Marjorie Westbury
Encyclopedia
Marjorie Westbury was an English radio actress and singer. Her career lasted over fifty years.
Born in Oldbury
, Worcestershire
, she studied Voice at the Royal College of Music
in London
between 1927 and 1930. During the 1930s she made many radio broadcasts as a soprano
from the BBC studios at Birmingham. By the late 1930s she had moved into acting as well as singing. This led in 1942 to a small part in Francis Durbridge
's Paul Temple Intervenes.
In 1945 she took on the role of Paul's wife, Steve Temple, and continued to play the part until the serials came to an end in 1968. The broadcast of many of the surviving Paul Temple
serials on BBC Radio 4 Extra has introduced a younger audience to her work, and led to a revival of interest in her.
While "Steve Temple" might have been her longest-lasting creation, she was a very frequent radio actress into the 1970s and beyond. During the 1950s she created the part of the (fictional) Austrian soprano Elsa Strauss in the Hilda Tablet
series of radio plays by Henry Reed.
Her career was mostly limited to radio as her small, dumpy physique was much in contrast with her bright and lively youthful-sounding voice.
In 1983 she chose to celebrate the golden jubilee of her first appearance on radio by appearing as "Helen Lancaster" in N.C. Hunter's play, Waters of the Moon.
She died at her farmhouse in Maresfield
, near Uckfield
, Sussex
on 16 December 1989, aged 84.
Born in Oldbury
Oldbury, West Midlands
Oldbury is a town in the West Midlands in England. It is a part of the Black Country and the administrative centre of the borough of Sandwell.-Local government:...
, Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
, she studied Voice at the Royal College of Music
Royal College of Music
The Royal College of Music is a conservatoire founded by Royal Charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, England.-Background:The first director was Sir George Grove and he was followed by Sir Hubert Parry...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
between 1927 and 1930. During the 1930s she made many radio broadcasts as a soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
from the BBC studios at Birmingham. By the late 1930s she had moved into acting as well as singing. This led in 1942 to a small part in Francis Durbridge
Francis Durbridge
Francis Henry Durbridge was an English playwright and author. He was educated at Bradford Grammar School in Yorkshire where he was encouraged to write by his English teacher. He continued to do so whilst studying English at Birmingham University...
's Paul Temple Intervenes.
In 1945 she took on the role of Paul's wife, Steve Temple, and continued to play the part until the serials came to an end in 1968. The broadcast of many of the surviving Paul Temple
Paul Temple
Paul Temple is a fictional character created by British writer Francis Durbridge for the BBC radio serial Send for Paul Temple in 1938. Temple is an amateur private detective and author of crime fiction...
serials on BBC Radio 4 Extra has introduced a younger audience to her work, and led to a revival of interest in her.
While "Steve Temple" might have been her longest-lasting creation, she was a very frequent radio actress into the 1970s and beyond. During the 1950s she created the part of the (fictional) Austrian soprano Elsa Strauss in the Hilda Tablet
Hilda Tablet
Dame Hilda Tablet is a fictitious "twelve-tone composeress" created by Henry Reed in a series of radio comedy plays for the British Broadcasting Corporation's Third Programme...
series of radio plays by Henry Reed.
Her career was mostly limited to radio as her small, dumpy physique was much in contrast with her bright and lively youthful-sounding voice.
In 1983 she chose to celebrate the golden jubilee of her first appearance on radio by appearing as "Helen Lancaster" in N.C. Hunter's play, Waters of the Moon.
She died at her farmhouse in Maresfield
Maresfield
Maresfield is a village and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. The village itself lies 1.5 miles north from Uckfield; the nearby villages of Nutley and Fairwarp; and the smaller settlements of Duddleswell and Horney Common; and parts of Ashdown Forest all lie within...
, near Uckfield
Uckfield
-Development:The local Tesco has proposed the redevelopment of the central town area as has the town council. The Hub has recently been completed, having been acquired for an unknown figure, presumed to be about half a million pounds...
, Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
on 16 December 1989, aged 84.