It is with great sadness that I tell you of the death of Jeannie Mitchell.
Jeannie worked so hard for our Club; always giving of her time and efforts whenever they were required.
She was our Chairman in the past and also organised the Social Events for many years, creating lots of happy and varied functions for the members and their guests to enjoy!
She was always willing and happy to sing for us on our Monday Night Shows. She was a true stalwart member and greatly loved by us all!
We will certainly miss her and we will raise a glass or 2 or 3 or maybe more to her when we return to our Club!!!!!!
Thank you dear Jeannie for all that you have done for us at the CAA.
The committee had a ‘virtual’ meeting on Thursday 9th July to discuss the reopening of the club.
It was decided to have a ‘deep clean’ throughout and the air conditioning fully serviced. Judith is arranging PPE, hand sanitising dispensers, perspex screens etc to enable us to create a safe environment.
Two or three Committee members will come in during August to sort out social distancing seating and tables in the Bar and Concert Hall areas using the small red cabaret tables. Malcolm will help sort out the bar regarding stock etc. Our new caterer Peter will also be on board.
Our aim is to reopen slowly but surely in early September. This all depends of course on Government directives and monitoring the overall situation. So we have to be flexible and cannot open fully for a while. We will gauge our member’s response and take it from there.
We want to be ready to respond to the ever changing situation and be fully prepared as much as we can be to open in early September, at least for a drink and some food and to be able to meet up safely with our friends again. Exact timings will be known at a later date – thank you for your wonderful patience and understanding.
Unfortunately we have inevitably lost some of our members during the lockdown. We will celebrate all their lives when we are back at the club. Our most recent passing is stalwart ‘C’ Member Tony Davey.
Tony contributed so much to our club! He, with his lovely wife Betty came to every function and brought their friends as well. He was (quite literally) a giant among men. Tony and Betty graciously gave us use of their house and grounds for our 100th Birthday Garden Party on 6th July 1997 – our Centenary Year! We can never thank them enough for that! RIP Tony; all our love and thanks to you along with our love and support to Betty and the family. We are here for you.
‘A’ Members remember that the Benevolent Fund is there to help you in these difficult financial times, so please contact Barbara Daniels for information. Any other members can apply for help from the Samaritan Fund – please contact myself or Malcolm for information.
These are strange, awful times but dear members please try to keep smiling and please stay safe! You have the member’s book so contact any of us if you wish to talk.
Joane was a remarkable lady who was blessed with a great sense of humour, stamina and a zest for life. She was born in Newcastle and joked that she danced her way out of her mother’s womb!
At the age of 14 in 1935 she left home to appear in a pantomime troupe – The Zio Angels. During the Second World War she joined ENSA and entertained our troops overseas including a tour of Africa.
Joane recounted many stories at the CAA about her wartime escapades. One memory she shared was being allocated a cabin en route to Africa with a nun. Apparently Joane had her eye on a handsome sailor but the Nun’s party on board were closely chaperoned, which made any nocturnal liaison Joane had in mind impossible!
During and just after the war Joane worked in theatre as an actress and dancer. Between engagements she had a variety of jobs including working in an ammunition factory, Civil Nursing Reserves and a waitress in an Italian restaurant.
She was a dresser at the London Palladium for numerous stars. Indeed Frank Sinatra insisted on Joane as his dresser whenever he played the Palladium. Joane’s TV appearances as an actress included ‘The Bill’ and ‘Father Ted.’ She also played Vera in the television drama ‘Pat and Margaret’ written by Victoria Wood.
When ‘Cats’ went to Broadway in 1982, the show’s choreographer Gillian Lynne asked Joane to accompany her as her assistant and friend. In 1988 she became Queen Ratling with CAA stalwart Roy Pyke as her escort. Although Joane never married, she says she had received 28 proposals of marriage and was actually engaged at one time to a lion tamer.
She was a great friend of Roy and Debbie Hudd who even named their dogs after her. Dean Caston says how delighted he was when she agreed to do ‘An Evening With Joane Hall’ in March 2017 at the CAA for one of the BMHS Limelight series. Dean visited Joane at her flat in Charing Cross Road several times and was enthralled by her stories.
Sadly Joane was eventually unable to look after herself in her flat, so in early 2019 she moved into a retirement home where she passed away aged 99. Her funeral service at Golders Green Crematorium could only host 8 people because of the covid 19 crisis.
Joane had so many friends who adored her and she was always so popular on her frequent trips to the CAA. The club intend to organise a special memorial celebration of her life next year to mark her centenary.
Roy’s wife Debbie has been in touch regarding Roy’s funeral and Memorial Service arrangements. The funeral will take place on the 3rd April but, due to the Coronavirus, the service will be held outside the church and with close family only.
Debbie has booked the Actor’s Church in Covent Garden on the 25th September for a Memorial Service. Let’s hope that by then things will have started to get back to ‘normal’ as so many of you will want to attend.
In these unpredictable and difficult times the club can help?
” The Benevolent Fund of the Concert Artistes Association is established for the relief of distress of “A” Members or their dependents in necessitous circumstances. “
So the Trustees of the Benevolent Fund are ready to take your calls. All confidentially.
We have an emergency fund for small grants for B and C members that maybe able to help. For further information please contact the office or speak to a committee member.
