Author Topic: To Be or Not to Be [Actor or Not]  (Read 1568 times)

Offline Leith Lass

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To Be or Not to Be [Actor or Not]
« on: Tuesday 03 October 23 16:32 BST (UK) »
I am looking for some family who may have been in the music hall/acting business. I have come to a brick wall could do with help from someone who knows how to research this line. 

The 2 main people I am interested in are

Marie Valentine
Born 1874 – Kensington, London
Died 1956 – Brighton, Sussex
Believed she was a singer on the London stage and may have used the stage name of Marie Altino and/or Mrs Reynolds

George Henry Pownall
Born 1896 - Battersea, London
Died 1974 - Colesbourne, Gloucestershire
Believed in 1931 he described himself as an Actor living in Bryn Avon, Llandrindod Wells, County Radnor.  In 1936 he was using the stage name George Henry Astor and was touring musical halls and cinemas with a cabaret act

There is one other person who may or may not have been an actress with whom George Pownall had a relationship with in the early 1930s. Leighton Buzzard sometimes pops up?

Aileen Dorothy Campbell
Born 1906 - Merthyr Tidfil, Glamorgan
Died 1982 – Camden, London

Offline Girl Guide

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Re: TO BE OR NOT TO BE [ACTOR OR NOT]
« Reply #1 on: Tuesday 03 October 23 16:55 BST (UK) »
I cannot find any death registration for a Marie Valentine in 1956 Brighton or even a few years either side.  How did you know that was her death year?

Ashford: Somerset, London
England: Devon, London, New Zealand
Holdway: Wiltshire
Hooper: Bristol, Somerset
Knowling: Devon, London
Southcott: Devon, China
Strong: Wiltshire
Watson: Cambridgeshire
White: Bristol
Windo - Gloucestershire, Somerset, Wiltshire

Offline Kiltaglassan

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Re: TO BE OR NOT TO BE [ACTOR OR NOT]
« Reply #2 on: Tuesday 03 October 23 17:06 BST (UK) »

There's a death of a Marie Pownall aged 84 yrs.

Death Jul-Sep 1956   
Pownall    Marie      84        Brighton    5h     142


Researching: Cuthbertson – Co. Derry, Scotland & Australia; Hunter – Co. Derry; Jackson – Co. Derry, Scotland & Canada; Scott – Co. Derry; Neilly – Co. Antrim & USA; McCurdy – Co. Antrim; Nixon – Co. Cavan, Co. Donegal, Canada & USA; Ryan & Noble – Co. Sligo

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Re: TO BE OR NOT TO BE [ACTOR OR NOT]
« Reply #3 on: Tuesday 03 October 23 17:13 BST (UK) »
Ah that sounds logical.  The poster did not make any mention of Marie being married to Mr. Pownall so I was going down the wrong avenue.
Ashford: Somerset, London
England: Devon, London, New Zealand
Holdway: Wiltshire
Hooper: Bristol, Somerset
Knowling: Devon, London
Southcott: Devon, China
Strong: Wiltshire
Watson: Cambridgeshire
White: Bristol
Windo - Gloucestershire, Somerset, Wiltshire


Offline Kiltaglassan

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Re: TO BE OR NOT TO BE [ACTOR OR NOT]
« Reply #4 on: Tuesday 03 October 23 17:18 BST (UK) »

We all do, sometimes.   :D :D


Researching: Cuthbertson – Co. Derry, Scotland & Australia; Hunter – Co. Derry; Jackson – Co. Derry, Scotland & Canada; Scott – Co. Derry; Neilly – Co. Antrim & USA; McCurdy – Co. Antrim; Nixon – Co. Cavan, Co. Donegal, Canada & USA; Ryan & Noble – Co. Sligo

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Re: TO BE OR NOT TO BE [ACTOR OR NOT]
« Reply #5 on: Tuesday 03 October 23 17:21 BST (UK) »
Struggling to find any likely marriage for George and Marie.  I'm beginning to wonder if Marie Valentine is the stage name and not her birth one.

The 1939 Register doesn't seem to be producing any suitable looking results.
Ashford: Somerset, London
England: Devon, London, New Zealand
Holdway: Wiltshire
Hooper: Bristol, Somerset
Knowling: Devon, London
Southcott: Devon, China
Strong: Wiltshire
Watson: Cambridgeshire
White: Bristol
Windo - Gloucestershire, Somerset, Wiltshire

Offline Kloumann

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Re: TO BE OR NOT TO BE [ACTOR OR NOT]
« Reply #6 on: Tuesday 03 October 23 17:23 BST (UK) »
1901 census Worthing. George E Pownall, 35 & Marie V Pownall, 27, born Kensington, & son, George Henry

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XSNB-9B9

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Re: TO BE OR NOT TO BE [ACTOR OR NOT]
« Reply #7 on: Tuesday 03 October 23 17:30 BST (UK) »
Interesting...

According to the GRO birth records this is their son:-

POWNALL, GEORGE  HENRY     BOURGOIN 
GRO Reference: 1896  D Quarter in WANDSWORTH  Volume 01D  Page 604

I'm assuming that I have found the correct one from the 1901 census record provided by Kloumann.
Ashford: Somerset, London
England: Devon, London, New Zealand
Holdway: Wiltshire
Hooper: Bristol, Somerset
Knowling: Devon, London
Southcott: Devon, China
Strong: Wiltshire
Watson: Cambridgeshire
White: Bristol
Windo - Gloucestershire, Somerset, Wiltshire

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Re: TO BE OR NOT TO BE [ACTOR OR NOT]
« Reply #8 on: Tuesday 03 October 23 17:34 BST (UK) »
Not sure what to think here:-

Marriages Sep 1895

Bourgoin    Marie Valentine        Marylebone    1a   1333
Pownall    George Emerson        Marylebone    1a   1333   

George's second name here is Emerson not Henry as stated by Leith Lass.
Ashford: Somerset, London
England: Devon, London, New Zealand
Holdway: Wiltshire
Hooper: Bristol, Somerset
Knowling: Devon, London
Southcott: Devon, China
Strong: Wiltshire
Watson: Cambridgeshire
White: Bristol
Windo - Gloucestershire, Somerset, Wiltshire