Updated 03 Oct 2013

WIRKSWORTH Parish Records 1600-1900

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Macbeth at the Grammar 1954

Stuart Flint sent this interesting cast list.
Can anyone supply more details? Contact
In the same year the webmaster was taking Macbeth as his set book in GCE 'O' Level (he passed). He is still in touch with Banquo (or is it his ghost?), and will email to test his memory

Macbeth at Wirksworth Grammar 1954

    From: STUART FLINT Subject: Anthony Gell Grammar School School production of Macbeth 1954 Date: Sat, 9 Dec 2006 21:07:49 +0000 (GMT) Hello John I don't know if you would be interested in the following detail taken from a programme re the production of Macbeth given at Anthony Gell School in 1954 The front cover has the logo of the school (Greyhound) with the name of the school below and the title of the drama with.... by William Shakespeare...... printed below..but it is the names of those taking part which may interest some of your web readers On the inside two pages are: DRAMATIS PERSONAE DUNCAN King of Scotland S.Southam (Stephen of Middleton deceased) MALCOLM His Son I.Brough DONALDBAIN Son M Flint (Malcolm Flint my brother) BANQUO P.Hayworth (Peter now living in Australia) MACBETH Act 1. I.Lumsden (Ian,... His son a prof. actor today) Act 2. P Wright (Dr Paul Wright, my cousins, cousin) Act 3 W.Taylor MACDUFF Noblemen of Scotland J Chadwick LENNOX S Wright (Dr Stephen Wright, brother of Paul) ROSS M Holt MENTEITH B Ward ANGUS M Hall CAITHNESS G Ford FLEANCE Son of Banquo G Turner SIWARD English General G Buckley YOUNG SIWARD His son V Vallance SEYTON An attendant to Macbeth D Morton BOY Son to Macduff D Smith A DOCTOR B Doxey A CAPTAIN L Dean A PORTER M Rowbottom AN OLD MAN J Draycott A LORD M Gill FIRST MURDERER C Birch SECOND MURDERER J Allsop THIRD MURDERER A Clark ATTENDANT R Rumbolt APPARITION R Barrett ENGLISH SOLDIERS D Wright DITTO I Buxton (Ian, played cricket for Derbys.) LADY MACBETH D Measham (Doreen) LADY MACDUFF A Croft (Anne) GENTLEWOMAN A Cole (Anne) FIRST WITCH L Wright (my cousin Linda) SECOND WITCH S Lomas THIRD WITCH J Mee ------------------------------------------------------------- Producer Mr L Jordon Voice Production Miss D E Briggs Costumes and Scenery Mrs M E Robinson Mrs M E Stafford Music Miss G Wildgoose (Mrs Hollingsworth dec.) Stage Manager Mr F C Britland Lighting Mr E H B Young Effects Mr A J Rowbottom Prompter M Oliver (now Mrs Madge Bennett) Business Manager Mr W B Gadsby
    Most of the production team were teachers.. Miss G Wildgoose was sports and music teacher who became Mrs Hollingsworth who passed away some months ago.. Mrs Hollingsworth was daughter of Harold Wildgoose who was a music examiner L.S.M..my sister took all her piano music examinations at his home under his stern gaze..

    Mrs Hollingsworth was Grandaughter of the well known man of music Lubin Wildgoose of Wellington Street Matlock who founded Matlock Prize Choir... She also conducted the choir up to recent years, following on after her father..members of my family sang in the choir which has recently disbanded

    Ian Buxton played cricket for Derbyshire Cricket Club.. A member of his family today is a Director I believe of The Arkwright Society at Cromford Ians father was Ray Buxton of Market Place Cromford who owned a Shoe Shop

    Peter Haworth delightfully writes:
    Yes, both I and William Shakespeare hate to admit it, but I did play the part of Banquo in the school play - "Macbeth". We studied the book in what then was our GCE year in the 5th Form. The play was (rather kindly) reviewed in the Anthony Gell Grammar School magazine in 1954. I will send you by separate means a copy of that review.

    As far as the current whereabouts of the members of the cast goes, I am probably the wrong person to ask since I live some 12,000 miles away. However I do know that the then Doreen Measham (Lady Macbeth) graduated from Sheffield University and subsequently married Ian Buxton (English Soldier). Ian was probably the last top-level double football/cricketer. He played for Derby County at centre forward in what was then the 1st Division and at the same time captained Derbyshire at cricket. Ian and Doreen now live in Matlock. My cousin recently told me that Ian Lumsden (one of the Macbeths) was the headmaster at Baslow school until his retirement. Paul Wright (another of the Macbeths) was, like me, an engineer and worked for the consulting engineering practice of William Halcrow. His younger brother, Stephen (Lennox), became a doctor with a General Practice in Sheffield. John Chadwick (Macduff) was the manager of the GPO in Derby. Geoffrey Buckley (Siward) now lives in Derby - I spoke to him recently by 'phone when we were visiting Wirksworth. I believe that David Hool (Scottish soldier) still lives in Idridgehay and makes furniture. Jim Draycott (Old man) was the son of the, then, headmaster. Jim went to work overseas in Africa before returning to live in the South of England. Linda Wright (First Witch) married John Bacon but I don't know her whereabouts. Joyce Mee (Third Witch) became a teacher - first in London and later, I believe, in North-West Yorkshire.

    As usual, unfortunately, there are some people who have passed on. These include Barrie Doxey (Doctor) and Michael Holt (Ross).
    The first names of the cast were:
    Stephen Southam; Ian Brough; Malcolm Flint; Ian Lumsden; Paul Wright; Warwick Taylor; John Chadwick; Stephen Wright; Michael Holt; Brian Ward; Michael Hall; Gordon Ford; George Turner; Geoffrey Buckley; Victor Vallance; David Morton; David Smith; Lance Dean; Michael Rowbottom; Jim Draycott; Michael Gill; Charles Birch; Roy Rumbolt; David Wright; Ian Buxton; David Hool; Peter Bates; Doreen Measham; Anne Croft; Ann Cole; Linda Wright; Shirley Lomas and Joyce Mee. I do not remember the names of J. Allsop, A. Clark or R. Barrett.

    I am sorry I could not be of much help. Perhaps you could contact the Old Wirksworthians via Brenda Rowland. I will attempt to find her e-mail address for you.
    Regards,
    Peter Haworth.

    ------------------------------
    Andrew Rowbottom writes on 03oct2013

    Hello John
    I happened to google “Anthony Gell” and my surname and hit on this page B63-MACB.htm

    I feel compelled to add a little more information:

    A porter – (John) Michael Rowbottom, my brother and 16 years my senior, became a lecturer at Enfield, now Middlesex, University after working at Hawker Siddley. Now living in Worthing after a spell in St Ives, Cornwall.
    Effects – A J Rowbottom; Alfred John ‘Rosie’ Rowbottom, Maths and Physics teacher, our father died five years later.
    I too went to Anthony Gell’s, until our mother and I (aged 15) moved to Newark on September 26th 1966. (Funny how some dates are unforgettable).
    Between Mike and myself were brother Dave (deceased) who lived in Cromford and sister Margaret now living in Long Whatton.
    Regards and keep up the good work
    Andrew Rowbottom

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