Story of Jean’s rise to fame finally told
THE story of a woman who gained international fame and fortune as a singer in the style of Gracie Fields is being told in a new book.
‘My Shadow, My Dream’ tells the story of Jean Chadwick, who made her name singing in the style of the Rochdale-born icon who was the world’s highest paid actress in the 1930s.
A talented instrumentalist, skilled on the piano and accordion, Jean first made her name as a busker in the town centre.
The book’s author, Syke resident Anita Lewis, first knew Jean as a friend of her older sister Brenda when she was just starting out as a performer - but the two became reacquainted when Jean became a resident at Half Acre House, the residential care home run by Anita and her husband Rodney.
Anita, 77, said: “Jean had an amazing career and so many wonderful stories to tell and I thought it was a shame no-one knew about it - so I thought I had better write it all down.
“I managed to get most of her memories and stories down and made them into a story based on her life.”
The book tells the story of Jean’s rise to fame following a tough childhood - her father walked out on
Jean, her mother and brother when she was young and some of the money she earned when she began performing at 15 went towards providing for the family.
She was well known in Rochdale even before the launch of her performing career due to her other jobs as a bus conductor and Co-op worker.
Anita says the moment her career really took off came in 1949 when Gracie was due to perform a free concert before a crowd of 20,000 fans from the balcony of Rochdale Town Hall - but was several hours late.
To entertain the crowds, Jean sang some of Gracie’s most popular songs, accompanied by her accordion - and according to Anita, many in the crowd believed they were listening to the real thing.
After the impromptu performance Jean got to go to Manchester to meet and perform with Gracie, and the two struck up a friendship, reuniting whenever they were both in Rochdale.
She went on to perform for audiences around the country and abroad, socialising and performing with the likes of Marlene Dietrich and Julie Andrews.
In another notable story from the book, she pipped a young Elton John to the post for a job as a restaurant pianist in Amsterdam.
Jean never married and enjoyed her retirement on the Isle of Skye before returning to Rochdale in the final years of her life.
Jean passed away in September 2016 at the age of 83. She lived just long enough to find out that a statue to Gracie had finally been put up outside Rochdale Town Hall something she had wanted to see in the town for years.
Anita said: “She was thrilled to bits that there was finally a statue.
“Unfortunately she never got to see it before she passed away, but we made sure we drove past it as part of her funeral procession.”
Writing the book has been a new venture for Anita, a former primary school teacher, leader of the Syke Junior Theatre Club and now Parliamentary Review representative communicating the needs of the care industry to MPs.
The Highcroft Way resident said: “Jean got to a point at the end of her life when she was comfortable to tell all her stories and I’m glad she shared them with me.
“Even when she was very infirm and had carers visiting every day she would say, ‘you don’t know what I can do’, and they would be amazed by how well she could still play the piano.”
Anita’s book is available on Amazon, with proceeds going to women’s performing arts charity The Grand Order Of Lady Ratlings - a cause close to Jean’s heart.