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‘Liberation’ April 1952

Loftus & District Arts Club (Drama Section) produced ‘Liberation’, this image is from a photograph by Wm. Eglon Shaw (his studio was on North Road, Loftus). In this scene we have standing: Margaret Wood, William Shaw, Irene Fowle. Seated: Margaret Duffy.
Image and names courtesy of Helen Cook (nee Fowle).

‘The Holly and the Ivy’ December 1953

 

For Christmas 1953, Loftus & District Arts Club (Drama Section) produced ‘The Holly and the Ivy’, we been supplied with most of the names, can anybody fill in the blanks?
Vera Evans, Irene Fowle, Albert Allan (seated), Charlie Jefferson, Myra Dowson, ??, Nick ?. Peter Appleton has requested: “Does anyone have any more information about the Vera Evans depicted here? I ask because my mum’s sister was called Vera Evans. She was a daughter of Tom Evans, the watchmaker-jeweller whose shop was at 77 High Street Skelton (where the Co-op funeral parlour is today). She would have been in her early 20s when this photo was taken but I cannot tell from such a small image whether this is her or not.” Can anybody assist?

Image and names courtesy of Helen Cook (nee Fowle), thanks to Peter Appleton for the update.

‘A Play for Ronnie’

Loftus & District Arts Club (Drama Section) production of ‘A Play for Ronnie’; producer M. Goldsborough, are shown on stage. Back row: Muriel Hollis, Lewis Snowdon, Margaret Duffy, Albert Allan, Marion Lindsey.
Front row: Margaret Wood, Derick Richards, Irene Fowle, Maurice Trembath.
Image and names courtesy of Helen Cook (nee Fowle).

Loftus and District Arts Club – Festival Programme 1951

Loftus and District Arts Club presented a Festival programme of three one-act plays on Tuesday, 3rd July, 1951. This image is of the programme of the plays, can you spot your name in the listings, we would love to hear from you.

Image courtesy of Loftus Town Crier Group who kindly loaned us a scrap book of Loftus and District Arts Club.

Loftus and District Arts Club Plays 1953

As part of the Coronation Celebrations held in Loftus on 1st June 1953, the Loftus and District Arts Club presented three one-act plays in the Town Hall. The cast in this image we are told were (from left to right): Dora Dack, Maurice Trembath, James Duffy, James Cush, Olga McLaren, Irene Fowle, Jean Peel, Joan Dickens. Helen Cook tells us: ”According to the photograph belonging to my Mother the late Irene Fowle, the play was Fools Rush In.”

Image courtesy of Jean Welford and many thanks to Helen Cook for that update.

“A Play for Ronnie”

Loftus Town Crier Group kindly loaned us a Scrap Book of Loftus and District Arts Club that was compiled in 1951 by M. Lindsey and W. Shaw, Camera Section – Joint Secretaries.  This image and the following ones are a selection from the book. The cast of ”A Play for Ronnie” pictured in the newspaper cutting; back row (standing): Mr. Lewis Snowdon, Marian Lindsey, Albert Allen, Maurice Trembath (standing) and front row (sitting): Margaret Duffy, Irene Fowle, Margaret Wood, Muriel Hollis and Derrick Richards.   Miss M. Goldsborough was the producer.  Proceeds were in aid of Loftus Festival of Britain Funds.

Image courtesy of Loftus Town Crier Group.

“Mr Hunter”

Loftus and District Arts Club presented a Festival programme of three one-act plays on Tuesday, 3rd July, 1951.  Musical items were given in the intervals. The first play was ”Dragons in the Caves.” After the interval the scene was a station waiting room for the mystery, ”Mr. Hunter”.  Jim Duffy, the producer, is pictured with the cast – Joan Dickens, Margaret Harmer, Rona Miller and Betty Ripley (standing), and Olga McLaren and Mary Watson (kneeling).

Image courtesy of Loftus Town Crier Group.

“Down to the Sea”

”Down to the Sea” was the third one-act play in the Festival programme.  It was produced by Muriel Hollis and the members of the cast were:  Irene Fowle, Winnie Veale, Bill Carter, Margaret Duffy, Bill Shaw and Albert Allen.  The scene was the Venner’s cottage in a fishing village. Portraits by Bill Shaw and M. Wood.

Images courtesy of Loftus Town Crier Group.

“The Late Christopher Bean”

In this scene from ”The Late Christopher Bean” the actors are:-  Myra Dawson, Margaret Duffy, Rona Miller, Vera Evans and Albert Allen.  The play was produced by Nick Marshall, who took one of the parts.  Bill Shaw, Tom Dack and Maurice Trembath were also in the cast. This photograph was taken by Bill Shaw.

Image courtesy of Loftus Town Crier Group.

Set Design

A newspaper cutting in the scrap book is headed ”Another Successful Production” and starts – ”Lack of stage room is an obvious handicap to Loftus and District Arts Club in presenting plays, but in the adaptation by Emlyn Williams of Rene Fauchoi’s ”The Late Christopher Bean” in the Town Hall on Tuesday and Wednesday, producer Nick Marshall and stage manager W. Carter solved the difficult problem.  The setting demands three entrances to a room and the manner in which this was contrived was very commendable.” This is a water colour sketch for the design of the set by H. Kitchener.

Image courtesy of Loftus Town Crier Group.