THE 'K' SISTERS
ENTERTAINERS EXTRAORDINAIRE
Dr. TERRY SPENCER B.A. (Hons), Ph D.
PUBLISHED IN OCTOBER 2000
For
approximately a decade from the mid 1940's the 'K' Sisters, Marjorie and
Pamela Kellett, were prominent throughout the town and district of
Knottingley as all-round entertainers who harnessed their talent to
providing public enjoyment and in so doing raised large amounts of money
for local charities.
The girls
were born at a time when films and radio had largely displaced the long
tradition of the parlour piano and family sing-song. (1) Nevertheless,
the girls were raised in a homely musical atmosphere with their mother,
Elizabeth, improvising at the piano as she and husband George sang in
harmony and many were the evenings when the young children were lulled
to sleep by gentle melody. (2)
The
subliminal influence was reinforced by the desire of Elizabeth Kellett
to provide her daughters with opportunities denied to herself by social
and economic constraints during her own formative years.
It was
natural, therefore, that when the sisters began to exhibit a latent
musical ability their mother should encourage and nurture its
development.
The
increasingly popular cinema provided early inspiration for the girls
with child stars such as Shirley Temple, and slightly later, Judy
Garland, Mickey Rooney and the glamorous 'Blond Bombshell', Betty Grable,
revealing the potential for success via hard work and dedication.
It was
against this background that the girls were enrolled at a Pontefract
Dancing School when Marjorie was eight years of age and Pamela
three. In tandem with the acquisition of ballet and tap dancing
skills the girls musical ability was developed. Both girls honed a
natural talent and as a result became accomplished musicians,
supplementing mastery of the piano with equal expertise on a variety of
instruments including the accordian and xylophone. In addition,
both girls had inherited natural singing voices from their
parents. In short, by an early age the sisters were gifted,
confident and accomplished entertainers.
It should
be noted that the girls accomplishments were developed against a
background of full-time schooling. Not that the two spheres were
mutually exclusive for a contemporary has recalled how during lesson
breaks, particularly at times of inclement weather, Pam played the piano
in the school hall whilst her fellow pupils danced. (3)
Eventually
the sisters attended a dancing class at Knottingley run by Miss Bentley
and in order to give practical expression to their burgeoning skills and
provide on-stage experience the girls enrolled with Miss Green's dancing
troupe, a local group which produced variety shows in venues such as
church halls, schoolrooms and public halls within and around Knottingley.
(4)
The
dedication of the sisters to the development of their natural talent is
reflected in the numerous reports which regularly appeared within the
local paper concerning their success in obtaining formal
qualifications. Early in 1944, for instance, it was reported that
Pam had passed with distinction an examination set by the Royal Academy
of Music. (5) The outcome was merely a prelude to a whole series
of such successes. (6) Nor was success confined to pianistic
ability for Pam also gained awards in examinations under the auspices of the Royal Academy of Dancing. (7) If the piano was literally
Pamela's forte, then dance skills were the dominant sphere of Marjorie's
accomplishment, with seven examination successes recorded by 1945 of
which two were awarded with 'honours' by the Royal Academy of Dancing.
(8)
Mrs Kellett,
who had previously been the proprietress of several businesses in Aire
Street, Knottingley, then the hub of commercial activity and social life
within the town, had by the advent of World War II, moved to 'Morley
Fisheries', Weeland Road. Fish and Chips being a dietary staple of
that period of austerity, there was no shortage of customers who, aware
of the talents of the Kellett sisters, advocated that Marjorie establish
her own academy of dance. The demise of Miss Green's troupe
occurred at a time when the Kellett girls were sufficiently experienced
to fill the breach. Encouraged by the public and propelled by
their mothers energy and guidance, the teenage Marjorie established a
dancing class within the Congregational Chapel Schoolroom. The
pupils were soon organised as a concert party, playing local venues for
charity with Mrs Kellett acting as agent to the troupe, making
arrangements, confirming bookings etc., whilst Mr Kellett served in a
less prominent but no less important role as transport manager and
general factotum.
It was also
at this period that Marjorie became the featured vocalist with the
'Melody Makers' dance band, singing at dance halls throughout the area.
Despite
their accomplishments the sisters were still on a learning curve and by
this time attended the specialist dance classes of Miss Avis Barbara
Adelaine Tong at Doncaster. Indeed, Pamela became such a regular
traveller on the South Yorkshire Bus Company's Pontefract to Doncaster
route that the bus conductors allowed her to collect fares and issue
tickets to her fellow travellers.
It was not
long, however, before the 'K' Sisters as their troupe was now known,
became the foremost entertainers within the district around Knottingley,
drawing reports of "full houses" and "delighted
audiences" in press coverage. (9) At a concert in January
1944, it was reported that the 'K' Sisters, supported by Winnie Bailey
and Dorothy and Jimmy Spence, had provided an "excellent programme",
comprising dance routines, vocal items (solos and duets), accordion
music by Marjorie (including many request items) and sundry sketches,
the effort raising £14 for the Congregational Chapel Organ Fund.
(10) Similarly, in January the year following, the 'K' Sisters and
pupils gave a pantomime at Barwick in Elmet School which raised £30 to
be shared between the Leeds and Pontefract Infirmaries. (11)
The
Kelletts' could be relied upon to support any worthy cause. When a
concert by the Regimental Band of the Duke of Wellington's Regiment,
arranged as part of the Knottingley 'Thanksgiving Week' events was
cancelled at short notice due to unforeseen circumstances, it was the
'K' Sisters whose concert party filled the breach and the Town Hall too.
(12)
Young as
they were, the 'K' Sisters made a valuable contribution to the War
Effort, touring factories in the district and presenting shows for
'Workers Playtime' and raising the morale of the overworked labour
force. A typical response to the troupe's contribution is revealed
by a letter from the Welfare Department of the Blackburn Aircraft
Co. Ltd., Sherburn-in-Elmet, dated 8th August, 1944, when Pamela was
only nine years of age. The letter of appreciation refers to the;
"fine
show you presented to [the workforce] on Wednesday"
and
concludes
"Having
had many requests for a repeat show, we hope that we shall be able to
arrange another date in the near future". (13)
It was
about the Spring of 1944 that the sisters began to focus the bulk of
their charitable work on the endowment of a cot for sick babies at the
Pontefract General Infirmary. The inaugural concerts were probably
on the afternoon and evening of Thursday 11th April when the 'K'
Sisters, assisted by Margaret Yardie, Shiela Meickle and Mrs Morrell and
her son Harry, entertained at Knottingley Town Hall. On this
occasion the pianist was Mrs Benson, the troupes regular accompanist,
the ubiquitous Mrs Lucas, being somewhat inexplicably absent. A
further feature of the concerts was the participation of the 'Melody
Makers' dance band under the baton of Mr. H. Reynolds. The concerts
raised £52-10-0d for the Cot Fund. (14)
The same
venue almost a year later, marked the conclusion of a hectic round of
local 'tours' as revealed by a report in the Pontefract and Castleford
Express,
"The
'K' Sisters, who about a year ago began to raise £500 for the endowment
of a cot, visited Ferrybridge, Brotherton, Barwick-in-Elmet, Pontefract
and Darrington, with a final effort at Knottingley Town Hall where a
show was given to a crowded audience...Proceeds, £60". (15
In January,
1945, the 'K' Sisters and pupils presented a production of the pantomime
'Little Red Riding Hood' : first at Barwick-in-Elmet and a week later at
Knottingley Town Hall. Despite two evening performances at the
latter venue, such was the demand that a repeat performance had to be
specially scheduled for Ferrybridge residents. The three shows
raised £117 which together with a performance in the Congregational
Schoolrooms shortly thereafter, generated the sum of £160 in less than
a month, making the total Cot Fund £400. (16)
With the
conclusion of the European War in May 1945, the sisters were in great
demand to entertain at numerous local victory celebrations in factories
and at street parties. In May, concerts were given at Low
(Fernley) Green and at Broomhill (17) and the following month the
sisters entertained the residents of Gillann Street, Beulah Place,
Weeland Road and Womersley Road at a party in the Congregational
Schoolroom. (18) The same week the girls virtually presided over
the Morley House celebrations at which Marjorie played the accordion for
community singing conducted by Pamela. (19) By the end of June it
was 'business as usual' as the sisters gave a dancing display at the
Barwick Vicarage garden party, raising £200. (20)
The
invariably favourable reports featured in the local press increased the
demand for entertainment which was reinforced by the collective public
desire for pleasure following the rigours and restraints of the war
years and also as an antidote to the continuing economic austerity of
the immediate post war period. With selfless dedication the girls
raised huge sums for charity with £500 being amassed within the space
of twelve months.
The
presentation of the final £168 to enable the installation of a cot in
the Childrens' Ward of the P.G.I. occurred in May, 1945. Described
by the Secretary - Superintendent of the hospital as
"the
most remarkable effort of support that I have ever met in hospital
life."
The
endowment in perpetuity relieved the sufferings of many generations of
sick babies and was marked by the presentation by the Hospital Committee
of a commemorative plaque which was affixed to the ward wall where it
remains to this day. (21)
Having
attained their initial goal, the sisters immediately commenced raising
money for a second cot, giving a 'turn' at the wedding in South Kirkby
of a Mr Blount, at which Marjorie played the accordion and Pam danced.
(22) The following month 300 Dutch children were entertained at
the Netherlands Hostel, Pontefract, with Mrs Lucas accompanying the
girls in a show which closed with the singing of the Dutch and British
National Anthems. (23)
Wider
recognition beckoned the 'K' Sisters, however, and through the contacts
of their dancing tutor, Marjorie made her professional debut in the
1947-48 pantomime season, adopting the stage name of Marjorie
Kendall. The venue was the Grand Theatre, Leeds, where George
Formby was starring in 'Dick Wittington'. The engagement was
followed by a summer in a show named 'Happiness Ahead'. The new
engagement occurred in an almost incidental way. One of Mrs Kellett's business contacts was a representative of Talbot's Ltd., a
confectionary company. The representative informed Mrs Kellett
that he was aware that a producer was looking to cast a dancer in his
show and gave a telephone number to Mrs Kellett as a result of which
Marjorie subsequently successfully auditioned and joined the cast.
The
association proved to be a long term one for Marjorie stayed with the
show for six summer seasons. Another member of the troupe,
embarking on a showbusiness career which was to lead to celebrity status
was Roy Castle. Marjorie worked with Roy on joint dance routines
and also formed part of a musical trio.
The summer
seasons were punctuated by regular pantomime appearances. In
1949-50, Marjorie appeared in the role of Baby Bear and gave a solo
performance on a miniature xylophone in a production of 'Goldilocks and
the Three Bears'. On another occasion, cast as the fairy,
Marjorie, in true showbusiness tradition, was called upon to replace the
Principal Girl when the latter fell ill. The substitution was
conducted with such assurance and brio that the following season
Marjorie was 'promoted' to play Goldilocks.
More than a
little evidence of the glamour, versatility and the showbusiness
potential of the 'K' Sisters is indicated by the train of events
concerning Marjorie in 1951. Winner of a beauty competition at
Castleford, Marjorie's prize was a week's holiday at Butlin's Holiday
Camp, Filey. To a country just beginning to emerge from the
austerity of war time, holiday camps offered a wide range of activities
with sound accommodation and good food at generally affordable
prices. Such camps were also an ideal training ground for many
entertainers who subsequently graduated to find fame and fortune via the
nationally organised circuit of variety theatres and the burgeoning
television service.
With
typical gusto, Marjorie carried all before her, winning every
competition she entered, including voice, instrumental and fancy
dress. Such was the impression created that upon her return home,
Marjorie received a telegram urging her to join the camps entertainment
group (24)
Nor did
Marjorie monopolise the beauty circuit for in 1951, Pam was chosen from
twenty local beauties as an attendant to the Knottingley Carnival Queen,
Pam's dancing commitments prevented her participation in the Carnival
event. (25)
With the
end of 'Happiness Ahead' in 1953, Marjorie joined 'Randle's Scandals' at
the Hippodrome, Ipswich, and together with Norman Teal and Roy Castle
performed a musical act, billed as the Norman Teal Trio, with Marjorie
and Roy on trumpets and Norman Teal playing the xylophone.
The period
was one in which prior to the cultural and social revolution of the
'Swinging Sixties' a staid public supervised by pompous and frequently,
self-appointed guardians of public morality, were easily shocked by
unorthodox situations and events. This risque act presented by the
celebrated comedian, Frank Randle, gained him notoriety which often
resulted in his show being closed down by local Watch Committees.
Naughty words (quite innocuous by today's woeful standards) resulted in
the show being banned at the Wood Green Empire which received widespread
coverage in the national press. However, the show trundled along
and was still doing the rounds when Marjorie left it in 1954.
With
Marjorie's professional career underway the dancing troupe continued
under the tutelage of Pam. At this time the family residence was
Jefferson House, Womersley Road, Knottingley, where a large music room
afforded ideal rehearsal facilities. When Pam also embarked upon a
stage career in 1953, the troupe continued under the guidance of the
girl's mother with the sisters appearing as and when professional
commitments allowed.
Pamela's
professional debut was at the Windsor Theatre, Birmingham, as a member
of the cast of 'The Old Woman Who Lives In a Shoe'. Later Pam
appeared with Frankie Howard at the Liverpool Empire and also appeared
in the revival of the musical 'No, No, Nanette'. In addition, Pam
also appeared at the famous City Varieties Theatre, Leeds in a show
based upon the exploits of the Daily Mirror 'Pin-up Girl', Jane.
With their
professional careers successfully launched, the sisters sought to widen
their experience and together in 1954, joined the Royal Kiltie Juniors,
touring theatres at home and abroad. The tours included, inter
alia, visits to Germany, Italy, Turkey, Crete and Denmark, where the
girls made their television debut. When the Kiltie's disbanded in
1955, Marjorie and Pamela again went their separate ways. Marjorie
regularly appeared in pantomime until the end of the 1958-59 season when
she decided to retire from full-time work. Pamela did cabaret in
London theatres appearing with three other dancers and she also
undertook a tour of American servicemens' camps in Germany before
returning home to announce her engagement and retirement from the stage
as a preliminary to her marriage in 1959. Marjorie also married
about this time but, joining a local concert party, continued with a
little stage work and only finally retired following the birth of her
second child in 1968.
Apart from
the instinctive desire for marriage and family the girls were influenced
by general trends within the sphere of theatrical entertainment.
From the mid 1950's the rapid spread of national television services
pronounced the death knell of the variety theatres as people at large
opted for the passive pleasures of domestic entertainment in preference
to 'live' performances. Consequently, the long established variety
agencies with their nationally organised circuits of variety theatres
suffered a decline marked by the closure and, in many cases, demolition
of historic venues.
Following
their retirement from the stage both girls took up residence in London,
being joined there eventually by their parents who lived close to
Marjorie's Ealing home. With the death of Elizabeth Kellett in
1981, her husband, George, found it increasingly difficult to settle in
the south and decided to return to live with his brother, Ernest, in his
native Brotherton. There, George stayed until his death, aged 98,
in 1996.
Apart from
her all-round ability, Pam is an extremely accomplished pianist and in
1983 commenced a second career playing for examinations at colleges and
schools of music and dancing. Although currently domiciled in
Spain, Pamela leads a very cosmopolitan existence, her professional
duties frequently taking her to various European countries.
Frequent
visits by the sisters to their father and relations and friends ensured
the retention of social ties with the Knottingley district.
Regardless of such contact, however, the contribution made by the family
to local charities and the pure pleasure derived from their stage and
social performances has left an indelible impression on the minds of
their contemporaries. The contribution was neatly encapsulated more
than half a century later by the Knottingley Laureate, Frank Chambers,
"The
'K' Sisters I must mention
a versatile talented pair
Any good cause devoid of cash
and you bet your life, they'd be there" (26)
Terry Spencer
October 2000
'The 'K' Sisters - Entertainers Extraordinaire' is reproduced on Knottingley and
Ferrybridge Online with the kind permission of the author, Dr. Terry Spencer
'The 'K' Sisters - Entertainers Extraordinaire' is copyright ©Terry Spencer and
must not be reproduced in any form without the express permission of the
author.
Acknowledgements
Mr C. P.
Dearden
Mrs M. Dearman (Marjorie Kellett)
Mrs J. Gill
Mrs P. Peters (Pamela Kellett)
Librarian and staff, Pontefract Library
Mr D. Ward, Editor, Pontefract & Castleford Express
Notes:
- Marjorie Kellett was born 3-6-1929 and Pamela 31-10-1934
- I am indebted to Mrs M. Dearman and Mrs P. Peters (the 'K' Sisters)
for much information and their kind assistance in the compilation of
this essay
- Marjorie was educated at Knottingley Ropewalk School and Pamela at
Pontefract & District Girl's High School where the improvised
entertainment referred to took place
- Miss Green's was one of several entertainment groups which existed
in Knottingley during the late 1930's - early 1940s, all raising funds
for local charities. For reference to Miss Green's troupe c.f.
Pontefract and Castleford Express 6-2-1942, p3 Re the 'Merry Makers
Concert Group c.f. loc cit, 18-4-1941, p5 and for reference to
entertainment by Millie Kitson & Friends c.f. loc cit, 6-3-1942,p7
- Pontefract & Castleford Express 19-1-1944, p7
- loc cit, 20-4-1945, p7 & 17-8-1945 ,p4
- loc cit, 28-3-1945 ,p5 & 1-6-1945, p7
- loc cit, 21-1-1944, p5 & 9-6-1944, p6 & 1-6-1945, p7
- loc cit, 19-5-1944, p5 & 12-1-1945 & 20-4-1945, p7
- loc cit, 21-4-1944, p5
- loc cit, 5-1-1945, p3
- loc cit, 12-10-1945, p4
- Letter from Mr G.E. Bush, Entertainments Officer, Blackburn
Aircraft Ltd, Sherburn-in-Elmet, dated 8-1-1944, to the Misses Kellett
- Pontefract & Castleford Express 14-4-1944, p3
- loc cit, 20-4-1945, p7
- loc cit, 12-1-1945, p6
- loc cit, 25-5-1945, p7
- loc cit, 15-6-1945, p5
- ibid.
- loc cit, 29-6-1945, p3
- loc cit, 19-10-1945, p3
- loc it, 11-1-1946, p7
- loc cit, 1-2-1946, p7
- The Guide, 9-1-1953, p1
- Pontefract & Castleford Express, 11-7-1991, p12
- Frank Chambers 'Knottingley's War - Aspects of Old Knottingley
recalled by Frank Chambers' - Book 5, p10. (1996)
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