The Wilton's interviews were conducted by Sarah Gudgin from the Museum
of London.
Pauline Hawkes was born in Luton in 1933 and is the great grand daughter
of Annie Delmont, an actress who performed at Wilton’s Music Hall.
After marrying, Pauline emigrated to Canada where she lived for 33 years.
It was whilst she was there that she became fascinated by the genealogy
of her family and her great grandparents connection with the stage. Here
she recalls the story of how her great grand parents met and married.
Pauline recently visited Wiltons for the first time and is planning to
write an account of her family’s colourful past.
John Earl was born in Dagenham in Essex in 1928. As a child he was influenced
by a Victorian book where some children were shown the sites of London
by an uncle. An early pioneer of building conservation, he worked at the
Historic Buildings section at the former London County Council. He was
also one of the founder members of the British Music Hall Society, which
was instrumental in preventing the demolistion of Wilton’s Music
Hall. He speaks about his long connection with the building and his work
in the area of conservation.
Bernard Bown was born in London in 1932. As a young man he made frequent
trips to the east end of London and came to know about Wilton’s
Music Hall through his association with the Methodist Mission and youth
club in Cable Street. Although he had not seen the building since its
days as a former rag warehouse, he recently visited Wilton’s and
was reminded of his earlier association with the area.
Track 1: John Earl
Describes the London of interesting smells and the area around Wilton’s
when he first saw it.
Track 2: Pauline Hawkes
Speaks about the early stage career of her great grandmother Annie Delemont
and reads a review of one of Annie’s performances at Wilton’s
Music Hall.
Track 3: John Earl
Evokes the atmosphere of the Victorian music hall.
Track 4: Pauline Hawkes
Pauline’s great grandfather William Henry Clark wrote several songs
for Annie Delemont. Whilst on stage she would sometimes have performed
in character, as Pauline explains.
Track 5: John Earl
During the 1960’s John met John Hobbs who had collected stories
from an old lady about the Old Mahogany Bar in the 1870’s.
