Cynthia Payne

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Cynthia Payne (born December 24, 1932 in Bognor Regis, West Sussex) was a renowned English party hostess who made the headlines in the 1970s and 1980s when she was accused of being a madam and of running her brothel at 32 Ambleside Avenue, in Streatham, in the south-west of London, England.

In 1978 she was convicted for running "the biggest disorderly house in history", for which she was sent to prison for 18 months. This was reduced to six months on appeal.

Her parties were famous for, amongst other things, their Luncheon Vouchers which were pupportedly given to guests, who exchanged them for services with prostitutes. The charge was £25, which included food, drink and sex.

In 1986, the police raided her home again, this time during a “special party” she was hosting. Although she was acquitted, the resulting court case in 1987 made headlines for several weeks with lurid tales, some details of which she aired on The Dame Edna Experience in 1988, with co-guests Sir John Mills and Rudolf Nureyev, where she also launched her book, Entertaining at Home.

On this program, she expressed an interest in becoming an MP, in order to change Britain's sex laws, which she followed through with by standing for Parliament as a candidate for the Payne and Pleasure Party in the Kensington by-election in July 1988, followed by her standing in her own area of Streatham in the 1992 UK General Election. She did not achieve entry into Parliament.

There have been two films made that are loosely based on her life. Wish You Were Here, about her adolescence, and Personal Services about her adult life.

Cynthia Payne currently makes appearances as an after-dinner speaker and as of 2006 is also launching a new range of adult services and products.

[edit] Books

Paul Bailey, An English Madam: Life and Work of Cynthia Payne, Jonathan Cape 1982, ISBN 0-224-02037-4
Cynthia Payne, Entertaining at Home, Penguin Books Ltd, London, 1987.
Gloria Walker, Sexplicitly Yours: Trial of Cynthia Payne, Penguin Books Ltd 1987, ISBN 0-14-010543-3