Diana: “the divine, the moon”, Latin, moon goddess who became Artemis
Elizabeth: “oath of God”, Hebrew
| Height / weight: | 5 feet 5 inches tall / 125 pounds |
| Voice: | Alto, low, soft, educated, upper-class northeastern US accent (“Harvard”) |
| Perfume: | Coco Chanel’s “Chanel No. 5” and Charles Frederick Worth’s “Dans la Nuit” |
| Born: | 17th November 1896 in Boston, Massachusetts – American |
| Birth sign: | Scorpio |
| Birthstones: | Topaz, beryl, obsidian, ruby and sardonyx |
| Birth flowers: | Wormwood |
| Partner: | David van Hasalt |
| Occupation | Lawyer (contract and company law) and Dilettante |
| Residence: | Boston, Massachusetts and Hampton Beach, New Hampshire |
| Drives: | 1930 Duesenberg J Derham Tourster |
| Reads / Writes: | English, Italian |
| Weapons: | Handgun, shotgun, crossbow, fist, knife |
Diana is an upper-class American socialite from a pre-eminent Boston family, tainted only by her mother’s marriage to an Italian “businessman” from New York. Diana has mob connections through her father but prefers to ignore that side of the Family. Diana is a skilled Dreamer and is married to David Garrick van Hasalt, a New England industrialist with rapidly growing aviation and pharmaceutical businesses.
Appearance
Diana (aka Maria Elizabeth Vincenzo) is a petite woman whose lovely dark looks betray her Italian heritage. She has warm dark brown eyes, pale skin and dark brown (almost black) hair cut in the most fashionable style of the day, a short bob. Always exceptionally well dressed in the latest and most expensive fashions, Diana favours the French designers Chanel, Lanvin and Molyneux combined with diamonds, topaz (her birthstone), feathers and furs.
When Diana is “exploring” she wears what is currently fashionable with lady members of the Boston hunting and shooting set; a heavy tweed jacket over a man’s polo-neck lambswool jumper and dark trousers tucked into riding boots. Diana frequently wears her favourite colours of dark or wine red or dark maroon.
Interests
Diana has interests in art, music, theatre, ballet, dancing, yachting and hunting. She has a passion for Romantic and Impressionist painters and for some of the Modern American artists. She likes ancient Oriental, Egyptian and Greek art, artefacts and sculpture and classical music (especially Mozart). Lately, she has been developing a liking for the newly popular jazz music, which her mother hopes will not influence Diana’s musical tastes away from the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
Diana drinks Champagne, sweet white wines (especially sauternes) and orange juice or milk-based cocktails. She has also been known to sip a glass of fine old Port, but only before bed as Port usually makes her sleepy.
Diana has the reputation of being a habitual party goer and attends balls, night-clubs, private parties, opening nights at the theatre or ballet, concerts, lawn tennis and other sporting fraternity meetings, picnics, racing carnivals (automobiles, boats or thoroughbreds) and any other get-togethers of her young contemporaries.
Diana is a frequent guest of the Boston Polo Club, the New York Yacht Club and the Boston hunting fraternity where she has gained a formidable reputation as a crack shot. Her shooting skills are matched by her driving skills, as her passion for automobiles and speed led her concerned father to hire the Duesenberg Motors factory race driver as her instructor. Diana learnt to drive properly and also gained an understanding of the mechanical aspects of automobiles.
Diana’s chosen profession is that of a lawyer specialising in contract and company law, at which she also excels. She carries two passports; one as Maria Elizabeth Vincenzo and one as Diana Elizabeth Winthrop, a measure of the protection provided by her father after her brother Stephen died. Both passports list her as an American citizen.
Memberships and interests include the Boston Public Library, Boston Library Society, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Congregational Library, Boston Athenaeum, Massachusetts Historical Society, New England Historical Genealogical Society, Massachusetts State Library, Social Law Library, General Theological Library, Natural History Society, Boston Museum of Fine Arts (rare Oriental and Egyptian art objects), Boston Museum of Science (formerly Museum of Natural History), Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology (Harvard), New England Conservatory of Music, Boston Symphony Orchestra (regular season of concerts, spring series of popular concerts in May and June – “Boston Pops”, series of free open-air concerts in July on the Charles River Embankment).
Personality
Diana is intensely emotional with hypersensitive reactions, highly developed intuition, a very analytical mind, strong will-power and iron determination to succeed. She is very self-disciplined and can be very secretive due to her sensitivity to other people’s reactions. She will keep her feelings hidden for fear of being thought weak or foolish and finds it difficult to be demonstrative about her affections.
When Diana is very angry her self-restraint breaks down and what she says in anger cannot be easily forgiven or forgotten. She behaves possessively about her partner, her family and her friends. Her involvement with others, especially men, can become very deep. Her need to feel emotionally secure in relationships can cause her to become demanding.
When the spiritual side of Diana’s personality is activated she can become utterly selfless in devotion to people loved or causes served. She has a dutiful attitude towards her family even though relationships with other family members may not be harmonious. She will rally round when relatives are in trouble and is a staunch supporter of friends in trouble. She has the courage to stand by her convictions and can be objective about people with whom no affinity is felt.
Diana has loads of sex appeal and a reputation of being a “femme fatale”. She can cast a spell over men but does not try to steal the affections of her friends’ husbands or lovers. Diana is very passionate towards David
She is a careerist rather than a housewife and uses her drive and energy away from the home. She knows what her partner is thinking, especially if he is about to lie, and will tell him what he intended to say.
Diana will be devoted to sons but may become jealous of daughters as they grow older.
Life with Diana can be stormy but she can inject vitality into everything around her and can be a most stimulating influence when things are not going well.
Education
Primary education at home (1903 to 1908)
Roxbury Latin School (1909 to 1914) – founded 1645, oldest privately endowed secondary school
Harvard University (1915 to 1920) – Bachelor of Laws, Honours (LLB Hons)
Background
Diana’s mother Lily is from an old Boston family and she encouraged Diana’s education, fostering an upper-class sophistication to Diana’s manners and attitudes that Diana’s Italian father seriously lacked. Diana’s father is Don Vincenzo who is believed to be well connected with the Mafia in New York and involved in bootlegging, black marketeering, prostitution, protection and numbers rackets. Lily knows and Diana suspects.
Antonio Vincenzo emigrated from Sicily (Cosa Nostra) in 1868 and settled in New York with his wife Maria and two very young sons, Victor and Louis. Antonio had been close friends with the grandfather of Joe ‘the Boss’ Masseria in Sicily. Joe Masseria is Capo di Capo of New York and has been since 1921. When Joe’s father emigrated from Sicily to New York, he relied heavily on ‘Uncle’ Antonio while establishing himself in that city. He took a liking to Antonio’s eldest son, Victor, who was about the same age and they quickly became close friends.
Victor Vincenzo married Lily Winthrop in October 1892 in Boston. Lily was pregnant with her first son, Michael, and so eloped with Victor. Her father, Robert Winthrop, forgave Lily when she sent her second child, Diana, to live with him. Unknown to Lily, Victor bought off her father’s mounting debts and helped re-establish Winthrop liquidity. It was this, not the coincidental arrival of five-year-old Diana, that caused Robert to forgive his daughter. Victor Vincenzo has always intended to buy respectability, the fact that Lily was hopelessly in love with him only made it easier. Diana loves her grandfather Robert. She has her suspicions but he is far too charming for her to really believe them. Robert loves her, too. Lots of spirit, although somewhat lacking in direction.
Joe Masseria was born in 1887. His father and Victor conspired to have Joe marry Louisa, Victor’s youngest sister and only six years older than Joe, as soon as Joe was of a suitable age. Now that Joe Masseria is Capo di Capo this puts the Vincenzos in a very strong position. Diana’s uncle by marriage is the head of the New York Mafia! However, as Masseria disapproves of and ignores Diana this does not usually give her any influence with him. For her part, Diana has always ignored her father’s ‘business’ associates. It is a protective, head in the sand reaction to what she really hates but can do nothing about. But if anyone goes near her youngest brother ‘Rico they won’t live long enough to regret it.
Diana’s younger brother Stephen was killed in an automobile accident in December 1921. The police suspect that Stephen’s death was connected with a rival Mafia family. Stephen took Michael’s car that night and was run off a bridge. He was trapped in the car and drowned. It is believed that the rivals were actually after Michael, but were mislead by Michael’s car. Diana has never forgiven Michael and has told him that she wished it was him in the car, not Stephen.
Victor is still active but has left Michael running most of the day to day operations. The Vincenzo territory consists of Queens, the Bronx and parts of Newark. Antonio Vincenzo made most of the money in the early years and Victor built on an already thriving business. The Vincenzos are very ‘old guard’ and, with the exception of Michael, do not like Jews.
Michael’s number one priority is Michael, to hell with Victor or anyone else who gets in his way. He believes Victor is out of touch with the real world, and he will happily change sides if it suits him. Michael has a lieutenant named Johnny ‘the Kit-bag’ Scagliasi. Diana believes Scagliasi to be a psychopathic murderer who hides his killer instinct behind a handsome face and under fine clothes.
Victor has recently become aware of Michael and Johnny’s unsuitability for succession and has been making plans for the future that don’t include either of them. Victor has three nephews who are showing considerable potential and who will have the full support of his brothers, Louis and Dante.
Personal Timeline
October 1920
The debut of the first Duesenberg passenger car in the Automobile salon of New York City’s Commodore Hotel. Stephen, Enrico and Maria (Diana) went with friends to a ritzy debut party. Stephen bought Maria a prototype Model ‘A’ roadster with race engine modifications. Maria’s horrified father Victor Vincenzo paid Tommy Milton, the Duesenberg Motors factory race driver, to teach his daughter to drive properly at Indianapolis Speedway.
17th December 1920
Maria’s brother Stephen was killed in an automobile accident. Police suspect that Stephen’s death was connected with a war between rival Mafia families and was made to look like an accident. It was rumoured that a rival family was trying to kill Michael, Victor’s oldest son and heir to the Vincenzo business, but killed Stephen by mistake. Maria’s mother blamed Victor for her son’s death and promptly returned to Boston, permanently separating from Victor. In Boston, she became the matriarchal head of the Winthrop family.
December 1920 to January 1921
Cunard ship Aquitania for a transatlantic crossing. Spent New Years Eve at sea. The journey was from Commonwealth Pier, South Boston, Massachusetts, USA to the White Star Dock, Southampton, England.
January 1921 to 20th March 1922
Diana stayed with her Aunt Edith and her family in England. They have a house in Mayfair and a country estate in Leicester.
The Season
January – Sandringham
February to July – Windsor, London
Easter
May – Debutantes, photographed by Cecil Beaton for Vogue/Vanity Fair, presentation at Court to King George V and Queen Mary, had to have a sponsor known to the King and Queen, wore a white dress with an 18-inch train, tulle and three ostrich feathers on her head-dress, granted privilege of Entree (the right to enter the palace by the side door, rather than queue up outside for ages)
June – Ascot, Lawn Tennis Tournament, Hanover Lodge, Regents Park
July – Henley Regatta
Newmarket (Jockey Club race meetings)
Goodwood (golf)
Cowes (regatta)
Marlow Regatta
Balmoral, Scotland (grouse shooting, deer stalking)
August – Deauville, Riviera
October – London
November – formal dance in her honour for her 18th birthday
Switzerland
Cannes (sun in winter)
Christmas – Sandringham (partridge, pheasant)
Embassy Club, Bond Street, Cavendish Hotel (Rosa Lewis), Savoy Hotel, dance the Twinkle, Jog Trot, Vampire, sip China tea and eat cucumber sandwiches. Night clubs were the Night Light, Kit Kat, Embassy, 43 Club (less reputable, Kate Meyrick, dope smuggling), Manhattan, Silver Slipper (Regent Street).
Fancy dress parties and balls (Strauss Ball), Lady Londonderry and the political salon, Ivor Novello on stage, movies (Hammersmith Odeon, Roxy – don’t dress as formally as for the theatre), country weekends at large country houses (from Saturday to Monday), Eaton and Harrow Match, Royal Garden Party, fox hunting.
20th March to 30th April 1922
A first-class ticket on the train to Tilbury Docks, Southampton then Peninsular and Oriental Steamship Navigation Co. (P & O) “M” Class ship via Gibraltar, Malta, Alexandria, Port Said (Suez Canal), Port Sudan, Colombo (Ceylon), Fremantle (Western Australia) and Albury to Adelaide, South Australia. Staying in Adelaide with her cousin Mary and Mary’s husband Sir Giles Rafe, Baronet.
Personal Timeline |
Adventure |
| 1922 May 22nd to June 23rd – Adelaide, South Australia and surrounds | Boker Hall |
| 1923 December 11th to 19th – Adelaide, South Australia, Dreamlands and surrounds | Moon Dream |
| 1923 December to 1924 June – Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney, Australia | Investigations into the Bokers with MacGregor Monteith. Visits to Melbourne and Sydney. |
| 1924 June to 1925 June | Touring with Lt. Col. John Carey. From Sydney to New Guinea (Port Moresby), Celebes, Borneo, Java, Sumatra, Singapore, Bangkok, Mandalay (Siam), Assam, Bengal, Bihar, United Provinces, Rajputana, Punjab, Kashmir, Afghanistan, Persia, Turkey, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, Greece, Italy, France, Spain and return to England. Invited to the wedding of Sir Jonathon Ravenwood to Jillian Frances, 24th January 1925 in County Merionethshire (Wales) at the Chapel of Ravenwood House, but couldn’t make it. |
| 1925 June to July – London to Palermo, Athens, Chios | Greece |
| 1926 January – New York and Dreamlands | Mormon Dreams |
| 1926 February – Cairo, Egypt | The Mummy’s Curse |
Possessions
Weapons
Colt 45 automatic
8 gauge shotgun
12 gauge shotgun, hammerless, self-ejecting
20 gauge pump shotgun
Sighted rifle, bolt action high-velocity Lee Enfield
Gun maintenance kit
Crossbow with bolts and a maintenance kit (modern)
Heavy crossbow and bolts (medieval) – from the Dreamlands
Javelin and spear-thrower – from the Dreamlands
Longbow and arrows – from the Dreamlands
Knife
Money
Gold coins, jewels
Other
Tinderbox, oil and lantern
Oilskin, leather jerkin, fitted leather armour – from the Dreamlands
Medieval hunting clothes and woollen cloak – from the Dreamlands
Compass
Field glasses
Greek phrasebook
Railway guide
Hiking boots and backpack
1300’s Italian history of Aegean islands with a map of Chios and Palio Castro
References
“Winthrop’s Boston” – Rutman, D. B., 1965, University of North Carolina Press
“The Forging of an Aristocracy – Harvard and the Boston Upper Class 1800 – 1870” – Ronald Story, Wesleyan University Press, Middletown, Connecticut, 1980
“The Winthrop Fleet of 1630” – Charles Edward Banks, Genealogical Publishing Co. Inc., 1976, Baltimore
“Harvard, An Architectural History” – Bainbridge Bunting, Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Mass. and London, England, 1985
“The Night They Raided Minsky’s” – Rowland Barber, Simon and Schuster, 1960
“London, The Glamour Years 1919 – 39” – Susanne Everett, Bison Books, London, England, 1985.