Genealogy Chat

My G. Aunt Louisa Sessions was on the stage, in the chorus, with Gertrude Lawrence. I have contacted the theatre museaum but they could not help as the chorus line girls were never listed. Louisa did go to New York to be in a production there but I have no date and cannot find her on a passenger list. Louisa was born in 1877. To further confuse me in 1965 she received a bequest from her sister Annie and at that time she was shown as Louisa Cross. Have not been able to locate her marriage....or even if she legally changed her name to be on the stage. Any advice or info wold be greatly appreciated. Smiles from Les

If she had a stage name it should be regesterd. Have you tryed Equity.

Hi Ive had the same problem with some of my rellies. 2 of my rellies went by their stage name from around 1905. I have never found any records of a change of name, although their future children were given this name. It was only by luck i managed to trace there birth names. This i got of A2A. Have you any addresses for your rellie?

Hi Do you know where Louisa was living in 1901, as the census might give you some clues as to which theatre she was working at during that period. Julie

I recently had some help on a birth certificate provided for the 'employment of child in labour' and some very kind help reminded me that my grandmother had been in a dancing girl group - a bit like the Tillers or Bluebells. I have had no luck in tracing these yet but might your aunt have worked with a group like this and have some records of it? It might give you areas and change of name? Does anyone know how to locate this kind of group? Abigail

Hi I have a very similar situation. My old mum remembers an Auntie Dolly (Sarah? Townsend) born about 1900 in Scotland, who danced with the Tiller girls, went to America with them too. I have found stuff on the Tiller girls but apparently there were quite a few troups of them around the country ...what we need is lists of names!!!! Sylvia

I have just found the Equity site (performers' union). It was founded in 1930, but gives only a very brief history. The site address is equity.org.uk Abigail

Equitys page is www.equity.org.uk

I have writen to STAGE the actors paper asking if they have or can put me on to Archives on Actors Ect. Keep an eye on the boards for the responce. Another thing you can try is. In search put in... Variety Stage uk.... You get up lots of sites and most are to do with the subject in question. You might strike lucky and find a site thats researched some thing your Relles be in.

Thanks for all the help. I have no addresses...nothing, and many hours on 1837 have not revealed her. A sad part of this is that I was given her autograph book when I was a teenager. Gert. Lawrence was in there, Harry Lauder...all kinds of well known people. When I emigrated to Canada I left a trunk with all these family type mementoes with another family member to be forwarded on.....well who knows what they did with it but it never arrived here....so all that lovely stuff is lost forever. That was 30 odd years ago. Such is life. VP