Monomania
West Sussex England
Bio: Avid, if haphazard, collector of postcards and information about women in the Music Hall. Easily diverted by new themes. Today male impersonators, tomorrow long boot dancers.
About
Into the Limelight
Women in the Music Hall
Into the Limelight 
Hello,
Thanks for sharing your research in blog form! I am very interested in the details on landladies that you’ve posted here. I’d love more detail about where you found this information, aside from the ‘review’ by Vesta Tilley. Would you be able to help?
Many thanks
Nancy
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Hello Into The Limelight,
Would anyone know of a Music Hall performer called Ada Streek, from Battersea, London. She performed as a Principal Boy in the London Theatres and across the country between WW1 and WW2, I’m trying to find information on her.
Thank you
Nancy
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Hello Nancy. I’m sorry but I haven’t been able to find out anything about an Ada Streek other than a brief report in the Brockley News, October 5th 1906. Ada Streek from Battersea took Esther Underwood to court for assault, claiming she was knocked about, hit and her blouse was torn. Esther denied the charge but was fined 10 shillings + 2 shillings costs or 7 days in prison. It had something to do with Ada’s brother-in-law and a previous court case. Sorry not to be more helpful.
Margaret
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Thank you Margaret, I didn’t know about the report in the Brockley News. Thank you for your help
Nancy
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Hello,
Do you have any info on Doris May Baker b. 1901 Birmingham UK who worked as an assistant to Gus Fowler “The Watch King” in the 1920′ and 30’s and appeared with him in music halls in America . I don’t know if she had a stage name. I can find records of her travelling across the Atlantic with him but no picture or much other info. In the end she emigrated to US and married a chicken farmer!
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Hello Anita. Thanks for your message. I hadn’t heard of Gus Fowler but he seems to have been a big deal, doesn’t he? I just found a couple of references which could be relevant. One is an advert from the Victoria Palace in July 1924 for Gus Fowler’s act. At the bottom of the advert it says – Wanted – very small girl- must be 14. Apply Stage Door, Friday 11-12 o’clock. Could she have answered the advert? The other is a mention of an assistant on a website from Lybrary. When you click on the entry you get loads of magic books etc but it doesn’t take you to this entry. Sorry not to be of more help. I’ll have another go and let you know if anything comes up.
Regards
Margaret
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Hello Into the Limelight,
My name is Beth and I am currently researching my music hall ancestors Edward ‘Teddy’ Mosedale (my 3 x Great Grandfather) and his daughter Amy Lyster (real name Eleanor Emily Mosedale), for my MA in Cultural History. I have gathered tons of info on them (I only recently discovered I had music hall in the family! I should have known as we all sing and act!) Teddy Mosedale was a well respected veteran of music hall and performed tirelessly for around 30+ years as a servo-comic, dancer and singer. He was then Amy Lyster’s agent and she performed as a serio-comic all over the country in music hall and panto. She started off in a duo called the ‘Lyster Sisters’ with a performer named Maud (surname unknown). I found your twitter account via Music Hall Society, and see you’re really interested in unearthing women of music hall history, who may have been forgotten. I wondered if you had ever come across Amy Lyster in your postcard collection? Or Teddy Mosedale for that matter. I only have one illustration (caricature) of her from The Entracte, but no photos at all. Similarly I only have one photo of Teddy Mosedale, so I was just wondering if you had ever seen or heard of them. No worries if not! All the best, Beth.
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Hello Beth
Thanks for your email and sorry not to get back to you sooner. I was at the Music Hall Conference over the weekend which was excellent. I think you commented about going next year. I don’t have any postcards of Amy Lyster but will certainly keep an eye out for them at postcard fairs etc. Are you able to access the British Newspaper Archive? I’ll have a look in my music hall books to see if she crops up and will let you know. I just can’t bear to think of these women being forgotten when their lives were fascinating and often very hard. Sorry I can’t be of more help. Keep up the good work! Margaret
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Dear Margaret,
Thank you for your response and help – I really appreciate it.
Yes, I would really love to come to the conference next year if it goes ahead – I will have to keep my eyes peeled and buy a ticket before they sell out!
My thoughts exactly. Recovering and revising women’s history is vital and a subject which runs throughout my research at masters level. I was so delighted when we found out through my maternal Grandmother that her husband (my Grandad) had music hall in the family, I just had to do some research for my degree. I am doing a case study on them both but so far have gathered more source material on Amy Lyster as she was a serio-comic and toured with pantos, though it appears that My 3 x GGrandad was a well-respected, long-serving serio-comic – I’ve only found positive reviews of his performances! He started off in the 1860s and kept going until the turn of the century, so a real grafter.
I would love to get as much info as possible as we have nothing material passed down through the family. I use British Library Newspapers as Uni has a subscription, by not the BNA which is very expensive! I may just have to suck it up and pay!
Can I ask where you go for postcard fairs please?
Thanks again Margaret, all the best, Beth.
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Hello Into The Limelight
I’m researching any known Keighley (Bradford) Music Hall women for a IWW project 2024. Especially racy/rebellious lasses, male impersonators, writers of songs, owners/impresarios.
So far I’ve drawn a blank.
Any info, signposting or advice gratefully appreciated.
PS My great-grandfather was allegedly a ‘hoofer’ in the music halls – but as his name isn’t on the birth certificate – hard to track down…
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Hello Irene. Thanks for your email. Sorry not be more helpful but I can’t find any information about music hall women from Keighley. I’ve found names of male impersonators who appeared at the Hippodrome but that’s about all. It’s frustrating research, isn’t it? They changed their names, their acts etc and even the stars of the day have varying birth dates and places of origin. I found the the male impersonators info on the British Newspaper Archive, which you may well use. I can send you their names if it’s of any help. Good luck! Margaret
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