Happy Birthday, Lilo Blum!
‘The first time I rode in Hyde Park was in 1937…’
I know readers will want to join me in wishing Lilo Blum many happy returns on her ninetieth birthday today. Born in Germany in 1927, Lilo and her family came to London as refugees escaping the Nazis in 1937 when she was just ten years old, but within a couple of years she had set up her own livery stable next to Hyde Park. Lilo Blum’s Riding Stables flourished for forty-five years as a popular London institution, occupying Lilo’s entire working life and proving an irresistible magnet for any celebrity, jetsetter or socialite who enjoyed a canter in the Park.
My meeting with Lilo Blum came about when her nephew Edward recognised a photograph of his aunt’s stables in Grosvenor Park Crescent in 1952 by Israel Bidermanas published on Spitalfields Life recently and wrote to me. Naturally, I jumped at the opportunity to interview Lilo at her swish flat in Park Lane with a magnificent view over Hyde Park and hear her triumphant story in her own words.
“I was four or five when I learnt to ride. My brother was three years older than me and I remember he rode in a pony race, and I cried because I wanted to ride as well. So they got me a quiet pony and I rode round the course, quite a few miles behind the others, but at least it kept me quiet. Working with horses runs in our family and my father was a well-known veterinarian. He could tell at one glance if a horse was lame, because in those days they didn’t have x-rays and you had to be able to just say what was wrong.
I started my riding stables in 1943 when I was sixteen years old. I collected threepenny bits in an old whisky bottle and then I went with my father to the big sales at Newmarket where they sold racehorses. We bought one for fifty-five guineas and I called him ‘Pick-up.’ After I had bought him, I thought ‘What am I going to do with him?’ because he was baby racehorse and unbroken, so I couldn’t use him in a riding school. But I was lucky because I had some friends who worked at Knightsbridge barracks and they agreed to keep him in their stable for me.
The sergeant offered to ask his commanding officer if I would be allowed to take my horse riding from the barracks and, luckily for me, they allowed it during the war. The sergeant broke in my horse, and got him nice and quiet and civilised, so people could eventually ride him and I knew he wouldn’t throw anybody off. Then I sold ‘Pick-up’ to the Huntley & Palmers people and he raced for them and won some races, which was good for me. I can’t remember how much I got but it was enough to buy some ponies and that was how I started my riding stable.
The first time I rode in Hyde Park was in 1937. Before the war, you could see a thousand horses riding down Rotten Row. You had to dress up properly for riding then and the ladies they rode side-saddle – I tried it once, I didn’t like it. There were hundreds and hundreds of stables in the mews around Hyde Park then. I remember when all the mews were horses. It’ll never come back again. After the war, people didn’t dress up for riding any more. Society changed.
I had around twenty horses in my stable and lived for forty-two years in Knightsbridge in Old Barrack Yard, next to The Grenadier. I’ve spent many hours in their with some of our people and I’ve seen a few landlords come and go. If I had a penny for every time people asked me ‘Where’s The Grenadier?’ without question I’d be a millionaire. Most of my friends I met through horses.
I love horses but there were some anxious moments. It was always a gamble because you’d buy a horse in the country yet if it was no good in the traffic you might just as well get rid of it. My father taught me a lot and I had a great friend, an Irish racehorse trainer who was very good at picking out horses.
My favourite horse, we called it ‘Decision’ because we saw it at a sale and my father wasn’t quite sure about it but then the owner asked, ‘What’s your decision?’ He was very popular and he made me a lot of money. He lived to be old and he worked really hard and we thought ‘Well, he’s done well for us,’ so we turned him out in a field but he didn’t like it. He was so used to working and being in the traffic that he died soon after.
With horses, it’s seven days a week, twelve hours a day starting at 5:30am. Often, I would have just locked up and put all the horses away when a whole lot of people would come down, but I would never refuse them. I would unlock the door again, get the horses out and show them all around Hyde Park. It’s nice when people appreciate what you do for them.
Once I started my stable in Grosvenor Crescent Mews, I had loads and loads of famous people coming to ride. Zsa Zsa Gabor kept her horse with us for a little while, but she liked to go one better so she took him down to the Duke of Marlborough in Wiltshire where she galloped all across his lawn and he wasn’t too happy. So she brought her horse back again and rode him out in Hyde Park. Then she decided to go abroad and asked me to sell her horse, and he became the symbol of Lloyds Bank and starred in ‘Black Beauty’ with Vivien Leigh and ‘Knights of the Round Table’ with Robert Taylor and Ava Gardner. A very famous horse.
I remember one day we had our ponies out and the Household Cavalry were training and making an awful lot of noise, so I called Andrew Parker-Bowles, who was officer in charge, and said, ‘You’re upsetting my ponies!’ To be fair he was very nice about it, and he was always very nice to me after that. In fact, one of my horses had an injury and he took it into the barracks to have it treated, so it didn’t do any harm to tell him off.
Topol lived in the house on the corner and we had Jean Simmons & Stewart Grainger at the top of the mews with their daughter Tracy who used to come and mess about with the ponies. Paul Newman came, Raquel Welch was another regular, and Stirling Moss – he lived in our mews, I knew him when he was a kid.
Luciano Pavarotti was a heavy man and he used to sit at the front of the horse, so I said to him, ‘Hey mister, you give my horse a sore back! Sit further back in the saddle.’ Mohammad Ali rode one of our horses in the Park too, but after I shook hands with him I felt mine was going to drop off! Jacqueline Kennedy’s sister’s husband, the Polish Prince Radziwiłł kept his horses with us and that’s how I got to know the Kennedys. I taught the little children, Caroline & John Kennedy to ride but I always had to have a police escort when I took them out.
Sometimes we got these pushy mums. I’ll never forget one lady, she said to me, ‘When are you going to teach my little girl to trot?’ and I said, ‘Give her a bit of a chance, she’s only two years old.’ I told the little kid, ‘Your mummy wants me to teach you to trot,’ and she did it once it, but she couldn’t get the rhythm so she said, ‘Enough now!’ I’ll never forget that but, in time, she turned out good.
I ran my stables until 1988 and it was a great success. Eventually the Duke of Westminster built the Lanesborough Hotel at Hyde Park Corner and he didn’t want any more horses in the mews. It was very disappointing after forty-five years, but life goes on. Everything has changed so much hasn’t it?
It has been an interesting life I must say. You’ve got to make the best of it. I keep telling my friends, ‘It’s a rehearsal not the real thing,’ but they don’t take any notice. I made money and blew money like everybody else. I was lucky I always worked for myself which is a great thing. I’ve done alright. I can’t complain! If I see a horse I like out in the park from my window, I still think ‘That one’s nice, that would have done me nicely.'”
Lilo Blum’s Riding Stables, Grosvenor Park Crescent W1 – as photographed by Israel Bidermanas in 1952. Lilo’s dog Peggy sleeps in the foreground.
The Grenadier, Old Barrack Yard, Lilo Blum’s local for half a century
Archive photographs courtesy © Bishopsgate Institute
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What a story!
Fantastic story of a wonderful lady – hats off to her! Valerie
I would certainly like to add my best wishes to Lila Bloom on her birthday. I used to hang about the stables over the 2 years in the early 1960’s that my parents lived at number 24 Grosvenor Crescent Mews and eventually they allowed me to have riding lessons which I loved. Jean Simmons and Stewart Granger rented our house for a month one summer when she was filming in London and we were away. There stables was a wonderful place, everyone loved having the horses there.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY LILA!
Greetings from Boston,
GA, another great story – thanks for pursuing it. What a life Lilo had!
Fascinating story. What a lovely lady!
I used to ride at the stables in the sixties. If my memory is correct the lesson was a guinea an hour. We would ride to the park to rotten row. I used to live in Bishopsgate and get the train from Liverpool Street. I was probably only about 12 but I used to go there on my own with my riding attire on. I loved it and have had horses for 40 years as the love of horses has never left me. Happy birthday LILO thank you for teaching me to ride.
Another great post. Love the information, the presentation of this blog. In the background, I can hear the words to the song….nobody does it better! This is certainly true of Spitalfields Life.
Thank you Lilo for the introduction to Horses and the fantastic birthday lunch on Saturday
Can’t wait for 100
Very Happy Birthday Lilo so pleased Phil sent me this article about you.
Remember all your visits to our showrooms where we had a lot of fun.
You look great in the photograph.
Enjoy your special Day.
Love Derek
Happy belated birthday Lilo l used to ride several times a week at your stables 1974 as l came from the country where my family had horses so l missed them terribly when l moved to marble arch to run the family business…my saving grace lilo was you you put the beauty of horses and riding back into my life…my favourite horse to ride was sovereign he was a beauty .. Steadfast and true walking through the traffic at Hyde park corner….l spent many a happy hour at your stables and l thank you from the bottom of my heart for the many wonderful hours spent at the stables…l live in Devon now where my love of horses continues we have a cross cob thoroughbred called willow and a Suffolk punch called Bomber we ride both horses through woods alongside the river dart and we put our Suffolk in carriage ..my cousin in Sussex still does her dressage so you see those that love horses never stop l ‘m 60 now and l don’t think we will ever be without our beloved horses…once again lilo happy birthday and much love to you xxxx
I wonder if you remember an American Lady Mrs Conner. who stabled her horse with you *Fadezy. Happy to you. from Jock Swann
I learned to ride from Lilo and purchased my first pony from her. Bouncer. Such great memories. Would love to see her.
I learnt to ride as a young girl. My family lived in Lowndes Square.
Lilo gave me confidence trotting round Rotten Row.
Very best wishes to Lilo
& chetished memories
Rachel
My mother rode at the stables in the 50’s. Her favourite horse was extremely tall & called Bubbles. Fond memories!
Sadly, I never got to ride at Lilo’s establishment but used to ride from the other side of the Park. I’d always understood that the Grosvenor Crescent stables had closed after a fire that killed some of the horses/ponies at a time when the adjacent prime-site NHS St George’s Hospital was about to be converted into a luxury 4-star hotel and the stables were naturally in the way. Was the fire the main reason for the closure?
I was riding with Lilo the day she stopped the Household Cavalry and told them off for being too noisy as her horses were frightened!
I have known Lilo for 45 years and been on holiday with her many times as well as stabling horses with her.
Dear LILO
I came to your stables at Ham Polo in 1989 with Voltaire my beloved horse.
I had just learned that I was loosing my hearing and within a year after I came to London from UDA I was basically deaf
Your stables, the friendly atmosphere and your always ready advise about horses and riding saved my morale during this difficult time of transition for me.
When I rode I never felt dead. I would ride on the rode to the park and Voltaire would hear for me so I alwYs knew if a car was behind
I met one of my best friends at your stables that first year. Pat Erskine. We are still friends. She came to my 70th in NY last year and always keeps me up to date on how you are doing.
I loved reading the article. You are such a special lady. No nonsense or fancy stuff no matter who you are around. It is always first about the horses and how their riders treat them. I admire your consistent love and respect for this glories sport and most of all for your love of horses.
Happy birthday LILO
And thanks for having me in your stable
Christel, Voltaire and Chumley, my Sky who ran along on my morning rides along the Thames
Hello Lilo, so nice to see you . Iwas a mounted policeman at Richmond Park when I knew you, such fun to know too ! I’m retired now. I just looked you up as I was thinking of “the good old days” Have a very happy life . George PC 128 xx
I helped out/worked for Lilo during the early 80’s (I remember you Gabbie and your skewbald)! I had a wonderful childhood there and met many wonderful people. Happy belated birthday LILO I always remember you in your Tam o’ shanter! With paddy the Labrador and the cat who sat in the saddle rack above the door! Fun times.
At age ten, in 1969, I lucked in to weekly Rotten Row riding lessons on a sweet bay gelding named Golly, maybe Golliwog. My dad studied at University of London and we lived in Ebury Street with my mother and younger sister.
Riding at Lilo Blum’s instilled riding confidence that comes with traffic-savvy stress and a huge appreciation for London. I think of those days still and I still have two horses and ride nearly every day.
Happy 91st, Ms Blum.
xo,
Lee Roberts
Ojai, California
Happy Birthday Lilo. Thank you again for teaching me to ride as a child, and giving me a love of horses that has lasted my whole life. I am still riding at age 63 . I am so happy to read your reminiscences of your life as a horse person, and the wonderful stable at Grosvenor Crescent Mews. Many happy memories for me and for many other (now grown) children.
Dear Lilo
Re: 1970 – 1980 (“Commodore/Prince Commander, Annette’s Choice, Dance Lightly”)
Many happy returns.
Fond thiughts
Tony
Lilo Blum, wonderful to come across this article. Do you remember when Robert Grigg and I used to ride with you on Sunday mornings. George Rigby used to take us out to Rotten Row. We both always wanted to ride Camille. We looked forward to Sunday mornings all week. As I recall we were often down at the stables pleading for rides. It was a fantastic time in our lives. Thank you for teaching us to ride. I loved bumping into you in later life when you still lived in Old Barrack Yard. Very, very happy memories. Thank you.
With love Wendy Morrison
Hi Lilo, I met you in the late 70’s early 80’s when my girlfriend at the time Cassandra was teaching me to ride in Richmond. I remember going to the stables near Hyde Park with her, which was like going back in time. I recently cycled past the stables at Ham Polo which brought it back for me so I googled you and here I am!
Good to see that you are still thriving.
Much love.
Trevor
Dear Lilo,
On June 14th, 1961 I sold my dappled grey gelding “Shandy” at the Leicestershire Horse
Repository through auction (Warner, Sheppard and Wade)
My name was P. G Lacey then and I had outgrown my pony. You bought him and you were
kind enough to put your name and address at Grosvenor Crescent Mews, London.
I live in Vancouver, Canada now and my husband framed the catalogue as a reminder of Shandy.
I have thought of Shandy often and was overjoyed to see an article about you. I was thrilled to see you had such a long and illustrious career with your horses in Hyde Park.
Happy Birthday and thank you for giving my pony a wonderful new home.
Very best wishes from Patricia Gail (Lacey)
I came across this article because I had taken a picture today when my taxi drove past Grosvenor Crescent Mews where my friend and I rented Sabena and Miranda in June 1977 and had a wonderful ride in Hyde Park on Rotton Row. Thank you Lilo Blum for making that possible for a couple of Tennessee teenagers who loved horses.
i grew up by the stables from 1968 /1985 my father when I was a young one would take us to the stables to look at the horses. When I was about 11 myself and my brother and sister started to visit on our own. We started to help out mucking out grooming feeding. Leading horses around Hyde park. In return we had riding lessons. It was fantastic. Every spare minute we had we would be at the stables. I couldn’t have asked for a better childhood in the middle of London Thank you Lilo for giving us that opportunity I have never forgotten it and Even though my mum and dad used to complain about the smell of horse etc when we got home. My brother and sister stopped going after a couple of years I carried on and made friends with owners of some of the horses and went with them to horse shows and such. It was a different era then I was young and out all day but mum and dad knew I was at the stables. I loved it. And we used St. George’s hospital toilet sometimes before it was a hotel. Again. They didn’t think much o of the smell of horse either!!
I worked for Lilo Bloom for some time in the 70’s loved every minute of it I had just qualified as an instructor and lived in London so was thrilled to get a job there, you held your breath round Hyde Park corner but soon got used to it Belated Happy Birthday Lilo, Reminds me of happy times.
My Daughter Diana Wainwright worked for you LILO she enjoyed it very very much, think this
Will be too late just found the sight Regards Mrs Jennifer Waineright.