Friend Stephen has come up with another historical gem.
It’s a programme for two wartime concerts held in Bath to raise money for the troops and – as he says – ‘they took place at the height of the Blitz. The performers have some interesting names like Olive Grove, Flotsam and Jetsam and there’s even ‘Lenny Henry’ – not quite bu Leonard Henry.’
The concerts were held on the same day. In the Theatre Royal at 2.30 pm and the Pavilion at 7.30.
It’s amazing to read things like the reference to air raid warnings.
I quote:
‘If a warning is sounded during the performance, the programme will at once be held up for a period of two minutes to enable those who wish to do so to leave the theatre. After their departure the performance will be resumed and, it is hoped, brought to a satisfying conclusion.’
Interesting for me to note that the lessee of the Theatre Royal was a Mr Reg. A. Maddox. When l was doing a regular Monday entertainment slot on HTV West l used to come and chat to a Mr Frank Maddox. Was he son of Reg?
Also Bathonians please note: ‘Thanks are also tendered to Messrs Duck, Son and Pinker of Pulteney Bridge for their kindness in lending a pianoforte for this performance.’
Olive Groves was an actress and singer, fairly well known in the mid-1930s.