Annette Holloway as Demon Glum in Pantomime at Con Club
Our pantomimes were always very well supported. So many people were in them and others came to watch. We used to go to Mrs Hans Hamilton’s house sometimes rehearsing for the pantomimes. I always remember this fire in the middle of the room.
Annette Haynes nee Holloway
Mrs Hans Hamilton front right and Sam McDonald with cast from Guides and Brownies including Mollie Mallett and Effie Pitman centre stage :photo Mary Lord
We’d start about 6 months before the performance and often practise and rehearse 6 evenings a week. We’d give performances at Wilberforce Hall in Brighstone for 2 nights, 2 nights at West Wight School – there was a good stage there, 2 nights at Yarmouth at The Con Club.
Mrs Hans Hamilton used to write the words and play the piano too. Although she was one of the rich people in the town she worked really hard for the community. If she told you what to do, you did it! She didn’t stand any nonsense but it was such fun.
Effie Pitman was usually the Principal Boy – she had such good legs – , with Mollie Mallet.
So many people were involved. Barry MacDonald’s father used to play the drums for us, Malcolm Mallet the butcher, and Raich Doe( harbour master) used to build the scenery for us.
Betty Coates Evans b 1938
Audience at Con Club, 1950s : Free Time photo Carol Corbett
The ‘Con Club’, Sports and Social Club was used as an entertainment venue for concerts, plays and pantomimes. ‘Winter Wonderland’ was one when I would have been 7. My mother was in the show, I wanted to go all the time to watch it.
I went with my grandmother one night and couldn’t understand why my dad wasn’t there, and apparently he took one of the women’s places because they were ill.
Watching the entertainment at the ‘Con’ Club 1950s
Carol Corbett nee Cotton b 1946
Front of stage Mrs. Hans Hamilton, writer and producer, with Sam McDonald who provided music for Guides and Brownies’ pantomimes.
The concerts and pantomimes arranged by Mrs. Hans Hamilton and Win Davison were a really important part of our lives. By the time we were ready to put them on, it was often Easter. Rangers, Guides and Brownies were always involved, music and dancing. Effie was usually the principal boy, with Mollie Mallett – they both had good singing voices. By the time we actually gave the performance, I was usually word perfect for the whole play, everyone’s part. Mary Lord nee Hayles b 1936