TRIBUTES have been paid to a Cheselbourne woman, described as one of the most successful British fashion journalists and said to have coined the term ‘Swinging London’ in the 1960s.

Margaret Ann Ryan, who was known as Ann, passed away last month at the age of 84, her family said.

She worked in journalism during a period of great change which began in the 1950s.

South African by birth, she had travelled to Europe to be a bridesmaid at a cousin’s wedding.

She was so smitten with this experience that after returning to South Africa to complete her journalism studies, she came to London, where her uncle Victor Stiebel was one of the most important couturiers of the day.

One of her very first assignments was covering the coronation in 1953 of Queen Elizabeth for the American Life magazine by spending a wet night interviewing campers-out in the Mall.

She subsequently worked for several Fleet Street newspapers before becoming the press secretary for another British couturier, John Cavanagh.

From there, she became the administrator for the Incorporated Society of London Fashion Designers, at that time the most important design group in the UK. During her tenure there her chairman was Lady Pamela Berry, wife of the proprietor of the Telegraph.

Ann was instrumental in organising fashion shows for the Queen Mother in London, taking collections to Paris as well as a coast to coast trip to the United States. Her success brought her to the attention of the American publication Women’s Wear Daily, the prominent source of worldwide fashion reporting.

A statement from her family said: “Her life at this time was hectic beyond belief, covering not only the couture collections in Paris but also the burgeoning ‘youth quake’ scene in London for which she coined the term ‘swinging London’.

“Further success came with her assuming the fashion editorship of the Daily Express, which meant several more hectic years reporting from fashion capitals, well before the arrival of email, cell phones or the internet.”

Her family said the pressure on Ann was intense and she developed MS which made its presence felt by her losing 95 per cent of her sight.

The statement added: “Total retirement was not an option for Ann, and she did periodic work for the British Airways’ High Life and The Lady magazines.

“After two strokes six years ago, she became more disabled and was under 24-hour care.

“During all these bleak years, she never lost her positive approach to life, and indeed recently enjoyed regular holidays in the Canary Islands, accompanied by her faithful carers.

“She was devoted to family and friends, all of whom mourn her great loss.”