Marshall, Renee, 1916 - 2000
Biography
Renee Marshall, nee Scott, was born on 26 August 1916 to John Henry Scott and Emma Scott (nee Baker). John and Emma had four other children, William John (1924-1987), George, Priscilla and Emily Rebecca.
Renee’s early life was spent travelling on the circus in England and Ireland with her brothers, sisters and cousins; the Kayes family. Renee performed in the circus from the age of six and by 1932, age sixteen, she featured in five acts in the family show: the vaultage (which opened the show), the perch, the trapeze, the breakaway ladder (with her brother Johnnie) and the double act on horseback with her father. The double act on horseback had originally been performed by Renee’s mother, before being passed on to Renee herself.
Renee’s early talent soon became a focus of attention and by 1932 she was featured by The World's Fair correspondent in Ireland.
According to her younger brother, George, Renee was the make-up girl, looked after the children, opened the show, found food when they were hungry and was a tremendous artiste.
Eventually the family left Ireland and returned to England where they appeared on fairs throughout Yorkshire and Lancashire. Renee recalls how the circus that appeared on the fairground operated in very different conditions to what they were used to, with twenty to thirty shows a day.
Renee was continuing a family tradition; the Scott family had been performers since the 1850s, and their royal circus appeared not only before Queen Victoria but also before King Edward. Scott's Royal Circus incorporated both family acts and star performers into the show (which had forty horses, clowns, trapeze and high wire acts), with members of the family appearing at the top of the bill.
Renee continued performing in the circus with her family until her marriage to Walter Marshall (1916-1970) in 1938. Renee and Walter met at Bolton New Year Fair in 1935-1936.
Renee married Walter Marshall a Yorkshire fairground showman and joined the Marshall family business travelling the Yorkshire fairgrounds.
Renee and Walter had a daughter, Sandra, born in 1940.
Renee died in 2000
Found in 43 Collections and/or Records:
Marshall and Scott Family Photographs, c1880 - 1970
Monographs, Articles and Manuscripts, c1950 - 1970
Typed memories of Alf E. Lamb, concerning his experiences as a travelling fairground worker during the first part of the twentieth century and covering the First World War.
Newspaper Cuttings, c1930 - 1990
Newspaper cuttings relating to the Marshall family business, Marshall's Modern Amusements Ltd and the death of Walter Marshall.
Obituaries and Birth, Deaths and Marriage Certificates, 1909 - 2000
Birth, marriage and death certificates, as well as memorial order of service programmes for various members of the Marshall and Scott families.
Photographs, c1880 - 1970
Photographs of the Marshall, Scott, Kayes Baker and Testo families, as well as various other circus personalities and performers between 1880s and 1970s. Accompanied by a photograph album, a negative album and photographs, concerning Walter Marshall's service with the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.
Programmes, c1960 - 1981
Circus programmes collected by various members of the Marshall and Scott families.
Renee Marshall Memorial Service Programme, 28 January 2000
Order of service programme in memory of Renee Elizabeth Marshall held at St. Martin’s Church, Brighouse on 28 January 2000. Including biography and a three page tribute from Professor Vanessa Toulmin. Card, 2pp.
Renee Scott Birth Registry Certificate, 26 August 1916
Certificate of registry of birth for Renee Elizabeth Scott, born in Plymouth, Devon on 26 August 1916. This certificate was issued on 26 August 1916, 1p.
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus Souvenir Programme, 1978
108th Edition Souvenir Programme. Illustrated with colour photographs and images, 96pp.
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus Souvenir Programme, 1981
110th Edition Souvenir Programme. Illustrated with colour photographs and images. 84pp.
Sally Chipperfield’s Circus Programme, 1979
Illustrated with black and white photographs and colour images. Handbill enclosed, 8pp.
Share Certificates, 1 July 1927
Two certificates issued on the purchase of shares from Keighley Division Conservative Club Buildings Ltd, by William Marshall and Goldthorpe Marshall Amusement Caterers Ltd, 1p.
Stebbing Royal European Circus Programme, c1960 - 1970
Illustrated with black and white photographs and images, 20pp.
Trade Agreement, 1 January 1967
Legal agreement to trade as sole individuals in their own rights and the allocation of the use of fixed assets made between William Henry Marshall, Walter Marshall and Henry Marshall of Marshall's Modern Amusements Ltd, 2pp.
Walter Marshall and Renee Scott Marriage Certificate, 1 February 1939
Copy of the marriage certificate of Walter Marshall and Renee Elizabeth Scott, who married in the Parish of Church of Brighouse, York on 1 February 1939, 1p.
Walter Marshall Birth Certificate, 17 April 1947
Copy of the birth certificate of Walter Marshall, born in Doncaster, South Yorkshire on 13 July 1916. Certificate issued on 17 April 1947, 1p.
Walter Marshall Birth Registry Certificate, 27 July 1916
Certificate of registry of birth for Walter Marshall, born in Doncaster, South Yorkshire on 13 July 1916. This certificate was issued on 27 July 1916, 1p.
Walter Marshall Death Certificate, 8 August 1971
Copy of the death certificate of Walter Marshall, who died at a caravan site on Atlas Mill Road, Brighouse on 2 February 1970. Certificate issued on 7 August 1971, 1p.
Walter Marshall Miniature Negative Album, October 1942 - June 1943
Miniature negative album, containing photographic negatives, relating to Walter Marshall’s service with the Royal Air Force in South Africa, India and then the Middle East during the Second World War. Also includes an index at the front of the volume, listing the date and the subject of each image, thought to be written in the hand of Walter Marshall.