In a previous blog I mentioned Annie Casey, a performer I knew little about, but my interest was sparked by a postcard. The information I found was brief and sometimes conflicting, leaving me a little confused. This all changed recently when Annie’s grandson, Mike Casey, contacted me and was kind enough to share information about Annie and her husband Will. I had previously thought Will was her brother from a newspaper report of the time. I am so pleased and grateful to Mike and hope this blog puts the previous one to rights and does justice to a hardworking and interesting performer.

Annie Casey was born Hannah Mitchell in Wynyard Station, County Durham, and was the second of seven children born to George Mitchell and Emily Ann Gofton. She married Will Casey on March 4th 1902 at Chorlton upon Medlock, Manchester. The marriage certificate tells us that Will was a comedian but nothing is listed under rank or profession for Hannah. It was after her marriage that she began to perform on stage as Annie Mitchell, sometimes using the names Mrs Will Casey or Annie Casey.

Annie and Will toured together as a double act and Will wrote and appeared in short plays. Annie joined him in many plays including Her Sailor Lover, The Lover’s Lament and A Wife’s Devotion, the latter being described as brimful of excruciatingly funny comedy.Their signature tune was a typically jolly Come Lasses and Lads which had originally been sung around the maypole.

On March 3rd 1927 Annie and Will put a notice in the trade paper, The Stage, celebrating their silver wedding saying the marriage had been 25 years of the best. May it long continue. Their address is given as 197 Sheffield Road, Barnsley. Will died the same year and Annie moved to Blackpool where she died in 1940.

In 1960 a letter was published in the Daily Mirror referring to a mention of Will Casey. Mrs N Greatorex de Vere wrote of having toured with Annie and Will, describing him as a comedian and Annie as a soubrette, and finding them a lovable couple. She goes on to say they travelled with a specially reinforced bed as landladies complained their beds could not support the combined weight of the Caseys. Will was 36 stone and Annie around 28 stone.

Thanks to Mike Casey, British Newspaper Archive, Monomania collection.