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Remembered Today:

Database of entertainers


Kate Wills

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Kate, you can do a keyword search (Ctrl-F if you're on a PC) on this page http://mosman1914-1918.net/project/allsop-browser-03/MLMSS-1606_Item5_view03.html for "concert" and "nightbirds". We are annotating this man's diary, including mentions of entertainments and sports. Will be done in a few weeks.

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  • 3 months later...
  • 1 year later...

Kate,

Just stumbled across this thread. The Australian War Memorial has digitised copies of various concert programs and some photos of concert parties. I have cut & paste some details here for you as the pdf file was too large to post. My grandfather mentioned several concert parties in his diary and I have been hunting down information on them.

Is your database available to look at?

Copyright: Commonwealth of Australia copyright,

Collection number Souvenirs 2 4/1/1/21 ID number PUBS002/004/001/001/021 Title Item 21: Souvenir programme Classification Published Collection Object type Souvenir Maker Unknown Place made France Date made 1918 Measurement Overall: 27.7 x 20.4cm Copying provision Copying permitted subject to physical condition

Description

Souvenir program for a concert held during the First World War. This program is for a concert by the 5th Australian Divisional Concert Party, the Kookaburras, on 13 November 1918. The program featured vocal performances, impersonators, magicians and instrumentals. Musical accompaniment was provided by the Signal Company Orchestra. The program is illustrated with a kookaburra, Australian flags and the rising sun badge.

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Cheers

Jo

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  • 6 months later...

Hello,

I am new to the Forum and I hope someone can help me!

My paternal grandfather, Bernard Gordon, was a Sapper in the First World War and is described on my father’s birth certificate in 1916 as “Sapper RE Photographer Master”. Does anyone know what this is?

He was also a member of a concert party called the Pam Pams. I know that Kate Wills is recognised as an expert in this area and I hope that this post will reach her. I have two concert party programmes for the Pam Pams, one dated Sunday 11th November at 7.45 pm, which I think must have been in 1917. The other is dated Sunday 17th February 1918 and is on the occasion of a, “Farewell to Major F.R. O’Neill”. As far as I can tell the Major was attached from the Somerset Light Infantry and possibly to a Sussex Regiment.

If Kate, or anyone else, is able to tell me more about the Pam Pams or identify the regiment, unit or division I should be very grateful.

Many thanks for you help.

Best wishes,


Jill

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Hello Jill,

I have the Pam Pams listed as Royal Engineers (RE) Field Survey, and that they possibly take their name from Pam Pam Farm, Lateau Wood. Sapper Gordon was likely an experienced photographer working with the field survey company in map-making. Come to think of it, pam is map spelt backwards. There was action at Lateau Wood in November 1917. A quick search brings up quite a few hits for Lateau Wood on the Forum. You might find this one of interest; and this.

I'll get back to you shortly, when I have time to go through my files, but I would love to see the programmes.

:::::::::::::::::::::

My thanks to Jo, Sepoy, b3m and everyone who has contributed.

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Kate, thank you so much for your reply. I shall look forward to seeing your further research. In the meantime, I have made PDF copies of the Pam Pams programmes but the three files total 1.8 Mb and each file is too large to attach here. Am I able to send them directly to you by another route? Jill

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  • 1 year later...

There are quite a few mentions of the 41st Div "Crumps" and also the 122nd Brigade "Dickybirds" in the 'History of the 12th Bermondsey Battalion East Surrey'

with lots of names for the latter. If you don't have them already I could note some for you ?

Charlie

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  • 1 month later...

One for Kate.

Andy

post-1871-0-65583700-1460298800_thumb.jp

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There are quite a few mentions of the 41st Div "Crumps" and also the 122nd Brigade "Dickybirds" in the 'History of the 12th Bermondsey Battalion East Surrey'

with lots of names for the latter. If you don't have them already I could note some for you ?

Charlie

E.g this reference in 12th East Surreys war diary 13 Jul 1917:

12th East Surrey war diary 13 Jul 1917 - The Crumps 41st Divn concert party.jpg

[source: 12/ES WD on Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment Association website]

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  • 2 years later...

Hi Writing re the Woodsnippers Concert referred to Kate Wills post of 23 august 2011. Kate says that this was a group belonging to the Forestry Corp. There may have been such a group, but the group referred to in this blog were a group of lady carpenters gathered together by Walter G Tarrant, a builder of Byfleet,Surrey. I am fairly sure they were nothing to do with the Forestry Corp - perhaps they borrowed their name from the other group? Someone said they have a photo of the group rehearsing for their welcome home concert. I am researching this group of women and trying to find any names of any women involved. There were a list of surnames only in in an article in Surrey Herald (31 Jan 1919) but no first names. If anyone knows any names could you share with me? I'd also be interested to see any photos of the concert. 

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5 hours ago, Sue Hawkins said:

Hi Writing re the Woodsnippers Concert referred to Kate Wills post of 23 august 2011. Kate says that this was a group belonging to the Forestry Corp. There may have been such a group, but the group referred to in this blog were a group of lady carpenters gathered together by Walter G Tarrant, a builder of Byfleet,Surrey. I am fairly sure they were nothing to do with the Forestry Corp - perhaps they borrowed their name from the other group? Someone said they have a photo of the group rehearsing for their welcome home concert. I am researching this group of women and trying to find any names of any women involved. There were a list of surnames only in in an article in Surrey Herald (31 Jan 1919) but no first names. If anyone knows any names could you share with me? I'd also be interested to see any photos of the concert. 

 

To save having to plough back looking for these 2011 posts, here are hyperlinks ....

 

First mention of Woodsnippers ...

Kate's reply #1 ...

Updated version of the now broken link to British Pathé film of The Wood Snippers:

https://www.britishpathe.com/video/girl-carpenters-the-wood-snippers-concert-party/query/wood+snippers

 

... and read the three posts after this one for further info.

 

HTH

Mark

 

 

 

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You beat me to it Mark!  Sue, I suspect the names you have are the same as given in my Post of 22nd August 2011 which were published in an Surrey Advertiser & County Times article of 1st Feb 1919 almost certainly covering the same event. I suspect that the truth of the matter might be that the Tarrant ladies, although company employees, had to join the Forestry Corp in order to be allowed to go to France.

 

NigelS

 

 

Edited by NigelS
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On 22/08/2011 at 18:10, NigelS said:

Kate,

Have you come across the 'Woodsnippers'? I came across this article on what may well have been their final performances in the Surrey Advertiser & County Times.

Surrey Advertiser & County Times: Saturday, February 1st, 1919

 

 their entertainment which had been arranged by Lieut. H. Kennerley, who had trained them in France, and obtained leave to accompany them home.

 

NigelS

 

On 23/08/2011 at 11:15, Kate Wills said:

Glad you enjoyed that Nigel. Hopefully, the points you raise about the aircraft assembly work will draw further discussion in the War in the Air section.

The Woodsnippers were members of the Women's Forestry Corps. Fellow member ASHleigh very kindly sent me a cutting showing the group in rehearsal, which could easily be a still from the film. The caption says "The girl carpenters' concert party from France, appropriately known as 'The Woodsnippers', rehearsing for their first performance in England after demobilisation".

Could the officer be 2/Lt Herbert Arthur Kennerley, formerly Sgt 444895, of the Labour Corps? He gave his occupation as Theatre Manager on his marriage certificate on 16th June 1914, at Emmanuel Church, Paddington.

 

On 23/08/2011 at 17:37, NigelS said:

So, reading between the lines, it looks as if the work of the Women's Forestry Corps, at least in this case, were extended beyond straight forestry, as, although carpentry involves working with wood, in my view, it's not strictly speaking 'forestry'. That said, the forestry aspect might tie in with the 'Sufficient timber was secured' comment in the newspaper article. I'd agree From MICs 2/Lt Herbert A Kennerley of the Labour Corp does look the most suitable (only?) candidate, and his pre war occupation certainly fits. Can't help wondering what his wife might have thought about his involvement with a girls' concert party, although doubtless it would have been completely honourable, and I'm not sure from the footage that shows them at work, that they would have stood for any messing about from either him or their audiences!

NigelS

 

Some more evidence for Kennerley ...

 

Dec 1918 Army List has temp. 2/Lt. H.A. Kennerley, Esq. in the Labour Corps with commission dated 17 May 1918.

 

CQMS H.A. Kennerley, Labour Corps, is commissioned temp 2nd Lieutenant effective 17 May 1918.

LG here

 

Kennerley relinquishes his commission on completion of service on 19 Aug 1919.

LG here

 

Mark

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On 22/12/2009 at 13:51, Kate Wills said:

My concert party database has been established for several years, and now, after some experimentation, I have now created a database of performers, the criteria being anyone in uniform who entertained their fellow servicemen, or assisted the war effort in this capacity, such as singing in charity concerts at home. The first 1023 are now entered, so I have a battalion’s worth (I suppose I could call them my own K1), and though it is probably not of much use to anyone at this stage, more will be added all the time, and I am happy to do lookups.

This first thousand are representative of the body as a whole, and include performers at concerts at home whilst in training; on troopships; on active service at the front (from impromptu mess sing-songs to organised shows), and concerts in hospitals and convalescent depots. It also includes nurses and members of the women’s services, and a few French nationals who took the stage at British organised events. Members of entertainment committees, backstage crew, scriptwriters, songwriters etc etc are also recorded.

Many Pals have already helped me enormously in my resarch, and I thankyou sincerely for your time and trouble. It is much appreciated. I hope the end result will be a boon to fellow researchers.

In the meantime, if you know, or come across anyone who entertained whilst in uniform, please let me know, and I will enter him or her onto the Performers Database.

Dear Kate,

Have you come across Sergeant Joseph Rooney a Fusilier and then a Royal Engineer who reportedly was a manager of an opera company before he joined up? I have some great stories about how he built a thetre and wrote a musical play whilst he was a prisoner of war.

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Hi,

 

Yesterday I came across some service papers for a 3260/451098 Albert Lines (originally 11/London). They give his occupation as "music hall artist". He survived the war, but I don't know if he performed whilst in uniform. I'm not looking for an answer - just though that he might be a contender for the database.

 

Regards

Chris

 

 

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Do you have “The Tykes” , the concert party of 49th (W Riding) Division? They crop up in a memoir belonging to an RFC wireless operator.

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Kate,

Found this reference to Captain Plunkett's Canadian Troupe in the 1/KRRC war diary for 03 Sep 1917 ...

 

797785959_1-KRRCwardiary03Sep1917a-CaptPlunkettsCanadiantroupe.jpg.c768a4bb80ff7ad0910d7cc19b09bd0b.jpg

794057138_1-KRRCwardiary03Sep1917b-CaptPlunkettsCanadiantroupe.jpg.94b8f82022a4b691f4fc4ec213d767fb.jpg

771525433_1-KRRCwardiary03Sep1917c-CaptPlunkettsCanadiantroupe.jpg.a7fa781584698921ec84ea0903fbb3a2.jpg

 

I did half wonder if this was a home-grown rifles troupe since the name Plunkett is legendary in RB and KRRC circles ('Plunkett's shot'), but not as a Captain and the Canadian epithet seems to suggest otherwise anyway.

 

Further digging shows Capt Plunkett to be Mert Plunkett and the troupe The Dumbells.

 

Internet searching throws up some useful Canadian sources and this YouTube song ...

 

Quote

Al. Plunkett of Capt. M. W. Plunkett's DumbellsIf I Can't Sing About My Mammy (I Don't Want to Sing at All)

 

Albert William Plunkett was born around 1899, and he died in 1957. He made records in Canada in the mid-1920s. Plunkett entered the 58th Infantry Division of the Canadian Army and was deployed overseas in 1916. After being wounded, he worked as an entertainer to the troops and was invited by his brother Mert Plunkett to join a vaudeville group called The Dumbells, founded in 1917 .

 

There were about 30 concert troupes performing across France, but the most famous by far was The Dumbells. The troupe was founded by Mert Plunkett, a YMCA entertainment director who organized amateur concerts at Canadian encampments in France. The commander of the army’s Third Division gave him permission to assemble an entertainment unit. Mert Plunkett recruited some of his favourite soldier-performers, who were seconded from their own units for his troupe.

 

It was named for the red dumbbells on the Third Division’s insignia — but with one “B” instead of two because of a spelling error, allegedly.

 

They debuted in mid-1917. Al Plunkett remained an important member of The Dumbells ensemble. He sang in tails and cloaks, danced, and appeared in humorous sketches. He was associated with the songs "Those Wild, Wild Women Are Making a Wild Man of Me" and "I Know Where the Flies Go in Wintertime."

 

He was in the play Biff, Bing, Bang on Broadway. After the dissolution of The Dumbells in 1932, Plunkett appeared on radio and nightclubs in Canada and the US.

 

In the Second World War Plunkett served in the Royal Canadian Air Force. After the war he was a road inspector in the Ontario district. Finally, he led a nursing home with his wife until his death in April 1957.

 

 

 

At this time 1/KRRC were in 99th Bde of 2nd Division.

 

Mark

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