22 Oct 2025
We ask a different figure from the local community to choose 10 questions to answer from a list of 50. This week: Gwendolen Bridge, founder and owner of Gwendolen Lingerie & Swim in Upper Dagnall Street, who has more than two decades’ experience in fitting and selling bras.
Where do you walk when you want to think?
Strangely enough when I go for a walk it is normally to stop thinking or to get my mind off things and to think about the beauty of nature and to take all of the beauty of the senses, sun on my skin, a fresh breeze, bird song etc. Simple pleasures. I guess this clears my mind to help me think when I get back to things or to put things in
perspective.
Where do you go to listen to music?
Gosh, I listen to music in the car quite a bit and with the children bopping in the kitchen. If I really like a band I will try and book a gig in London. I lived near a lot of theatres years ago in Paris and would go to gigs mid-week if I fancied. I enjoy live bands at The Horn and The Mermaid pubs on occasion and most recently in The Green Man in Sandridge.
What is your favourite single item of clothing?
It is almost on its last legs but it is an Aquascutum 100% wool trench coat. It was the last line made in England before they went under during Covid. Eric Bompard scarf is a close second.
If you could have a conversation with someone who had died who would it be?
My great grandfather. I have many questions I would like to ask him about the family, friends of the family and why people did things the way they did in far west Queensland and the Soloman Islands.
What’s your worst habit?
When I concentrate I pull out my eyebrow and when I was doing exams for university often I had half a brow on one side…
What’s the first thing you do after you’ve woken up in the morning?
Quite often I call my brothers in Australia for a quick chat before I head down to breakfast. It is the end of the day over there so an easy time to check-in.
Where do you buy your coffee in St Albans?
Silver Palate is my preference – friendly staff and always a smile and a good coffee. Nkora probably more often as it is the best at the shortest distance from my shop…
Do you remember your first kiss?
Back of a double decker bus in Cambridge. I was 12… lol.
Who was your first best friend?
I had a few when I was in kindergarten but the one I have sort of kept in touch with was a boy, now chap called Matthew who was from North Carolina and told great jokes that were a bit slapstick American as he had older siblings.
Have you ever been arrested and if so for what?
I haven’t really but seem to frustratingly get detained by police at borders. I walked through a border check in Russia as to me it just looked like two people at a desk and thought it was customs. The other time I was pulled aside in Charles de Gaulle with a machete in my backpack that I managed to get through customs from South America. Amazingly the guy let me keep it and just gestured shhhh.
Portrait photo: Daniel Hambury/Stella Pictures Ltd
