worlds-after-hours-haunt-the-colony-room-may-be-saved-from-closure-0rtwxsdxk50
  24. https://mysohotimes.co.uk/2024/12/06/whats-o-art-exhibitions-and-talks-at-colony-room-green-my-soho-times/
  25. https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2008/07/hitchens200807
  26. https://hughlane.ie/whats_on/bacons-portraits-of-women/
  27. https://www.francis-bacon.com/bacons-world/exhibitions/artists-colony-room-club-tribute-muriel-belcher
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