Travelling actors

[noytd]

I am trying to find some information about a couple who were described on the 1939 register as "travelling actors." They were Edward Ernest Howard (b. 7 December 1874) and Cicely Margaret Howard, nee Davies (b. 23 April 1891. d. 25 June 1972). They married in London on 6 August 1921.

I was wondering if anybody might have any suggestions about where I might find out about them. I've had a brief look on the British newspaper library but drew a blank.

Many thanks.

[KGarrad]

I think you need any archives of "The Stage"?
https://archive.thestage.co.uk/Default/Skins/TheStage/Client.asp?Skin=TheStage&enter=true&AppName=2&AW=1472814038697

Or perhaps British Actors Equity?

[Drosybont]

The Stage is now on British Newspaper Archive too, I find the search there easier to use than the newspaper's own archive was.  The other main newspaper for finding actors is The Era, also on BNA.  If you've searched there but not found them, a likely reason is that they used stage names professionally.  Difficult to guess what these might have been if you don't know, though women quite often used their maiden names, and there is a Miss Cicely Davies mentioned in both The Era and The Stage between 1916 and 1928, so worth having a look to see if that is the right woman.  In one of the reviews - The Stage 29 May 1924 - she's acting with someone called Mr E. Howard Templeton, could that be him?  That's just a guess, but if you have access to BNA it might be worth following up.

Drosybont

[LizzieL]

A report of the play "Woman to Woman" at Palace Theatre in Gloucester Journal 08 April 1922, refers to her as Miss Cicely M Davies, so could be your Cicely Margaret Davies.

[noytd]

Many thanks for the help and suggestions 

[brigidmac]

Good luck in your search

I'm going to use these helpful hints to look for actors I'm interested in too

Hoping there Is a  connection between Herbert Woodin actor in a play in Yorkshire in 1901 with Madge Palmer
On  1901  census they are Lodging in a boarding house  as Herbert and Madge Woodin
with Lottie Pierce b 1881 which may be a stage name for my  disappearing great grandmother.

[brigidmac]

How do you look actors  up

Would they come up in searches if you don't know their real names
Can  you use their stage names  or their performance or companies ?

I've a feeling Herbert s real name may have been Smith
Performing in " Tom Owens pierrots '" at the Mumbles and the Palace at Swansea. In 1907 as Leo Selwyn

[brigidmac]

I found a review for Herbert woodin  by searching in the newspaper section of Ancestry but it turned out to be 1853 even tho
I put in an approximate date of birth as 1880


I tried for your Edward earnest Howard ...Giving 1890 as an approx date there arec91 hits but again lots are predating this birth date

You may find something in the index card pages ....I found a notice looking for  a Woodin relative after siblings death

Searches on ancestry are laborious .
Couldn't get on to the stage site ....Can't subscribe outside work hours I think 

[brigidmac]

Link given by a chatter in. The box
http://www.britishmusichallsociety.com/index/archives.html