SOMERSET author John Porter has written the first biography of Edith Cornelia Crosse.

The book focuses on the life and times of a woman commonly know as Yoi.

She was born to an English father and a Hungarian/Polish mother.

Yoi later moved to England to live with her grandmother.

She then settled down to marriage and children, until life was altered forever by a major scandal.

We find out throughout the book the way in which her life dramatically changes after this scandal and she travelled to Tehran, before settling first in Rome and then in Florence.

Yoi does have a Somerset connection as her grandfather was Andrew Crosse whose family owned Fyne Court.

This was an opulent mansion in Broomfield north of Taunton but it was destroyed by fire in 1894.

Speaking about his new book, John, who lives in Wiveliscombe said: “This has been 10 years in the making and I have written it and re-written it a number of times.

Somerset County Gazette:

“I think it is a thundering good story as I was not expecting to find this story in my family history.

“I knew Yoi lived in Florence but I kept on discovering new things about her.

“She was certainly a free spirit and not one to be constrained by convention.

“I am a great believer in keeping people’s stories alive.

“I did get the book self published through Matador but it was to get the story out.

“By the end of the book I did feel very close to her and had great admiration for what she had done.

“What was great was getting pictures from the Crosse family, many of which had not been seen before.”

Yoi The Remarkable life of Edith Cornelia Crosse (1877-1944) with an introduction by Dacia Maraini is published by Matador and retails at £17.99.

ISBM:9781789013948.