Vera Lynn
Caricature
29 March 1952 (dated)
29 March 1952 (dated)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This caricature shows Vera Lynn (1917-2021) in the revue London Laughs with Jimmy Edwards, featuring sketches by Frank Muir and Denis Norden, March 1952. It was drawn by Gilbert Sommerlad (1904-1976), a rehearsal pianist and orchestral violinist at the Brighton Theatre Royal from 1932 until 1936, and at the Oxford New Theatre from 1936 for over forty years. Sommerlad sketched the stars on stage when he wasn’t needed in the orchestra pit, compiling the sketches in a series of albums.
Vera Lynn ‘the Forces’ Sweetheart’ began her remarkable career at the age of seven, singing and dancing in local clubs in the East End of London as one of Madame Harris’s Kracker Cabaret Kids. She went on to become Britain’s most popular wartime British singer, the host of the radio programme Sincerely Yours, and in 1976, a Dame of the British Empire.
Vera Lynn ‘the Forces’ Sweetheart’ began her remarkable career at the age of seven, singing and dancing in local clubs in the East End of London as one of Madame Harris’s Kracker Cabaret Kids. She went on to become Britain’s most popular wartime British singer, the host of the radio programme Sincerely Yours, and in 1976, a Dame of the British Empire.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Vera Lynn (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Pencil, ink and watercolour on paper |
| Brief description | Pencil, ink and watercolour caricature by Gilbert Sommerlad of the singer Vera Lynn (1917-2021) at the Oxford New Theatre. Dated 29th March 1952. |
| Physical description | Pencil, ink and watercolour caricature of the singer Vera Lynn at the Oxford New Theatre, 29 March 1952. From a hard-backed sketch book containing caricatures of theatrical performers and entertainers drawn by Gilbert Sommerlad. |
| Credit line | Given by Michael Sommerlad |
| Object history | This caricature comes from an album of caricatures of theatrical performers and entertainers drawn by Gilbert J.Sommerlad (1904-1976) between December 1951 and October 1957 at the Oxford New Theatre. Gilbert Sommerlad moved from Brighton to the recently built New Theatre, Oxford, to join his brother Roy (violin and clarinet) as resident pianist in 1936. He continued with his caricatures until his retirement. |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | This caricature shows Vera Lynn (1917-2021) in the revue London Laughs with Jimmy Edwards, featuring sketches by Frank Muir and Denis Norden, March 1952. It was drawn by Gilbert Sommerlad (1904-1976), a rehearsal pianist and orchestral violinist at the Brighton Theatre Royal from 1932 until 1936, and at the Oxford New Theatre from 1936 for over forty years. Sommerlad sketched the stars on stage when he wasn’t needed in the orchestra pit, compiling the sketches in a series of albums. Vera Lynn ‘the Forces’ Sweetheart’ began her remarkable career at the age of seven, singing and dancing in local clubs in the East End of London as one of Madame Harris’s Kracker Cabaret Kids. She went on to become Britain’s most popular wartime British singer, the host of the radio programme Sincerely Yours, and in 1976, a Dame of the British Empire. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.132:5-2002 |
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| Record created | November 27, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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