Minnie & Billy of The Kelso Travelling Theatre

The Kelso Travelling Theatre

Although born in London on 10th July 1865 fairground entertainer, comedian and music hall artiste, William (Billy) George eventually settled in Denby Dale towards the end of a career as a travelling entertainer. He worked at first with his two younger brothers, Henry and Thomas, the act calling themselves “The Kelso Brothers”, entertaining at feasts and fairs around the country, Kelso being a stage name. The company was known as “The Kelso Empire Portable Theatre”. Eventually the brothers split up, Billy creating his own company of performers and continuing to tour, as did his brothers, and all extensively visited the towns and villages of our area with their shows. Earlier their father, another William George, had set them an example by becoming a music hall artiste himself. These travelling theatres spent the warmer months, perhaps from Easter to September, touring, returning to base for the winter months. In winter they appeared at established theatres such as those owned or leased by impresario Milton Bode. In summer they temporarily set up their portable theatre in such places as Dewsbury, Batley, Cleckheaton, Kirkburton, Meltham, Honley, Skelmanthorpe and Scissett in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries.

Billy married his first wife, Rebecca Ada in 1885 and they went on to have 3 sons, but sadly she died and Billy went on to marry another stage performer, Minnie Hayes in March 1905. She used the stage name Minnie Parker, an attractive singer and actress, and she gave birth to twins the following year. The family lived in a comfortable wheeled caravan during the touring season. Billy now described himself as a comedian and stage manager and advertised for acts to come and join the show frequently, especially those who had “been with me before”. As they grew, the children would have helped out with the business, perhaps selling tickets and snacks and manning various stalls. Eventually one of Billy's older sons, Frank, joined his father and the two then performed comedy routines as 'Keith and Kelso'. But Billy, Minnie and company also acted in melodramas or plays.

However, demand for travelling entertainments of this kind declined with World War I and the beginnings of the movie industry and as a result Billy and Minnie decided to settle down, and in 1917 or thereabouts they settled at Robinson's Croft, now called Norman Croft near the viaduct and the then Prospect Inn (now Dale Inn) in Denby Dale, renting the croft or land there and living in a fine pair of travelling caravans which became objects of interest for the villagers. They continued to tour during the summer and perform locally in the winter with Denby Dale as their base until about 1925. In February 1926 they advertised for sale their collection of theatrical dresses, wigs, books, hats and swords cheap in 'The Sheffield Independent' and went into retirement. 

(Information from Kirklees Curiosities)

Their season usually started & ended in a field behind the Crown Inn, Scissett, with their portable theatre 66 ft long & 33 ft wide (it took 3 days to erect).