Molly Drake

Mary Drake (born Mary Lloyd; 5 November 1915 – 4 June 1993), also known as Molly Drake, was an English poet and musician, best known as the mother of the actress Gabrielle Drake and the musician Nick Drake. Molly Drake never released any official publications of her poetry or compositions in her lifetime, but she had a profound impact on the musical style of her son. As Nick Drake's music gained a larger following after his death, Molly Drake's recordings have been released, which uncover the musical similarities between her and her son. Biography Drake was born to her father Sir Idwal Geoffrey Lloyd (13 January 1878, Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire – 6 March 1946, Surrey) and mother Georgie Lloyd in Rangoon, Burma. She was christened as "Mary", but no one used the name as "Molly" was deemed more suitable. Both of her parents were involved in the military, and the country was not considered the ideal place to raise Drake and her siblings, so they were sent to England to be raised by the Dunn family, close associates of the Lloyds. Drake and her siblings were placed in the Wycombe Abbey Boarding School where she struggled as a student, but managed to obtain her School Certificate. Once her studies were complete, Drake returned to Rangoon and soon met her future husband, Rodney Drake. The couple's marriage was postponed until Molly Drake reached the age of 21, as required by her parents. On 14 April 1937 they married in the cathedral at Rangoon.