In The Times of London Ashley Graves was described as the “tall woman”. She was a Nationality, which perhaps explains her tallness in her day-to-day life. She worked for Raffles in Scotland, where she was known for her heights, and then worked as an Accountant in London, where she used to stand at the windows to cross the streets. From The Times of London Ashley was also known as “Old Grandma” for many years, possibly because of her age. But that was only in later years; in fact, she was described as “a very old woman” in one of her biographies.
So, what role did height play in Ashley’s life? Well, in fact, her marriage to James Blunt, who was a well-known drunkard and lover was arranged by her height. It seems that her father always wanted her to be tall, so that he could marry her off and take care of her, even going as far as to say that he would pay half of her dowry if the marriage went through. However, James was a much-loved man, and Ashley felt that their marriage was moving towards its successful conclusion, even if it meant that she had to live as a recluse in her husband’s home for the rest of their lives.
It was around the time of their marriage that Ashley began to suffer from atrophy of the joints, and this led to bouts of depression, and self-harm. She would hide away from her husband when he was away, confiding in her maids and writing to her friends. Finally, when the bills started piling up, and she realised that her height was to blame, she decided that enough was enough, and retired to a country house in the country, away from her husband and their colleagues. Ashley’s death is attributed to heart disease, although there were many speculations as to the actual cause of death, with the pathologist unable to find anything physically wrong with Ashley.