Beryl Ingham
Encyclopedia
Beryl Ingham was a champion clogdancer and actress, as well as the wife of singer/actor George Formby, Jr..
She was the youngest daughter of John James Ingham and his wife Elizabeth Ann née Jackson. At the age of 11 she won the All England Step Dancing Title. Later she formed a dancing act with her sister May, they called themselves The Two Violets. http://www.georgeformby.co.uk/beryl_formby/beryl.htm
It was in 1923 while they were appearing in music hall in Yorkshire
that she met George Formby: They married in George's home town of Wigan
, Lancashire
the following year http://www.lancashirebmd.org.uk. They worked together as a variety act until 1932 when she became his full time manager & mentor, though she did in fact appear in some of his films for which George was paid up to £35,000 per performance. It was due to Beryl's business nous that she guided George to be the UK's highest paid entertainer. At a time of high taxation he was paying 97.5% of his earnings to the taxman.
In 1946 she was with George on a tour of South Africa and despite threats from the National Party leader Daniel François Malan
he played to black audiences. Beryl embraced a three year old black girl who had presented her with a box of chocolates and Mr Malan had them thrown out of the country; he was reported to have told them "never come back to this country". Beryl, with a typical northern response replied "Why dont you piss off you horrible little man?"
Beryl continued to manage George's career until she contracted leukemia
. She died on Christmas Eve 1960 in Blackpool
Lancashire.
She was the youngest daughter of John James Ingham and his wife Elizabeth Ann née Jackson. At the age of 11 she won the All England Step Dancing Title. Later she formed a dancing act with her sister May, they called themselves The Two Violets. http://www.georgeformby.co.uk/beryl_formby/beryl.htm
It was in 1923 while they were appearing in music hall in Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
that she met George Formby: They married in George's home town of Wigan
Wigan
Wigan is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Douglas, south-west of Bolton, north of Warrington and west-northwest of Manchester. Wigan is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its administrative centre. The town of Wigan had a total...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
the following year http://www.lancashirebmd.org.uk. They worked together as a variety act until 1932 when she became his full time manager & mentor, though she did in fact appear in some of his films for which George was paid up to £35,000 per performance. It was due to Beryl's business nous that she guided George to be the UK's highest paid entertainer. At a time of high taxation he was paying 97.5% of his earnings to the taxman.
In 1946 she was with George on a tour of South Africa and despite threats from the National Party leader Daniel François Malan
Daniel François Malan
Daniel François Malan , more commonly known as D.F. Malan, was the Prime Minister of South Africa from 1948 to 1954. He is seen as a champion of Afrikaner nationalism. His National Party government came to power on the program of apartheid and began its comprehensive implementation.- Biography...
he played to black audiences. Beryl embraced a three year old black girl who had presented her with a box of chocolates and Mr Malan had them thrown out of the country; he was reported to have told them "never come back to this country". Beryl, with a typical northern response replied "Why dont you piss off you horrible little man?"
Beryl continued to manage George's career until she contracted leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
. She died on Christmas Eve 1960 in Blackpool
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
Lancashire.