Unlike the accepted view that Anne and Webster were losing popularity because of the rise of American entertainers and rock ‘n roll, they still had plenty of work from 1953 to 1956. Through no fault of their own they were struggling with the Inland Revenue so decided to move to South Africa in July of 1956.
18 February 1953 Ash Wednesday.Elected Joint presidents of Concert Artistes’ Association.
Webster Booth was the guest of Roy Plomley on Desert Island Discs on the BBC Home Service on 3 April 1953.
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Opening of Desert Island Discs script. Sadly the recording is not available on the BBC webpage.11 April 1953 – hardly something to commend him!
Anne as Mistress Knight and Webster as King Charles II in And So to Bed.
24 April, 1953 Coventry Hippodrome, poor review.Diamond Wedding anniversary of Anne’s parents April 1953.Anne and Webster went on an extensive tour of And So to Bed in the midst of many other commitments, particularly Merrie England in the Coronation Year.Booths sing in concert version of Merrie England in Calgary on May 9 1953.Merrie England at Luton Hoo with Douglas Fairbanks Junior
Merrie England at Luton Hoo.CAA dinner 1953 Anne and Webster as presidents.Advert – 1954
8 April 1954
15 April 1954
30 April 195416 May 1954
May 1954
Hiawatha concert had been cancelled for lack of interest. It was replaced by an extract from Aida.
21 September 1954 – Attack of Shingles. Far from “staying indoors for four or five days,” the pain troubled him periodically for many years to come.
28 October 195424 November 1954 – Victoria Congregational Church, Derby from Webster’s score.15 December 1954
Webster’s score 10 December 195431 December 1954I do not know whether Webster and Anne had any singing pupils in the UK.
27 May 1955 Gilbert and Sullivan concert.29 April 1955 – Sir Malcolm Sargent’s birthday concert.24 June 1955 – St Andrew’s Hall, Glasgow.27 July 1955. Anne and Webster were presented to Princess Alexandra.
13 August 1955 Promenade Concert.13 October 1955 Lady Audley’s Secret.25 October 1955 November 1955 0n the way to South Africa for tour of Cape Province.
12 December 1955 – Arriving back in the UK again.
15 December 1955 Messiah, Huddersfield.
Huddersfield Town Hall
Return to South Africa for a further tour.
2 February 1956 Crit by Dora L. Sowden in Rand Daily Mail.
On “platteland tour”. Having tea in Bethal with accompanist, Arthur Tatler.27 June 1956
Passenger List, Pretoria Castle – 12 July 1956.
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Anne and Webster sailed to Cape Town on the Pretoria Castle on 12 July 1956. They had been having trouble with the Inland Revenue because of unpaid tax on American record sales. This had not been settled by the accountant acting for their agent, Julius Darewski. By the time the fault was discovered Webster told the Inland Revenue that he could not afford to pay the full amount and they were facing having some of their belonging being taken by the taxman. They therefore decided to immigrate to South Africa.
1949 was not a very happy year for the Booths. Anne had to be admitted to hospital early in the year and Webster’s good friend, Tommy Handley died suddenly in January of that year. The great Wagnerian tenor, Walter Widdop died in September. In October, Edwin Booth, Webster’s father was taken ill at a Birmingham concert where Anne and Webster were singing and died there, only a few days after his eighty-third birthday. The family managed to keep the news from Webster and Anne until after the concert although they were worried because they had noticed that the family seats had been vacated.
1949 was not a very happy year for the Booths. Anne had to be admitted to hospital early in the year and Webster’s good friend, Tommy Handley died suddenly in January of that year. The great Wagnerian tenor, Walter Widdop died in September. In October, Edwin Booth, Webster’s father was taken ill at a Birmingham concert where Anne and Webster were singing and died there, only a few days after his eighty-third birthday. The family managed to keep the news from Webster and Anne until after the concert although they were worried because they had noticed that the family seats had been vacated.
13 January 1949 Funeral of Tommy Handley.Webster and Leslie Bridgmont at Tommy Handley’s Funeral, Golders Green Crematorium.Memorial Service at St Paul’s – 9 February 1949. Tommy Handley Memorial Choir record The Long Day Closes and God be in My Head21 April 19498 July 1949 Jersey ConcertSinging at a broadcast (1949)7 September 1949 Funeral of Walter Widdop
17 October 1949 Death of Edwin Booth, Webster’s father.Edwin Booth’s will. Irene Constance Louise Booth was Edwin Booth’s second wife. 2 December 1949 Anne.5 January 195012 January 1950 Town Hall, Cheltenham.22 March 1950 Central Hall, Derby.Concert with Charles Forwood at the piano. Concert with Charles Forwood at the piano.9 April 1950
There was a great protest about this Sunday evening concert in Kirkcaldy. Even when the concert went ahead, the criticism of it was very bad! I wonder whether the bad crit was because the concert had taken place on a Sunday.
May 1950
9 July 195023 September 1950 Cheltenham.24 October 195014 November 1950. Hull concert at Tivoli.Anne and Webster
