We were recently contacted by Graham Sharp concerning a post we did about Hyde Central train station... more on that at a later date. What I'd like to show you today are 6 fantastic pictures that Graham has sent of Hyde Chapel Dramatic Society productions. These pictures all date from around the beginning of the 1950s.
I'll now hand the post over to Graham now.
Two Hyde Chapel Dramatic Society plays around 1950
On the stage in Enfield Street School
First, forgot the play but Joyce my wife to be, is laying down the law on the right, still doing it after 55 years marriage!
Second is a play called The Hollow, Joyce is on the left and Albert Platt stood next to her, far right is Freda Kitchen (Ketchen)
Chorus line and Aladdin
A performance of the pantomime Aladdin in the school hall
Probably 1949.
Graham says "Somehow, one of my pals and I got a job working the spot lights high up in the wings of the stage, we could keep an eye on the girls from there."
First picture is of the chorus line, The Hyde Chapel Rockettes, not to be confused with the one at Radio City Music Hall.
From the right; Joan Stafford, Margery Bennison, Joyce Baddeley, Joan Wimpenny, Nancy Shelmerdine, Cora Wilson, Beryl Gorrard, Dorothy Begent.
Aladdin - The Full Cast
The Festival of Britain
In mid summer 1951 there was The Festival of Britain, it was centred in London but with many other communities taking part.
The object was to add some economic push to the lagging post war economy and also to lift the spirits of the people.
Hyde Chapel Amateur Dramatic Society
Did it's part by staging their own Festival of Britain.
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I would like to thank Graham for these fine pictures and for his words to go with them. Posts like this are fantastic and of much interest. I recognise a few of the surnames from my school friends and realise it was their parents. Hopefully other might recognise friends and family. Post like these could not be possible if not for the kindness off others... Graham as done us proud with this post and we are truly grateful. If you have anything you would like to share with us on our Hydonian friendly blog please get in touch and make our day.
In the late 50’s my Dad used to do the lighting for the plays and I took over from him for a couple of years in the early 60’s until work, night school and girls got in the way! At one of the plays my then girlfriend (now wife) was giving me a hand to set everything up and I gave her the job of putting the lamps in the footlights, the only problem was she put all the ambers lamps at on end and the clear lamps at the other end instead of mixing them! A quick correction at the interval was the order!
ReplyDeleteIn the ‘Lighting Control Centre’ above the stage there was a peephole where you could see the audience and I was always excited when I saw a ‘full house’ on the Saturday night performance. Happy memories!
Cheers John for sharing your memories... if you have any pictures to share as well from this time we could either update this post or make a second.
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