Elland E-zine
Elland E-zine is your chance to add anything you desire about anything to do with Elland. It could be an event, pictures, full feature on an Elland subject or just an updated address. Fill in the form at the bottom of this page and join in with our growing collection of our towns collection of information and memories.
Still recognisable - Southgate in earlier days.
This photograph was added by Mrs Evans of Elland. Please send us your old photographs with a description(They will be returned to you). Better still - add them yourself using the form at the bottom of this page.
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The Great Coram
Whitaker, Tommy
Born at Higgin Chamber, Boulderclough. He became nationally-famous as a ventriloquist, The Great Coram.
At the age of 7, he played the cornet in a band at West Vale. His family moved to Rastrick. He joined Brighouse Borough Band.
His interest was inspired when an uncle gave him a ventriloquist's doll as a birthday present. His first public performance was at a Sunday School concert in Southgate, Elland where he appeared as Professor Whitaker. He subsequently appeared at various seaside resorts. He was offered a trial at The Lyceum in London, and he was retained for another three. He took his stage name from Coram Street, London, where his agent had his offices.
He had several dolls, but the most notable was Jerry Fisher, a the cheeky guardsman. Jerry had moving eyes and mouth, and winked at the audience after cracking some outrageous remark, but Tommy moved his arms, smoked cigarettes and walked off the stage still chatting. The secret was Tommy's engineering skills. He spent hours perfecting a mechanism which allowed the movements to be made by remote control.
Tommy appeared at the Palace Theatre, Halifax on 11th October 1909 and 7th September 1914.
He appeared at the Royal Command Performance [22nd May 1930] and at Buckingham Palace
Calderdale Companion
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