Dolly Harmer(1867-1956)

Actress and variety artiste. From the age of 13 an accomplished violinist, she also played the leading parts of principle boy in many pantomimes, and went into the music halls, playing regularly at the Tivoli, Oxford and Pavillion. Also the first woman member of the Variety Artists Federation, she travelled to Australia, America and all over England appearing in many Variety Shows. When she was almost 50 years old, she teamed up with Wee Georgie Wood and carried on travelling the world doing pantomimes and comedy sketches as his partner in jest. She nearly always played his stage mother and also became known as the "Mother of the Forces" when she travelled abroad entertaining the troops. A very giving and caring lady who never took anything in return, she worked practically up until the day she died at the age of 89 years in 1956.