New Memorabilia – September 2017
Some recent searching through the Walthamstow Guardian archives held at The British Library has revealed the reports of several more plays and, perhaps most importantly, information about the early days of the Drama Club – and its first ‘reported’ production.
Some 4 newspaper clips are shown in the ‘Passion, Poison & Petrifaction’ Gallery which confirm that this one act play, along with two others, comprised the Drama Club’s entry in the 1958 Essex Youth Drama Festival – with this production winning the initial round of competition and thereafter progressing the the County Final – although, alas, not taking the trophy!

However, the clips have provided a good deal of additional information and you will find that quite a number of plays have been updated – as have some of the gaps in our earlier cast lists!
New photo galleries have also been added for three more plays – ‘1066 And All That’ – ‘Wanted, One Body’ & ‘Puss in Boots’, along with additional photographs and newspaper clips in the ‘Markhouse School’ pages. There is also a new Gallery at the end of the Production listing to accommodate photographs where the plays have not as yet been identified, or are either unrelated to any play or are just of Drama Club members – as with this feature photograph of Susan, Iris & Judith hard at work in a make up session.
So Happy Browsing – and please get in touch if you can add any further information, names, dates etc, to any of the website’s memorabilia – or if you just happen to come across any more, then get in touch!
PRODUCTIONS
Production List – Newly discovered productions added to the list!
- 1958 – The Family Group & Man in the Bowler Hat – Both entries in the Essex Youth Drama Festival
Newspaper Clips & Reports from The Walthamstow Guardian
- 1958 – Passion, Poison & Petrifaction – Essex Youth Drama Festival
- 1965 – Make Believe
- 1965 – Babes in the Wood – New and ‘revised’ clips!
- 1966 – Baa Baa Black Sheep
- 1966 – Old King Cole
- 1968 – Aladdin
- 1972 – Any Body for Tennis – Pre Show information!
Production Pages – Cast and/or Character Lists. Programme Notes, Scripts & NODA Reports
Cast and/or character lists, and some programme notes, have been updated and/or added for the following plays:
- 1957 – Poison Passion & Petrifaction by George Bernard Shaw
- 1961 – Spot The Lady by Douglas Bryce-Pitt
- 1964 – Alice in Wonderland & Alice Through the Looking Glass
- 1965 – 1066 And All That
- 1965 – Make Believe
- Undated – Hip Hip Horatious
- 1966 – Baa Baa Black Sheep
- 1968 – Aladdin
- 1969 – Man Alive
- 1975 – The 4 Muskateers
- Pre 1976 – Breaths There a Man
- Pre 1976 – They Simply Fade Away
- Pre 1976 – Red Hot Cinders
Photo Galleries – New Galleries and/or additional photographs, have been added for the following plays:
- 1965 – 1066 & All That
- 1971 – Wanted – One Body
- 1974 – Puss in Boots
Gallery
This new Gallery has been added at the end of the production list and features MDC photographs that are either of former members, are unrelated to any particular play or where the play that they come from is presently unknown – all included to test out your memory!!!!!
RE-UNIONS
New Galleries have been added for:
- A ‘Sort of (Mini) Re-Union’ – Pete Lee’s 60th,
Plus additional photographs in:
- 2014 Re-Union Gallery
MARKHOUSE SCHOOL
The following Walthamstow Guardian Newspaper Reports have been added:
- ‘Markhouse All Out to Keep Shield’ Handicraft ‘Reigning’ Champions – with some interesting snippets of information about Les Smith’s early days at Markhouse and where the previous regime (Mr Easton & Co) went!
- ’12 Girls Around a Fire’. Markhouse Sixth Form Girls 1965 – where one former Drama Club Member is now denying all knowledge of what she ‘allegedly’ said!!!!!
- New ‘Related Photo Gallery’ added
Plus additional photographs in
- Markhouse School Gallery – including 1965 Staff & 5th/6th Former’s Group, and a new:
Markhouse & Drama Club Members Gallery
MEMORIES
New Additions
- King Alfred (himself – no less) replies to the recent account of his mishap!!!!!!
- Friends & among other things – John’s Aerial Antics!