Obituary | Ann Barr

Who Sloanes Wins

Ann Barr, identifier of one of Britain’s most distinctive social groups, died on May 4th, aged 85

MEMBERS of the tribe had been seen around for a while. Indeed, with their raucous cries (“OK Yah!” “AbsolOOTli!”), they were hard to ignore. Individuals would be spotted in the Fulham Road, in navy Husky and Hermès scarf knotted on the chin, greeting each other with air-kisses on either cheek; or lying blotto on some college lawn the morning after a May Ball, black tie just about together. At sales time at Harvey Nicks or on race days at Ascot they would descend in squawking flocks. Yet the secret rules of this tribe, its rituals and codes, were unanatomised until Ann Barr, as features editor at Harpers & Queen, turned her beady gaze upon them.

This article appeared in the Obituary section of the print edition under the headline “Who Sloanes Wins”

India’s one-man band

From the May 23rd 2015 edition

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