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Frances Faviell
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A Chelsea Concerto Kindle Edition

by Frances Faviell (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 out of 5 stars 216 ratings

As featured on Lucy Worsley's BBC1 documentary Blitz Spirit

‘Take off your coat,’ said the doctor. I took it off. ‘And your dress,’ he said. ‘It’s too dangerous – the folds may catch in the debris and bring the whole thing down.’ I took off the dress. ‘Fine,’ he said shortly. ‘It’ll have to be head first. We’ll hold your thighs. Go down and see if it’s possible to give an injection. Can you grip the torch with your teeth?’

Frances Faviell lived in Chelsea before and during the London Blitz, having became a Red Cross volunteer when World War II began. Chelsea was particularly heavily bombed and the author was often in the heart of the action, witnessing or involved in fascinating and horrific events through 1940 and 1941. Her memoir evokes an unforgettable cast, Londoners and refugees alike, caught up together in extraordinary and dangerous times – not forgetting the ‘Green Cat’, a Chinese statuette, standing on the author’s window sill as the home’s talismanic protector.

Frances Faviell’s memoir is powerful in its blend of humour, tenderness and horror, including the most haunting ending of any wartime memoir. A Chelsea Concerto is reprinted now for the first time since 1959, with a new introduction by Virginia Nicholson.

‘Irresistible reading. There could be no more graphic account of what one first-aid worker and her small party witnessed and did during the London Blitz … while characters are sketched in with a novelist’s art, the impression left is one of stark truth.’ Birmingham Post

‘I am so happy that A Chelsea Concerto is back in print. It is a gem of a book, one of the best personal memoirs of WW2 on the home front, written with an artist’s eye for detail and immediacy.’ Kate Atkinson

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  1. Print length
    254 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Accessibility
    Learn more
  4. Publication date
    3 Oct. 2016
  5. File size
    1.5 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
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  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Product description

About the Author

Frances Faviell (1905-1959) was the pen name of Olivia Faviell Lucas, painter and author. She studied at the Slade School of Art in London under the aegis of Leon Underwood. In 1930 she married a Hungarian academic and travelled with him to India where she lived for some time at the ashram of Rabindranath Tagore, and visiting Nagaland. She then lived in Japan and China until having to flee from Shanghai during the Japanese invasion. She met her second husband Richard Parker in 1939 and married him in 1940.

She became a Red Cross volunteer in Chelsea during the Phoney War. Due to its proximity to the Royal Hospital and major bridges over the Thames Chelsea was one of the most heavily bombed areas of London. She and other members of the Chelsea artists’ community were often in the heart of the action, witnessing or involved in fascinating and horrific events throughout the Blitz. Her experiences of the time were later recounted in the memoir A Chelsea Concerto (1959).

After the war, in 1946, she went with her son, John, to Berlin where Richard had been posted as a senior civil servant in the post-war British Administration (the CCG). It was here that she befriended the Altmann Family, which prompted her first book The Dancing Bear (1954), a memoir of the Occupation seen through the eyes of both occupier and occupied. She later wrote three novels, A House on the Rhine (1955), Thalia (1957), and The Fledgeling (1958). These are now all available as Furrowed Middlebrow books.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01LZFVO4O
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Dean Street Press
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ 3 Oct. 2016
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.5 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 254 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Customer reviews:
    4.5 out of 5 stars 216 ratings

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Frances Faviell

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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
216 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book fascinating and well-written, bringing the Blitz to life through a true wartime memoir. They appreciate the writing quality, with one customer noting the author's skillful use of words. The book receives positive feedback for its empathy, with one review highlighting its portrayal of ordinary people doing extraordinary things, while another mentions it made them laugh and cry.

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ReadabilityProvoking storyMemoir qualityWriting qualityEmpathyHumor
16 customers mention ‘Readability’16 positive0 negative

Customers find the book fascinating to read.

"...Earth to view the referenced streets now it was one of the most engaging books I've read - on a par with Ernst Junger's Storm of Steel...." Read more

"...- and to the ‘Blitz Spirit’ of the average Londoner - and is a compelling read." Read more

"Great book to read enjoyed it" Read more

"Excellent, well written book. Definitely gives you a sense of the era, and the horrors of war." Read more

12 customers mention ‘Provoking story’12 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's story fascinating, with several noting how it brings the Blitz to life. One customer describes it as a poignant, thrilling, and harrowing tale that provides powerful insight into this historical event.

"...The heroism, the humour, the tragedy, the frailties and strengths of humans, the making of history on the streets of London..." Read more

"This fascinating wartime memoir is made even more interesting, as the author really did see the horrors of the blitz up close and personal...." Read more

"...a woman’s perspective was different, at times very moving, but always interesting. I really enjoyed the book." Read more

"...of those days in the early 1940s so powerfully as well as touching on quotidian details that are a historian's joy...." Read more

9 customers mention ‘Memoir quality’9 positive0 negative

Customers praise this memoir as a stunning account of the Blitz and a true wartime narrative, with one customer noting how it provides a vivid sense of the era.

"...tragedy, the frailties and strengths of humans, the making of history on the streets of London..." Read more

"This fascinating wartime memoir is made even more interesting, as the author really did see the horrors of the blitz up close and personal...." Read more

"The real story of the horrors of The Blitz, described in chilling and personal detail in a way that is usually lacking in most history books on the..." Read more

"Excellent, well written book. Definitely gives you a sense of the era, and the horrors of war." Read more

9 customers mention ‘Writing quality’9 positive0 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, with one customer noting the author's skillful use of words.

"...It is very well written and with huge empathy for the suffering of the individuals and communities involved...." Read more

"The understated prose of this account of the Blitz belies its power. The calmness of the writing is in direct contrast to the horrors it describes...." Read more

"...Being an artist, Frances uses words with great skill to describe this crucial time in Britains history." Read more

"...It is a true classic. The late author was an accomplished writer and the experiences she described are unforgettable...." Read more

5 customers mention ‘Empathy’5 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's empathetic portrayal of ordinary people who did extraordinary things, with one customer highlighting the incredible spirit of the people and another noting the portrayal of their frailties and strengths.

"...The heroism, the humour, the tragedy, the frailties and strengths of humans, the making of history on the streets of London..." Read more

"...to brighten the darkness of this time, and above all, she conveys the great humanity and courage of a society riven by the experience of war." Read more

"...The book is full of heroes and heroines. Ordinary people who did extraordinary things in the name of community and patriotism...." Read more

"...She comes across as resourceful, compassionate and immensely brave...." Read more

3 customers mention ‘Humor’3 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's humor, with one mentioning it made them laugh and cry.

"...The heroism, the humour, the tragedy, the frailties and strengths of humans, the making of history on the streets of London..." Read more

"...Also some hysterically funny moments are described." Read more

"The best memoir of the Blitz that I have read. It made me laugh and cry. Beautifully written and one of the best books I have read this year." Read more

Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • JohnieBoy
    5.0 out of 5 stars a great read....
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 May 2021
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    This book was drawn to my attention through the BBC documentary "Blitz Spirt with Lucy Worsley" (at the time of writing it is still on iPlayer). Perhaps because of the mental views still in my mind following the viewing of this programme but armed with a map of Chelsea and access to Google Earth to view the referenced streets now it was one of the most engaging books I've read - on a par with Ernst Junger's Storm of Steel. The heroism, the humour, the tragedy, the frailties and strengths of humans, the making of history on the streets of London (but which must have been repeated numerous times in other Cities and Towns across Europe). Rarely will I sit and read a book cover to cover in one sitting, but this did it for me.
    6 people found this helpful
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  • Dave
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating and true wartime memoir
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 December 2023
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    This fascinating wartime memoir is made even more interesting, as the author really did see the horrors of the blitz up close and personal. As a nurse, she never shirked from the most awful duties caring for the victims, living and dead, and never lost her compassion for her fellow man.
    Although not written with any attempt at self aggrandising, this book is nevertheless a tribute to the courage of the author - and to the ‘Blitz Spirit’ of the average Londoner - and is a compelling read.
    One person found this helpful
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  • R H TAYLOR
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good story line
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 17 March 2021
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Great book to read enjoyed it
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  • LMB
    5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant but terrifying
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 September 2023
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    The real story of the horrors of The Blitz, described in chilling and personal detail in a way that is usually lacking in most history books on the Second World War. It is very well written and with huge empathy for the suffering of the individuals and communities involved. There are lighter moments which serve as brief flashes to brighten the darkness of this time, and above all, she conveys the great humanity and courage of a society riven by the experience of war.
    Helpful
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  • I. Hall
    5.0 out of 5 stars Well written. Worth a read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 9 January 2025
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    Excellent, well written book. Definitely gives you a sense of the era, and the horrors of war.
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  • Mary-Jane
    5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully written
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 22 August 2021
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    I came across this book because I saw it was used for research for a Lucy Worsley programme about the blitz in WW2. It was so fascinating to read just how people got on with life in London during the blitz, doing “their bit” to keep London and Londoners as safe as was possible, acting as air raid wardens, fire watchers, nurses etc. To read how people coped with life/death during WW2 from a woman’s perspective was different, at times very moving, but always interesting. I really enjoyed the book.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • northernreader
    4.0 out of 5 stars A brilliant and vivid account of The London Blitz
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 19 October 2016
    Format: Paperback
    I really found it an amazing book, so different from the other accounts of the Blitz in London that I have read.

    Firstly, despite the fact that this book was written several years after the events described, this does not read like a novel. The Narrator records her own experiences in the order they happened, in all the confusion and muddle of a developing situation. This gives an immediacy to the text and an importance to such little things as the French design of a tin hat as well as the death of a friend that it usually found in a diary. That is not to say that the book is lacking characters; the obsessions of tragic Ruth and the solid dependable Mrs. Feetch are only two of the people who come to life in this book. The fear of destruction written about so movingly in the first part of the book is in contrast with the writer's apparent optimism for much of the book's progress, but it is never far away as every building becomes a target. Churches, hospitals and of course homes are destroyed, and the sense of helplessness as the water supply is cut off and help cannot get through is very vivid. There are nightmare images that Favell witnessed and experiences that she endured which make this a grim read in places; this is not fiction in any sense, but distilled horror of war.

    Having said this, this can be a funny and endearing book as Favell also recounts her experiences with the local characters, like old soldiers determined to help even though they are in their eighties, and a patient travelling in an ambulance who is greatly comforted by a detailed account of the scenery going past, only to discover that the speaker could not actually see out of the window. There are shards of hope and love even if life is brief and troubled. Favell's voluntary work meant that she effectively looked after a group of Flemish refugees, who are described as real individuals, real people who argue and fight, but who also stand together in their suffering. "The Giant" is described as a real man, trapped by his temper as well as forces beyond his control. I was also struck by the reality of Catherine whose life story is tragic, yet she battles on with the support of Frances and others.

    This book is an illustration of the fact that numbers of dead and injured mean little to the reader compared with the stories of real people, real lives and loves. Yes, much of this book is sad, but the survival of the human spirit makes real the story of the blitz in London and in many other cities throughout this country and others. As someone who has read quite widely in the fact and fiction of this period, I really appreciated the opportunity to read this otherwise rare book, and I look forward to many other Furrowed Middlebrow reprints.
    7 people found this helpful
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  • A reader
    5.0 out of 5 stars That corner of Chelsea will never seem the same again
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 November 2016
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    I shall never be able to view the section of Chelsea around the Physic Garden in the same way..but will always now see it through Frances Faviell's eyes. Of course, when one looks it is obvious that most of the buildings in Shawfield St are post-war, but her description of the massive destruction wrought there in one night will always now be superimposed on the 21st-century scene. She recreates the atmosphere of those days in the early 1940s so powerfully as well as touching on quotidian details that are a historian's joy. I had never known of the enclave of Belgian refugees - many of them fishermen - quartered in Chelsea - it seems so unlikely now. And I like her story of Rex Whistler and the chamberpots...not a scene that was invented, I'm sure. I thoroughly recommend 'A Chelsea Concerto' to anyone with an interest in how a life was lived under the presence of such constant danger.
    3 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • anglosardo
    5.0 out of 5 stars Read it
    Reviewed in Italy on 4 August 2017
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    Well-written, frank and informative account of the experiences of one young woman during the Blitz in Chelsea by the river in London.
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  • Janet
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful account of the Blitz in London, but a tough read in places.
    Reviewed in the United States on 25 March 2021
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Have found myself crying and having to put the book to one side for a while. Highly recommended. The wardens and the VAD were just terrific in that awful time. If you want to know about the real stuff upper lip Britons, this is the book to read.
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  • David Young
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
    Reviewed in Canada on 13 September 2023
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    I read Faviel's memoir The Dancing Bear and was impressed so then read A Chelsea Concerto and was even more impressed. An empathetic narrator in both books and in both terrible situations. The aftermath of the WW2 in Berlin, what a horror and the Blitz in London in chaos with death all around. I have read historical accounts of both events, but these books literally take it to the streets and the actual people who lives were destroyed by war. She writes clearly and sympathetically about everyone and describes the awful, degrading lives people lived in both books. Quite powerful and sad and angry making at the way humans can willingly destroy others. I will now read her three novels.
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  • Sandy
    5.0 out of 5 stars Thoroughly recommended.
    Reviewed in Australia on 5 November 2017
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    A brilliantly told memoir of Chelsea during the Blitz of World War 2.
    Having read several books of this genre, it was refreshing to have the story told by someone who was actually there at the time.
    Thoroughly recommended.
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  • Louise Pierce
    5.0 out of 5 stars Never read anything like it
    Reviewed in the United States on 21 April 2018
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    In a spare, elegant prose, the author brings the reader right into the heart of London during the blitz. We’ve all read or heard of the blitz, but in reading this book, the reader experiences it. Truly a remarkable book.
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