Personal Life
Laura and Sir Bernard were married from 1949 until her death in 1985. Laura had four children, the expansion of the business meant the need for an escape point, and for creativity. They bought a house in France in the early 1970s, and kept in touch with the family and business through flying, with Sir Bernard's accomplished skills as a pilot.
The Ashley children were all roped into the business. David (born 1954/55), the eldest son, designed and opened 182 shops across America, daughter Jane was the company photographer; youngest daughter Emma designed textiles and their second son, Nick, was design director for Laura Ashley during its successful floatation in 1985. Nick went on to launch his own brand Nick Ashley, an exclusive menswear range, with a shop in Notting Hill and outlets throughout Japan.
Sir Bernard Ashley was the company chairman of Laura Ashley and Laura kept a close eye on fabrics. The astonishing success of what proved to be the ultimate cottage industry, bought the Ashleys a yacht, a private plane, a French château in Picardy, a town-house in Brussels, and the villa Contenta in Lyford Cay, New Providence, Bahamas, currently for sale at $8.5million.
In 1985, on her 60th birthday, while she was visiting her children in the UK, Laura fell down the stairs and was rushed to hospital where she died ten days later. Her name lives on through her business. She is buried in the churchyard of St John the Baptist, in Carno, Powys, Wales. Bernard at first ploughed his efforts into Laura Ashley plc, then his Ashleys Halls hotel venture, and latterly in the Elanbach fabrics business. He died of cancer and is buried with his first wife.
Read more about this topic: Bernard Ashley (businessman)
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