From the Lancashire Evening Post, 4.12.1999
Those who are not on the ‘Net’
might imagine that it’s full of
gobbledygook, the latest fads and
gadgets and lots of the very latest
pop music. And they would be quite
right.
There are many websites about
new and exciting things – but there
are plenty more about people and
things that have stood the test of
time.
Two Lancashire greats are now
represented on the World Wide
Web: Gracie Fields and George
Formby.
A website dedicated to “Our
Gracie” is the latest project from
Fields fan Peter Hudson from
Halifax. Peter met Gracie in 1973
in a chance encounter on the Isle
of Capri and he remains one of her
greatest fans.
His personal collection of Gracie
memorabilia includes more than
15,000 photographs, musical
scores, letters and general items
relating to his idol. He has also
contributed to a permanent tribute
to her life at the London Palladium.
For the last seven years he has
had many touring exhibitions about
her life throughout the North of
England and has published a book
of photographs of Gracie.
The site is a shrine to the Rochdale
singer and actress who took the
world by storm with a series of
spirited songs and comic movies.
Here you can read all about her life
and work, and see many of Peter’s
photographs.
Meanwhile Wigan’s singing film
star, George Formby, has not one
but two web sites dedicated to him.
The best is the home site for the
George Formby Society, which
staged its annual convention at the
Blackpool Winter Gardens last
month.
Formed 38 years ago, the society
is dedicated to keeping alive the
memory and the music of George.
In its well laid out and richly
illustrated pages you can find a
biography of the man himself,
reviews and pictures from all
George’s films, a list of all his
records, profiles of his leading
ladies and goodies for sale,
including a George Formby tankard
for £4.95!
Another site dedicated to the
ukulele man is the George Formby
Internet Information Service, run by
George’s nephew, Jeff Formby,
who lives in Milton Keynes.
Jeff claims that his site is the only
one to be constantly updated, but
the information here is more
sketchy that that at the GFS's site,
and that one is updated too!
Many other performers of
yesteryear can be found on the
Net, from Music Hall greats to stars
of radio and screen. And if your
favourite is not already out there,
you could always run your own
tribute site!
the gracie & George show
From the Lancashire Evening Post, 4.12.1999
Those who are not on the ‘Net’ might
imagine that it’s full of gobbledygook,
the latest fads and gadgets and lots of
the very latest pop music. And they
would be quite right.
There are many websites about new
and exciting things – but there are
plenty more about people and things
that have stood the test of time.
Two Lancashire greats are now
represented on the World Wide Web:
Gracie Fields and George Formby.
A website dedicated to “Our Gracie” is
the latest project from Fields fan Peter
Hudson from Halifax. Peter met
Gracie in 1973 in a chance encounter
on the Isle of Capri and he remains
one of her greatest fans.
His personal collection of Gracie
memorabilia includes more than
15,000 photographs, musical scores,
letters and general items relating to
his idol. He has also contributed to a
permanent tribute to her life at the London Palladium.
For the last seven years he has had many touring exhibitions about her life
throughout the North of England and has published a book of photographs of
Gracie.
The site is a shrine to the Rochdale singer and actress who took the world by
storm with a series of spirited songs and comic movies. Here you can read all
about her life and work, and see many of Peter’s photographs.
Meanwhile Wigan’s singing film star, George Formby, has not one but two web
sites dedicated to him.
The best is the home site for the George Formby Society, which staged its
annual convention at the Blackpool Winter Gardens last month.
Formed 38 years ago, the society is dedicated to keeping alive the memory
and the music of George.
In its well laid out and richly illustrated pages you can find a biography of the
man himself, reviews and pictures from all George’s films, a list of all his
records, profiles of his leading ladies and goodies for sale, including a George
Formby tankard for £4.95!
Another site dedicated to the ukulele man is the George Formby Internet
Information Service, run by George’s nephew, Jeff Formby, who lives in Milton
Keynes.
Jeff claims that his site is the only one to be constantly updated, but the
information here is more sketchy that that at the GFS's site, and that one is
updated too!
Many other performers of yesteryear can be found on the Net, from Music Hall
greats to stars of radio and screen. And if your favourite is not already out
there, you could always run your own tribute site!
