Now I wonder what I would have made of The Decoy’s?
Their programme announced they specialized in “First Class Comedy & Classical Singing” performed “speciality sketches and double acts” and their recent successes included "Cinemas, Cabarets, Social Functions and the Central Hall, Manchester”.
There were six of them in the group, consisting of Wilfred Lord, soprano, Albert Hughes, baritone, Edward King, compere and light comedy, along with Joe Gladwin, who described himself as the George Formby of the Amateur Stage, Ann Baker, comedienne and Will S Coburn pianist.
Added to this there was also a Walter Chadwick, whose business card lists him as an “organist and accompanist” who may have dipped in and out of the concert party.
And that is pretty much all I know about their musical careers.
They don’t feature in the Manchester Guardian and only one of them I know went on to a career in show business, but as a concert party they were in a long tradition of light comedy and music which performed in theatres, and at the seaside throughout the first half of the 20th century. They also performed from time to time during the War in hospitals including Trafford General where there were soldiers in “hospital blue” and entertained troops elsewhere.
Like so much traditional live entertainment they were pushed out by television and while the format of sketches and musical interludes are still at the centre of many TV shows, the old show biz practice of travelling the country, and opening each night in a different venue has gone.
In the case of The Decoy’s, I suspect they didn’t travel too far. I have been able to track some of them and they all lived in Manchester, Altrincham or Stockport and all had day jobs.
Mr Chadwick was a bank clerk, Joseph Gladwin a commercial van driver, William Coburn a meat salesman, and Albert Hughes was a newsagent in Hale.
The oldest was Walter Chadwick who had been born in 1894, with William Coburn two years younger, Albert Hughes, two years younger and Joseph Gladwin was born in 1906.
Just when they got together and how long they stayed together has yet to be uncovered, but they were active in the 1940s, which I suppose is the clue to their name which might have a wartime link.
In the case of Albert Hughes who was gassed during the First World War, he was a member of the Home Guard as well as running his newsagents and supporting the troops with an informal NAAFI, run by his wife, in the centre of Hale beside the Bowling Green.
Joe Gladwin became famous working on radio in the 1950s, and on television in the 1960s and 1970s, with parts such as Walter Batty in “Last of the Summer Wine” and working with Hylda Baker in “Nearest and Dearest”. He died in 1987.
I am indebted to Michel J Thompson of Hardy Productions UK * who in the course of his research into those who participated in the Second World War for WarGen,** came across Joyce whose father was Albert Hughes who performed with The Decoy’s.
Michael commented that "Joyce Bishop told me last night that her father got to know Joe Gladwin through his deliveries to the chemist opposite his newsagents in Hale.
Joe drove for a pharmaceutical or medicines company supplying chemists, and they used to chat, presumably over the counter. This was probably in the 1930".
My next stop with be Central Ref and the music library which has an extensive collection of show biz material from which we may discover much more.
But if anyone has any knowledge of the Decoy’s I know Michael, me, and Joyce would welcome the additional material.
Location; Greater Manchester
Pictures; The Decoy's Programme and Walter Chadwick's card, dates unknown, courtesy of Joyce Bishop
Additional material from Michael J Thompson
*Hardy Productions, https://hardyproductionsuk.com/
**WarGen, The initial idea for WarGen was put forward by broadcaster and historian, Dan Snow, and author and broadcaster, James Holland, and aims to record the memories of as many of these survivors of the Second World War as possible. www.wargen.org
There were six of them in the group, consisting of Wilfred Lord, soprano, Albert Hughes, baritone, Edward King, compere and light comedy, along with Joe Gladwin, who described himself as the George Formby of the Amateur Stage, Ann Baker, comedienne and Will S Coburn pianist.
Added to this there was also a Walter Chadwick, whose business card lists him as an “organist and accompanist” who may have dipped in and out of the concert party.
And that is pretty much all I know about their musical careers.
They don’t feature in the Manchester Guardian and only one of them I know went on to a career in show business, but as a concert party they were in a long tradition of light comedy and music which performed in theatres, and at the seaside throughout the first half of the 20th century. They also performed from time to time during the War in hospitals including Trafford General where there were soldiers in “hospital blue” and entertained troops elsewhere.
In the case of The Decoy’s, I suspect they didn’t travel too far. I have been able to track some of them and they all lived in Manchester, Altrincham or Stockport and all had day jobs.
Mr Chadwick was a bank clerk, Joseph Gladwin a commercial van driver, William Coburn a meat salesman, and Albert Hughes was a newsagent in Hale.
The oldest was Walter Chadwick who had been born in 1894, with William Coburn two years younger, Albert Hughes, two years younger and Joseph Gladwin was born in 1906.
Just when they got together and how long they stayed together has yet to be uncovered, but they were active in the 1940s, which I suppose is the clue to their name which might have a wartime link.
Joe Gladwin became famous working on radio in the 1950s, and on television in the 1960s and 1970s, with parts such as Walter Batty in “Last of the Summer Wine” and working with Hylda Baker in “Nearest and Dearest”. He died in 1987.
Michael commented that "Joyce Bishop told me last night that her father got to know Joe Gladwin through his deliveries to the chemist opposite his newsagents in Hale.
Joe drove for a pharmaceutical or medicines company supplying chemists, and they used to chat, presumably over the counter. This was probably in the 1930".
My next stop with be Central Ref and the music library which has an extensive collection of show biz material from which we may discover much more.
But if anyone has any knowledge of the Decoy’s I know Michael, me, and Joyce would welcome the additional material.
Location; Greater Manchester
Pictures; The Decoy's Programme and Walter Chadwick's card, dates unknown, courtesy of Joyce Bishop
Additional material from Michael J Thompson
*Hardy Productions, https://hardyproductionsuk.com/
**WarGen, The initial idea for WarGen was put forward by broadcaster and historian, Dan Snow, and author and broadcaster, James Holland, and aims to record the memories of as many of these survivors of the Second World War as possible. www.wargen.org
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