Blanche Coleman
Encyclopedia
Blanche Coleman was a British musician, the bandleader of the renowned Blanche Coleman And Her All Girls Band, one of the first women's bands of the 1940s.
After playing in the orchestra of The Grange Cinema, Kilburn, she played in Harold Ramsey's Girl Friends, and Teddy Foster's Band. She formed her own band in 1938 and won a contract, against great competition, in 1942, to provide a 12-piece girls' band at The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
, which was converted into dance-hall for British and American service personnel.
She featured in regular radio
broadcasts, including Saturday night at the Palais, Ocean Revue of 1946 and the Sandown Summer Show (1947).
In 1947 her band was the resident band at 'Radio-Olympia' designed to stimulate interest in the newly-revived BBC
TV service. After this she led the resident band in Beach Ballroom Aberdeen, between 1948 and 1950 with John Hanson
, a popular guest singer.
In the early 1950s, after much seaside work, she and her band were invited to entertain the US Army in Germany
. Given the honorary rank of major
in the US Army, she and the band were housed in the infamous "Wannsee
Villa" for a time. She wanted to take Cleo Laine
with the band as vocalist, but the US Army said the race issue was too sensitive.
In later life appeared in several films, including The World of Barry McKenzie and is frequently recognised as the old lady at a bus stop in Four Weddings & A Funeral.
She is mentioned in Andrew Motion
's biography of Philip Larkin
as being the inspiration for the pseudonym Brunette Coleman
, under which Larkin wrote risqué girls' school stories, mainly to entertain his friend Kingsley Amis
.
Biography
Coleman was born in London. Her family owned a fish and chips shop in Westbourne Park. After showing an early talent for violin, she won a scholarship for the Royal School of Music.After playing in the orchestra of The Grange Cinema, Kilburn, she played in Harold Ramsey's Girl Friends, and Teddy Foster's Band. She formed her own band in 1938 and won a contract, against great competition, in 1942, to provide a 12-piece girls' band at The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
Covent Garden
Covent Garden is a district in London on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St. Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit and vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and the Royal Opera House, which is also known as...
, which was converted into dance-hall for British and American service personnel.
She featured in regular radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
broadcasts, including Saturday night at the Palais, Ocean Revue of 1946 and the Sandown Summer Show (1947).
In 1947 her band was the resident band at 'Radio-Olympia' designed to stimulate interest in the newly-revived BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
TV service. After this she led the resident band in Beach Ballroom Aberdeen, between 1948 and 1950 with John Hanson
John Hanson
John Hanson was a merchant and public official from Maryland during the era of the American Revolution. After serving in a variety of roles for the Patriot cause in Maryland, in 1779 Hanson was elected as a delegate to the Continental Congress...
, a popular guest singer.
In the early 1950s, after much seaside work, she and her band were invited to entertain the US Army in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Given the honorary rank of major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
in the US Army, she and the band were housed in the infamous "Wannsee
Wannsee
Wannsee is a locality in the southwestern Berlin borough of Steglitz-Zehlendorf, Germany. It is the westernmost locality of Berlin. In the quarter there are two lakes, the larger Großer Wannsee and the Kleiner Wannsee , are located on the river Havel and are separated only by the Wannsee bridge...
Villa" for a time. She wanted to take Cleo Laine
Cleo Laine
Dame Cleo Laine, Lady Dankworth, DBE is a jazz singer and an actress, noted for her scat singing and vocal range...
with the band as vocalist, but the US Army said the race issue was too sensitive.
In later life appeared in several films, including The World of Barry McKenzie and is frequently recognised as the old lady at a bus stop in Four Weddings & A Funeral.
She is mentioned in Andrew Motion
Andrew Motion
Sir Andrew Motion, FRSL is an English poet, novelist and biographer, who presided as Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom from 1999 to 2009.- Life and career :...
's biography of Philip Larkin
Philip Larkin
Philip Arthur Larkin, CH, CBE, FRSL is widely regarded as one of the great English poets of the latter half of the twentieth century...
as being the inspiration for the pseudonym Brunette Coleman
Brunette Coleman
Brunette Coleman was a pseudonym used by the poet and writer Philip Larkin . In 1943, towards the end of his time as an undergraduate at St John's College, Oxford, he wrote several works of fiction, verse and critical commentary under that name...
, under which Larkin wrote risqué girls' school stories, mainly to entertain his friend Kingsley Amis
Kingsley Amis
Sir Kingsley William Amis, CBE was an English novelist, poet, critic, and teacher. He wrote more than 20 novels, six volumes of poetry, a memoir, various short stories, radio and television scripts, along with works of social and literary criticism...
.