Sixty-five years after the seed was originally planted during a skiing trip in the Alps, Sylvia Disley finally shares The Bluebell Story with the world.

It was in 1960 that Sylvia Disley [pictured] gave up her successful journalism career in London’s Fleet Street to write the incredible story of Margaret ‘Bluebell’ Kelly, founder of the famous Bluebell Girls.

It took the English writer two years and six separate trips to Paris, staying six weeks at a time, to piece together Bluebell’s remarkable story through countless interviews recorded faithfully onto her 21lb German Telefunken tape recorder. But controversy arose after the manuscript had been completed, when Miss Bluebell refused to authorise the manuscript for unknown reasons, leaving Sylvia disappointed and frustrated when several London publishers refused to publish the book without authorisation.

The storm grew when another author approached Miss Bluebell and asked to write her story. Not only did Miss Bluebell agree, but she handed over Sylvia’s manuscript, causing further upset and confusion. After much toing and froing with London’s leading literary lawyer and Miss Bluebell’s agent, the manuscript was finally returned.

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Today at her home in Warwickshire, 95-year-old Sylvia Disley questions, “Had the agent managed to copy any of her manuscript? I will never know.”

In a career spanning over six decades, more than 14,000 Bluebell Girls were to pass through Miss Bluebell’s hands with many more continuing to join her famous troupes across the world long after her death in 2004.

The Bluebell Story: A Tale of Grit and Glamour, published on 25th April 2025, illustrates the courage and bravery Miss Bluebell displayed throughout her life from overcoming invalidism and poverty as a young child to incarceration in a prison camp while five months pregnant and later risking her life to save that of her husband in World War Two.

From the glittering stages of Paris to the hearts of audiences worldwide, Margaret Kelly’s journey is a captivating blend of ambition, artistry, and resilience. Discover how she overcame adversity, broke barriers, and created a legacy that continues to inspire generations today.

With rich anecdotes and vivid storytelling, The Bluebell Story not only chronicles the rise of the Bluebell Girls but offers a poignant reflection on the power of dreams and the glamour of show business.

Choreographer, dance educator and performer, Eddie Slattery, writer of the book’s foreword, reveals his thoughts on the lasting legacy of this story by Sylvia Disley. “Bluebell’s life and legacy are a reminder that with passion, dedication and vision, one person can truly change the face of an entire industry.”