The Yeomen of the Guard

IN this week’s Memory Lane, we take a look back at a productions by Rawtenstall Amateur Operatic Society in 1939.

Our regular Memory Lane contributor, Peter Fisher, has sent us some pictures from the society’s performance of The Yeomen of the Guard, also known as The Merryman and his Maid, by Gilbert and Sullivan, including a shot of the programme (below).

The show was on at the Pavilion Cinema in Rawtenstall for six nights, starting on Monday, February 13, 1939.

There was also a matinee on Saturday, February 18, at 2.30pm.

The Yeomen of the Guard is a love story which revolves around Colonel Fairfax and Elsie Maynard, a strolling player.

The colonel has been charged with sorcery and confined in a tower, sentenced to death.

The charge has been made against him by a relative who will inherit the Fairfax estates if the colonel dies unmarried.

In a bid to thwart this nasty trick, the colonel begs his old friend, the lieutenant of the tower, to find him a bride.

Two strolling players, Jack Point and Elsie Maynard, arrive and the lieutenant persuades Elsie to marry the condemned man in return for help for her ill mother.

Jack, who is in love with Elsie, only agrees when he is assured that the unknown bridegroom will be beheaded, leaving Elsie free to marry again.

However, there is a plot to secure the release of the colonel, masterminded by Sergeant Meryll, whose life the colonel saved, and his daughter Phoebe.

Meryll’s son Leonard, who is to join the Yeomen of the Guard that day, provides his Yeomen’s uniform and the colonel, in disguise, escapes.

There is panic when the cell is found empty, but the colonel makes the most of his freedom and meets his bride, at which point the pair fall deeply in love.

Finally the colonel is granted a reprieve and is free to disclose his identity. Matters end happily for all, except poor Jack, who is left broken-hearted at losing his sweetheart.

In Rawtenstall Amateur Operatic Society’s production, Colonel Fairfax was played by Reginald Tripper, Elsie Maynard by Winifred Kelly and Jack Point by Harry Thompson.

Harry Barnes played the lieutenant of the tower, Frank Hawthornthwaite played Sergeant Merryl, Margaret Cropper played Pheobe Merryl and Herbert Halliwell played Leonard Merryl.

If these pictures bring back memories, please get in touch. Many thanks to all our regular nostalgia contributors.