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KNOTTINGLEY
IN 1971
7th January 1971
‘K’ Sisters Raised Money For Charity
One
of the most widely read features in the ‘Express’ each week is
"This was news..." which recalls events of 25 and 50 years ago.
These recollections stir happy memories for many people who have
connections with the area.
An
item in the 25-years-ago column recently prompted Mrs Marjorie Dearman of
Brunswick Road, Ealing, London, to write to the ‘Express’. The item
referred to the ‘K’ Sisters, of Knottingley, who had raised £500 in
12 months of singing and dancing for charity. Mrs Dearman, nee Kellett,
was the elder of the ‘K’ Sisters. Her sister is Mrs Pamela Peters, of
St. Albans.
During
and after the last war, Marjorie and Pamela became popular both as a team
and as individual entertainers. Marjorie started dancing when she was
eight and at 15 had her own dancing school at her parent’s home in
Womersley Road, Knottingley. She produced shows all over this area,
raising large sums for charity.
Pamela
began her dancing career at the age of three, making her first appearance
at the Town Hall, Knottingley. The sisters were also accomplished
musicians; they both learned to play the piano and incorporated the
accordion and xylophone in their acts. Marjorie told the ‘Express’ she
still does charity work on a semi-professional basis at old peoples homes
and similar institutions. She now has two children, Julie aged six and
Colin, aged two.
Pamela
no longer entertains. She also has two children Karen aged two and
Melanie, aged 15 months. Many local people who knew the ‘K’ Sisters
may probably be wondering what has been happening to them over the years
so let’s go back to just after the war.
In
1946 and 1947 Marjorie appeared at the Grand Theatre, Leeds, and
afterwards had several summer seasons at Cleveleys, near Blackpool. During
the pantomime season the sisters appeared in ‘Goldilocks’ and they
recall having "coaches of local people coming to see us. It was good
to recognise the familiar faces."
In
1954 they joined the Royal Kiltie Juniors, toured Denmark and appeared on
television during 1954 and 1955. Afterwards they toured Germany, Italy,
Greece, Turkey, North Africa and Libya. The sisters had many highlights
during their careers in the late 40s and early 50s.
Pamela
appeared with Frankie Howard at the Empire Theatre, Liverpool. Marjorie
won a beauty contest at Castleford when she was 21 and had a week’s
holiday at Butlins as part of her prize. During the holiday she won every
competition she entered including fancy dress, vocal and instrumental.
When
the show ‘Happiness Ahead’ came to Castleford, Marjorie entertained
with a cheeky little trumpet-playing, choirboy-come-comedian Roy Castle.
Roy Castle recalled working with Marjorie in his life story which was
recently published in a television magazine; her stage name then was
Marjorie Kendall. Her first professional debut under this name was when
she was 16. She was a speciality dancer in ‘Dick Whittington’ with
George Formby at the Grand Theatre, Leeds.
In
1953 Pamela appeared in a production of ‘The old woman who lived in a
shoe’ at the Windsor Theatre, Birmingham. Just before that she had the
leading role in the successful road show ‘Peep’ in 1960.
There
are many people in Knottingley who remember the ‘K’ Sisters, one in
particular is Mrs Ethne Matthewman, ladies hairdresser, of Aire Street,
Knottingley. Mrs Matthewman recalls attending the same dancing school as
the sisters. "They used to have dancing lessons four nights each week
and music lessons one night. At that time their mother kept the Morley
House fish and chip shop in Weeland Road."
Mrs
Matthewman recalls Pamela’s "beautiful long ringlets" and
Marjorie’s speciality tap dance on her toes. She also remembers the
sisters giving concerts during the time they had their own dancing school.
"They would put on shows for anybody, and everything they did was for
charity. They loved every minute of it. They often had to do quick-change
spots when they put on a show by themselves and never seemed to have time
to relax," added Mrs Matthewman.
Miss
Mary Britain, of Pontefract Road, Knottingley, has kept in touch with
Marjorie for many years. She used to live near the Kellett’s when they
had the fish and chip shop.
"Marjorie
still visits me and keeps in touch with friends in Knottingley. I remember
they used to do an awful lot of fund-raising all over this area", she
said. I am sure many other people also remember the worthwhile work the
‘K’ Sisters did for many charities.
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