Barbara James and Reg Lewis papers relating to variety theatre and popular entertainment in Australia, ca. 1893-1965

MLMSS 8308
GR 323

fonds

ca. 1893-1965

Textual Records, Clippings, Ephemera, Photographs, Posters, Musical Sound Recordings

152205

0.54 metres of textual material, includes photographic material and sound recordings (4 boxes)

Barbara James (1908) was a singer and saxophonist. She was also a banjo soloist, violin player and dancer. Her parents were entertainers Will James and Malvena Moore. She married musician and band leader, Reg Lewis.

From 1921, she was contracted by Harry George Musgrove to Musgrove’s Theatres, appearing at theatres in Sydney and Melbourne, including the Tivoli circuit and Trocadero, and on ABC radio.

Reg and Barbara Lewis toured Europe, the British Isles and Far East, 1949-1955 for six years. While in England, Reg and Barbara worked in London’s West End at the Café Anglaise and Windmill Theatre. They appeared in variety programmes with famous English artists, and were involved in television and BBC broadcasts. After returning to Australia in 1955, Reg took over the Palais de Danse, St Kilda. Barbara toured Hong Kong in 1946

References:
Compiled from the collection
Library correspondence file

Incldues scrapbooks, programs, snwscuttings, sound recordings and photographic material

BOX 1
Four scrapbooks of playbills and newscuttings belonging to Barbara James relating to performances by her mother, entertainer Malvena Moore, 1893-1909, mainly at the Manila Theatre, pictures of actors, musicians, singers and entertainers including invitations to the swearing in of the Earl of Hopetown as first Governor General of Australia, ca. 1901, and performances by Barbara James, 1918-1947

BOX 2
Theatre programs, playbills and broadsheets, fashion magazines and newscuttings, ca. 1904-1965, mainly relating to relating to theatre, jazz and dance orchestras and variety performances in Sydney and Melbourne, including London tours by William James in Caselli and James banjoists, 1904-1929, and Barbara James and Reg Lewis 1950-1957, William James contracts with Wentworth Hotel Sydney and Queensland Orchestra, and correspondence relating to Barbara Lewis contract with Tivoli Circuit Australia, 1942

Souvenir program of the official Commonwealth and State Government’s Gala Performance in Honour of His Royal Highness Edward, Prince of Wales, by J.C. Williamson at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Sydney, 22 June 1920, includes pictures and signatures of cast of J.C. Williams Royal Comic Opera Company, prime minister William Hughes, premier John Storey, Governor of NSW Walter Davidson

Variety theatre posters featuring Reg and Barbara Lewis, Granville Walham Green ‘Nudes of the East’ 1951 and ‘The Talk of the Town’ Tribe Bros Ltd London, 1950-1951

Scripts ‘Midday Music Hall’, featuring Barbara Lewis, 1953, and ‘Stars, Songs and Society’ from Windmill Theatre London, 1950

Printed music scores, ‘Raunchy’ by William Justis and Sidney Manker, 1957, ‘The Trek Song’ by Harry-Parr-Davies, 1938, ‘The Tivoli Album’, published by Joe Slater

Photocopy of ‘The Tivoli Story. 55 years of Variety’, a history of the Tivoli theatres

BOX 3
Family, publicity and performance photographs of Will James, Barbara James, Reg Lewis and Malvena Moore, ca. 1893-1952, mainly photographic prints, postcards and cabinet cards. Includes Edward Prince of Wales at Gala Performance in the ballroom at the Wentworth Hotel 1920, other performances at the Macquarie Auditorium, Esplanade Bondi, Torcadero and Regent Theatre, cabinet cards addressed to Barbara James and signed by Tivoi Circuit variety performers Bert Gilbert, Ella Shields, Bert Vard, Georgie Wood, Fransky, Clifford Morgan, May Pleasants, Katie Lowes, Bole Parish, Frank Coughlan, Bent Watts, Scott Sanders, Felovis, Neil McKay, Nellie Bard, 1921-1936

Six photographic negatives of Barbara Lewis singing at New Embassy Club in Melbourne, Prince of Wales in the Ballroom of the Wentworth Hotel, 1920, Wentworth Will James Jazz Band, Bondi Pavilion Theatre Roy Starfield, ca. 1930

GR 323
Gramophone records of the Opening of Macquarie Auditorium 2GB featuring Isadore Goodman, Gladys Moncrieff, Peter Dawson, Florence Taylor, Barbara James, George Blackburn, and conducted by Reg Lewis, ca. 1938-1946

Copyright status:: In copyright - This collection has multiple rights owners
Research & study copies allowed: Applies only to material created or published before 1955

Information upgraded as part of the Manuscripts Unprocessed eRecords Project 2011-2012