July 2023 Newsletter

Welcome to the July edition of the newsletter. I am delighted to feature a large aerial photograph as the lead article. This is not a modern shot taken by a drone camera. The cars and the presence of the Shell filling station attest to that. I am hoping to include some more up to date photos taken from a drone in future issues.

June was a very busy month for the Trust. We were awarded a significant grant from a major national foundation towards our ambitions to purchase the Pavilion. I visited Medmerry School and had a very productive discussion with the Head, and we continued to develop our exciting school outreach programme, which should be ready to launch in September.

I greatly enjoyed my visit to the Dementia Support Group. The topic was not directly related to the Pavilion this time, but we shared recollections of past shopping experiences on the High Street alongside iconic cinema and television adverts. However, several questions, concerning the progress being made with the Pavilion, were asked and duly answered.

The Trustees are delighted that the number of subscribers to the newsletter have risen to almost 300. This represents a significant increase over the course of 2023. Funding organisations are always keen to discover evidence of levels of support. Therefore the Trust has set itself a target of 500 subscribers before the year is complete. We want to help spread the word and our subscribers are potentially our greatest asset in helping to achieve our target. If everybody encourages one other person / family to sign up then we will easily surpass our target. We will provide monthly updates of our progress from the September issue onwards.

When you see the following appear in a future newsletter then you will know that we have reached our target!

This month’s Past Pavilion continues the story of Dan Denton and Dorothy Charlton.

Keith Batchelor, Vice-Chair

Past Pavilion

The June edition left the story of Dan Denton and Dorothy Charlton contemplating the onset of the Second World War. Before continuing I would like to make a minor detour to include a few events involving our intrepid entertainers away from Selsey.

In addition to summer seasons in Selsey Dan and Dorothy took the “Selsey Follies” to Lynton and Lynmouth in North Devon in the 1930s. The Selsey season sometimes preceded the Devon trip and in other years followed it.

An example of this follows.

Selsey Follies

‍The above party opened their third resident season at Lynton and Lynmouth, at the Pavilion, Lynmouth, on Monday. There was a crowded house, the audience including the chairman and members of the Urban District Council. This year's company include Dan Denton, Dorothy Charlton, Ernest Brav, Vi Lesly, Tessa Nuval and Edward Farvey. The show has been re-dressed, and the programme of concerted sketches, etc., is original the work of Dan Denton and Dorothy Charlton. During the twelve week season there will be visits from wireless stars, including Stainless Stephen. Bertha Willmott, and Leonard Henry.

The Stage 4th July 1935

The Lynmouth Pavilion was built in the 1930s which meant that Dan and Dorothy were among the first artistes to appear on its stage. The theatre survived the horrendous floods in 1952 but was demolished in 2012. A new Pavilion was constructed, opening in 2013.

Dan spent some time in London and was linked to the A.R.P. service.

House Full for A.R.P.'s Panto.

"Final" Performance To Be Repeated “Pantomime house full: definitely no more room," was the notice that met the disappointed gaze of scores of people who went to the Archway Central Hall on Saturday for what was to have been the last performance of the Islington inter-post (North district) pantomime, "Aladdin." But there was a second line to the notion which eased the sting of disappointment, "Another performance next week." This line had been added by popular demand and at the request of the Archway Central Hall and A.R.P. headquarters. Inside the hall every seat was taken and many people were standing.

There can rarely have been such enthusiasm for a local show. In the afternoon the company played to a large audience of eager, excited kiddies, who showed no restraint in their enthusiasm. Best part of the pantomime, as far as the youngsters were concerned, was the "ghost scene," with Widow Twankey (Dan Denton) and the Magician (Val Devers). A novel idea, particularly appreciated by the audience, was a competition to sing Widow Twankey's song, “Spiders in the Bathroom." There were eleven entrants; the first six were awarded a box of chocolates and the runners-up sixpence each.

Holloway Press 9th February 1940

He then left to return to Selsey.

Dan Denton, Popular A.R.P. Comedian, Says Farewell

Dan Denton, popular A.R.P. comedian, writer of pantomimes, clever sketches and witty dialogue, the man who has been responsible for the rollicking concerts at the A.R.P. Club, Tufnell Park, and at the Archway Central Hall, leaned back in his seat in the front row of the hall at the club on Thursday in last week and watched others perform. It was Dan's big night. He and some of his friends, including Val Dever and Miss D. Charlton, are leaving the A.R.P. service to "go back to the show business."

They will be entertaining holidaymakers at Selsey, near Bognor, this summer, and, as District Officer Knight told a huge crowd at Dan's own and final show at the Archway Central Hall on Saturday, you want to book up early if you intend to spend a holiday there. The combined popularity of the place and of Dan Denton will no doubt crowd it out with visitors from North London.

Holloway Press 26th April 1940

Dan and Dorothy pitched in on their return to Selsey

Dan Denton, Miss Dorothy Charlton. and the entire cast of "The Follies" concert party have just entertained the first batch of 50 crippled children from Broadreeds and promise repeat performances for similar parties during the summer. The great difficulty of transport of the physically unfit was overcome on this Initial occasion by the kindness of Mr. Kelly of Seal Road who now guarantees to convey the Invalids on all future occasions. As regards the Follies, although willing to serve for A. R. P., the members of the company find their work cut out for them in cheering up Selsey and making it forget—even for one brief hour the difficulties of war.

West Sussex Gazette 30th May 1940

The Selsey Follies resumed

The Selsey Follies. Curfew or no curfew we see that the "Selsey Follies" are still going strong. Selsey has to spare them to cheer up Wittering and Sidlesham on certain days of the week, but we must count ourselves lucky that they have stayed here throughout this extremely difficult summer. The Follies, with Mr. Dan Denton and Miss Dorothy Charlton, as particularly old friends, have made a very definite home here and become a real part of the Selsey summer. This is due not only to their excellent entertainment, but also to the active interest they take in local affairs, and the help they are so ready to give for various good causes.

Chichester Observer 3rd August 1940

Dan and Dorothy continued to entertain after the war ended putting on the “Selsey Follies” in a variety of locations and supporting a number of good causes. By 1941 the Pavilion was ostensibly a cinema so the Follies did not return there. However, the links with the Pavilion did not end there.

Aladdin

All in the production deserve great credit for giving us a Pantomime surely unique in the annals of the Church Hall. Its fame was broadcast at the opening performance resulting in full houses on the other three days, so that an excellent start must have been made in providing the funds for the purchase of a new piano.

The versatile Dan Denton was not only a most delightful and humorous Widow Twankey but a witty composer of the book and lyrics flavoured by many a local touch. Commander Bedells, who with Bob Hall was responsible for the music and lent his piano, proved an admirable Abanazer. one of his dramatic songs bringing down the house. Jo Francis, Aladdin, with in particular her tap dancing that might have graced a London show and with Evelyn Hawley and Mrs. Dan Denton (alias Marjorie Bratle) found time to design and make the dresses and hats. A special word of praise due to the ballet, consisting of Jean Lawrence, June Quainton, Elizabeth Bedells and Diana Curtis led by Evelvn Hawley—the dance in the cave with the most dainty costumes proving particularly delightful. Bob Hall Senior, whether at the piano or with his accordion may have been eclipsed by his son with a breathless song accompanied by his guitar. All the others. Beryl Smith, Jill Cooper. Fred Watson (for whose singing a special word of praise due), Gilbert Smith. John Hart, with last but not least Harold Ingram. Stage Manager, George Harwood, Electrician, Roy Balcomb, in the dual capacity of the Emperor and O.C. Stage Lighting with Don Brown (who with Commander Bedells designed and painted the scenery), deserve the greatest credit.

There can be few villages in England where such a Show could have been arranged in every detail, entirely by local talent, from the composition of the lyrics and music to the design and making of the dresses and stage effects. And the enthusiasm of the crowded houses which grew in volume from night to night was a tribute not only to Dan Denton and Commander Bedells but to the whole cast and many others who contributed in one way or another to a brilliant success.

Bognor Regis Observer 7th January 1950

Although this production was not staged at the Pavilion it marked the beginning of a traditional pantomime being staged in Selsey Pavilion by S.C.A.M.P.S. for several years until the Pavilion closed.

We conclude our journey with an article from 1961:

Formed in 1948 by Dan Denton (retired comedian) and Stuart Bedells in order to provide a new (and much-needed) piano for the Church Hall, the Selsey Comedy and Musical Production Society produced "Aladdin'' as its first show with a company drawn from local business and tradespeople. During the intervening years the Society has run the gamut of all the favourite pantomimes at the local Pavilion and is now starting the series all over again. This year "Cinderella" is again the vehicle for exploiting the talents of over 40 participants.

The Stage 30th November 1961

Dan is listed as helping with the make up when Cinderella was performed at the Pavilion early in 1962.

The August edition of “Past Pavilion” will commemorate the 110th anniversary of Selsey Hall being opened to the public.