Friday, December 02, 2011

Millwall Executive Suite (plus George Formby Sr in New Cross)

I was in Millwall FC Executive Suite recently - they hire it out in the week for conferences and meetings. Yes they do have a lion carpet, and lion tinted windows.



There are lots of great old historical photos of past players on the walls, and at the moment an exhibition put up last year to mark the 125th anniversary of the club. 

Millwall's Lion Mascot - anyone care to guess a date?
There are also, on the staircase, some autographed shirts from big matches played at the Den

Signed shirts from the Jamaica vs. Nigeria friendly held at the Den in 2009

Millwall vs. Ferencvaros, UEFA Cup 2004

This October 1910 match programme includes an advert for the New Cross Empire with a line up of who was performing there at the time.



George Formby Sr. at the New Cross Empire

At the George Formby Story website, there is also a New Cross Empire programme for October 1910 advertising 'George Formby, the popular comedian, in all his successes, including his latest'. I got a bit confused here, and assumed this was the uke-toting star of the 1930s, but a commenter to the original post has helpfully pointed out that it was actually his father George Formby senior, who was also a  big music hall comedian and singer.


Also on the bill was 'Male Impersonator' Rhoda Paul, and 'Lady Mimic' Ray Wallace - cross dressing was clearly all the rage - as well as 'Continental Gymnast' Azella Wilson and comedian Fred Kitchen.

So did the now more famous George Formby jr ever play in New Cross in his music hall career? More research needed.

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5 comments:

  1. Charlie2 December 2011 at 08:03

    This would actually have been George Formby senior, the ukulele-toting George's father. He was one of the big stars of music hall at the time.

    This was despite suffering with tuberculosis for most of his career, something he incorporated in his act, ("Ee, I'm coughin' well tonight").

    George junior was born in 1904.

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  2. .2 December 2011 at 09:02

    Thanks Charlie for pointing out the rookie mistake! I have now corrected the article, wonder whether Formby Jr. ever played the New Cross Empire too, it was a big music hall venue.

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  3. peter t2 December 2011 at 18:50

    frank skinner played the uke with the kids at childeric school next 2 fordham park on a bbc4 programme about george formy.

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  4. Minnie4 April 2012 at 20:03

    Wow. This programme is amazing. I am the great grand daughter of Rhoda Paul. She led a colourful life. I am soooooo happy to have found this. There was hardly anything passed down the family from her. I am also a singer and i have her BIG voice haha. Could someone please scan and email me a copy of the programme? it would mean so much to me and my family???
    Minnie

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  5. .5 April 2012 at 11:36

    Good to hear from your Minnie, unfortunately I do not have access to printed originals to scan from. Where was Rhoda from?

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