Who was Richard Branson’s mum Eve?
VIRGIN boss Richard Branson revealed the sad news that his mother had died at 96-years-old.
Eve Branson had a long and vibrant life, from acting on the West End to a job as an air hostess, not to mention mothering one of the world’s greatest business tycoons.
Who was Eve Branson?
Eve Branson was the mother of Virgin tycoon Richard.
In a heartfelt celebration of his mother’s life, Branson shared stories of her multi-faceted youth.
He wrote: “She took glider lessons disguised as a boy, enlisted in the WRENS during World War II, toured Germany as a ballet dancer after the war, acted on the West End stage and worked as a pioneering air hostess on the treacherous British South American Airways routes.”
A keen writer, at 89 Eve wrote a memoir named Mum’s The Word, adapted from her personal diaries. She is also the author of a children’s book dedicated to her 11 grandchildren.
She was the proud founder of The Eve Branson Foundation in Morocco and an avid children’s welfare advocate.
The foundation’s aim is “to provide young people with artisanal skills-training and to preserve traditional Moroccan and Berber crafts, enriching the lives of local families from Atlas Mountain communities.”
Branson also said he owed the star of Virgin to his mother.
He said: “It is no exaggeration to say I owe my career to mum. One day in the late Sixties mum saw a necklace lying on the road near Shamley Green and took it to the police station.
“After three months nobody had claimed it so the police told her she could keep it.
“She came up to London, sold the necklace and gave me the money. Without that £100, I could never have started Virgin.”
Aged 88, Eve was still passionate about learning, and told the Telegraph she was taking french, golf and computer lessons.
Eve told the paper: “My approach is to go on in the same way as I always have, which is to make sure that I have something constructive to do at all times.
“If you give that up as you get older, and instead start worrying about yourself, your health, and every ache and pain, you’re lost. Health must come at the bottom of the list of worries as far as I am concerned.”
When did Eve Branson die?
Eve Branson’s death was announced on January 11, 2021.
The Virgin boss posted on Twitter to announce her death.
In a heartfelt post, he wrote: “I’m sorry to share that, sadly like a lot of people’s mums and dads right now in these days of Covid, my mum Eve has also passed away.”
Branson had previously revealed that she had contracted Covid two weeks before, just a day before she had been due to get vaccinated.
She had tested negative and been on the ‘road to recovery’, but died shortly afterwards.
Branson wrote: “She held on for one last victory, managing to fight off the virus, but had expended all of her energy in the process.”
He added: “One of my wonderful sisters, Vanessa, and nephew Louis were with her until the end, as were the wonderful nurses who she entertained with tales from her life and much laughter over glasses of whisky.
“Rather than mourn her loss, I want to celebrate her wonderful life, her tremendous spirit, the joy she brought to so many, and the love she gave us all.”
Was Eve Branson married?
Eve was married to Edward James Branson, a former cavalryman and later a barrister.
He died on in 2011 in his sleep, age of 93.
Richard Branson wrote in his tribute to his mother: “We were so sad to lose dad back in 2011, but mum did exactly as he would have wished by continuing to grab life with both hands.”
Most read in Celebrity
How many children did she have?
Eve had three children: Richard, the oldest, Vanessa and Lindy. She is a grandmother to 11.
Vanessa is the founder of the Marrakech Biennale, an arts festival held in Morocco and the Vanessa Devereux Gallery in London.
She also owns a Scottish island, Eilean Shona, as well as a hotel in Marrakech.