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Kaye, Hamilton, 1921 - 2006

 Person

Dates

  • Existence: 20 May 1921 - 25 December 2006

Biography

Born Ronald Kaye on 20 May 1921, he was known as Hamilton Kaye for magic shows and for his magic business. He also used other performing names such as Wizard Kaye, Ron Dalmo and briefly as Milton Kaye.

Ron Kaye was born in Sheffield, at Rock Street, Pitsmoor. His parents were both teachers and his father eventually became head teacher of Hillsborough School. His family moved to Crosspool in the early 1930s, where they bought a newly built semi-detached house for £550 and Ron became a pupil at the newly opened High Storrs School.

At the age of four Ron was taken to see a variety show at the Sheffield Hippodrome. He was startled when 'The Great Carmo' appeared in a flash and ran back up the aisle shouting 'I'm going home'. It was at this point that he fell in love with theatre, music hall and especially with magic. He began performing magic to family and friends, church socials and garden parties as well as other small audiences. He produced plays and organised New Year Dances at Ranmoor Church Hall. During the early years of the war he was a member of the 'Steel City Stars', a group of semi-professional entertainers that performed variety shows in many local venues including Sheffield City Hall.

Later in the war he served in the RAF and was posted to India and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) where he was a member of ground crew servicing flying boats and bombers. During this time he took part in and produced concert parties for fellow servicemen.

On his return home he worked first in the laboratories at Sheffield University, then for the Sheffield Corporation Water Department, later the Yorkshire Water Authority. He was introduced to his future wife Marion, a nursery nurse, by his cousin Molly. He and Marion were married in 1953 and with their two children the family moved to Dronfield in 1960 where Marion ran a nursery school for many years.

Ron had a lifelong passion for magic and increasingly built a reputation in the local area as a conjuror and children's entertainer. He was a voracious collector of magic and also ran a magic business supplying tricks and his specialty flash paper and string. He was able to concentrate even more on magic when he took early retirement from the Water Authority. In 1982/3 he served as President of the British Ring of the International Brotherhood of Magicians.

Ron actively pursued his passion for magic until a few months before his death attending magic events. Ron passed away on Christmas Day 2006, age 85.

Found in 71 Collections and/or Records:

Palace Theatre, Attercliffe Handbill, Week Commencing 24 April 1950

 Item — Box Hamilton Kaye Box 1: Series 178R29; Series 178T9; Series 178K28; Series 178I14; Series 178Z30
Reference code: 178T9.1
Scope and Contents Handbill of the programme of performances at the Palace Theatre, Attercliffe. R.L. Productions present the Show of Shows Variety with a Punch: Jack Doyle, Boxing, Radio, Stage, Film and Wrestling Star, Sandy Daw, Comedian, The Seanor Trio, Contortionists, Hamilton Kaye, Deceptionist, Hilda Gregory and Lyn Andres, Let’s Dance, Vera Denman, Accordion Player, Laurie Watson, It’s that Manikin, The Rosinas, Sensation in Mid-Air. Printed by: Geo. Allen, printer, Brimington, Chesterfield. Red and...
Dates: Week Commencing 24 April 1950

Palace Theatre, Attercliffe Handbill, Week Commencing 24 April 1950

 Item — Box Hamilton Kaye Box 1: Series 178R29; Series 178T9; Series 178K28; Series 178I14; Series 178Z30
Reference code: 178T9.2
Scope and Contents Handbill of the programme of performances at the Palace Theatre, Attercliffe. R.L. Productions present the Show of Shows Variety with a Punch: Jack Doyle, Boxing, Radio, Stage, Film and Wrestling Star, Sandy Daw, Comedian, The Seanor Trio, Contortionists, Hamilton Kaye, Deceptionist, Hilda Gregory and Lyn Andres, Let’s Dance, Vera Denman, Accordion Player, Laurie Watson, It’s that Manikin, The Rosinas, Sensation in Mid-Air. Printed by: Geo. Allen, printer, Brimington, Chesterfield;.Rd and...
Dates: Week Commencing 24 April 1950

Palace Theatre, Attercliffe Handbill, Week Commencing 24 April 1950

 Item — Box Hamilton Kaye Box 1: Series 178R29; Series 178T9; Series 178K28; Series 178I14; Series 178Z30
Reference code: 178T9.3
Scope and Contents Handbill of the programme of performances at the Palace Theatre, Attercliffe. R.L. Productions present the Show of Shows Variety with a Punch: Jack Doyle, Boxing, Radio, Stage, Film and Wrestling Star, Sandy Daw, Comedian, The Seanor Trio, Contortionists, Hamilton Kaye, Deceptionist, Hilda Gregory and Lyn Andres, Let’s Dance, Vera Denman, Accordion Player, Laurie Watson, It’s that Manikin, The Rosinas, Sensation in Mid-Air. Printed by: Geo. Allen, printer, Brimington, Chesterfield. Red and...
Dates: Week Commencing 24 April 1950

Palace Theatre, Attercliffe Poster, April 1950

 Item — Box Hamilton Kaye Box 1: Series 178R29; Series 178T9; Series 178K28; Series 178I14; Series 178Z30
Reference code: 178R29.1
Scope and Contents Poster of the programme of performances at the Palace Theatre, Attercliffe, for week commencing 24 April 1950. Text reads, "R.L. Productions present the Show of Shows Variety with a Punch: Jack Doyle - Boxing, Radio, Stage, Film and Wrestling Star, Sandy Daw - Comedian, The Seanor Trio - Contortionists, Hamilton Kaye - Deceptionist, Hilda Gregory and Lyn Andres - Let’s Dance, Vera Denman - Accordion Player, Laurie Watson - It’s that Manikin, The Rosinas - Sensation in Mid-Air." Printed by:...
Dates: April 1950

Palace Theatre, Attercliffe Programme, Week Commencing Monday 24 April 1950

 Item — Box Hamilton Kaye Box 1: Series 178R29; Series 178T9; Series 178K28; Series 178I14; Series 178Z30
Reference code: 178K28.3
Scope and Contents

Programme for performances at Palace Theatre, Attercliffe, Sheffield. Hilda Gregory and Lynn Andrews, Let’s Dance, Laurie Watson, Ventriloquist, Hamilton Kaye, Vera Denman, Accordion Player, The Rosinas, Acrobats, Laurie Watson, ‘It’s That Manikin’, Sandy Daw, Comedian, Jack Doyle, Singer, The Seanor Trio, Acro-Contortionists. Illustrated cover, 8pp.

Dates: Week Commencing Monday 24 April 1950

Palace Theatre, Attercliffe Programme, Week Commencing Monday 24 April 1950

 Item — Box Hamilton Kaye Box 1: Series 178R29; Series 178T9; Series 178K28; Series 178I14; Series 178Z30
Reference code: 178K28.4
Scope and Contents

Programme for performances at Palace Theatre, Attercliffe, Sheffield. Hilda Gregory and Lynn Andrews, Let’s Dance, Laurie Watson, Ventriloquist, Hamilton Kaye, Vera Denman, Accordion Player, The Rosinas, Acrobats, Laurie Watson, ‘It’s That Manikin’, Sandy Daw, Comedian, Jack Doyle, Singer, The Seanor Trio, Acro-Contortionists. Illustrated cover, 8pp.

Dates: Week Commencing Monday 24 April 1950

Palace Theatre, Attercliffe Programme, Week Commencing 7 July 1952

 Item — Box Hamilton Kaye Box 1: Series 178R29; Series 178T9; Series 178K28; Series 178I14; Series 178Z30
Reference code: 178K28.5
Scope and Contents

Programme for performances at Palace Theatre, Attercliffe, Sheffield. Four Jays and June, Charm and Personality, Hamilton Kaye, The Magical Funster, Jack Grieve, Comedian, Campbell and Rogerson, Spirit of the Carnival, Nippy, the World’s Cleverest Dog, Archie Lewis, West Indian recording and Radio Star, Swifty, Trick Cyclist. Illustrated cover, 8pp.

Dates: Week Commencing 7 July 1952

Photograph of Red Hills Productions' Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, December 1945

 Item — Box Hamilton Kaye Box 1: Series 178R29; Series 178T9; Series 178K28; Series 178I14; Series 178Z30
Reference code: 178Z30.11
Scope and Contents

Printed photograph of the Red Hills Productions staging of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, Christmas 1945.

Dates: December 1945

Photographs, c1930 - 1949

 Series — Box Hamilton Kaye Box 2: Series 178C132.1-23
Reference code: 178C132.1-23
Scope and Contents

Black and white photographs of Hamilton Kaye performing, including images from when he was a teenager and an image of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves pantomime, in which he performed. Photographs also include: nine photographs of Hamilton Kaye; two photographs of other magicians; and one digitised gag book.

Dates: c1930 - 1949

Posters, c1950 - 1954

 Series
Reference code: 178R29
Scope and Contents

Posters for various performances showcasing Hamilton Kaye amongst other performers, from the early 1950s.

Dates: c1950 - 1954

Programmes, 1938 - 2000

 Series
Reference code: 178K28
Scope and Contents

A range of programmes for performances involving magic, as well as other variety performances.

Dates: 1938 - 2000

Ronald Kaye and Assistant Stationery, c1950

 Item — Box Hamilton Kaye Box 1: Series 178R29; Series 178T9; Series 178K28; Series 178I14; Series 178Z30
Reference code: 178Z30.2
Scope and Contents

Stationery for Ronald [Hamilton] Kaye and assistant, circa 1950.

Dates: c1950

Sheffield Empire Programme, Week Commencing Monday 4 July 1938

 Item — Box Hamilton Kaye Box 1: Series 178R29; Series 178T9; Series 178K28; Series 178I14; Series 178Z30
Reference code: 178K28.6
Scope and Contents

Featuring Dante "Master of Mystery", 4pp.

Dates: Week Commencing Monday 4 July 1938

Sheffield Empire Programme, Week Commencing Monday 28 April 1947

 Item — Box Hamilton Kaye Box 1: Series 178R29; Series 178T9; Series 178K28; Series 178I14; Series 178Z30
Reference code: 178K28.7
Scope and Contents

Featuring Dante, the Danish American magician. Illustrated cover, 8pp.

Dates: Week Commencing Monday 28 April 1947

Starlight, Victoria Hall, Sheffield Poster, Saturday 13 March c1954

 Item — Box Hamilton Kaye Box 1: Series 178R29; Series 178T9; Series 178K28; Series 178I14; Series 178Z30
Reference code: 178R29.3
Scope and Contents

Poster for Starlight, a performance by the Sheffield City Police Male Voice Choir, Hamilton Kaye, and others at Victoria Hall, Sheffield. Blue print.

Dates: Saturday 13 March c1954

Thank You Letter for Hamilton Kaye from June Bostock, 29 December 1956

 Item — Box Hamilton Kaye Box 1: Series 178R29; Series 178T9; Series 178K28; Series 178I14; Series 178Z30
Reference code: 178Z30.6
Scope and Contents

Thank you letter dated 29 December 1956 from June Bostock to Hamilton Kaye for his performance.

Dates: 29 December 1956

Thank You Letter for Ron Kay from Major-General Wilson, June 1946

 Item — Box Hamilton Kaye Box 1: Series 178R29; Series 178T9; Series 178K28; Series 178I14; Series 178Z30
Reference code: 178Z30.7
Scope and Contents

Thank you letter dated June 1946 from Major-General Wilson to Ron Kay[e] for performances given during the Second World War.

Dates: June 1946

The Big Top Magic Show Postcard, c1970 - 1989

 Item — Box Hamilton Kaye Box 1: Series 178R29; Series 178T9; Series 178K28; Series 178I14; Series 178Z30
Reference code: 178I14.9
Scope and Contents

Postcard for magician Geoffrey Newton for the Big Top Magic Show, '"A Treat for Children," circa 1970s - 1980s; black and white photograph.

Dates: c1970 - 1989

The Fascinating Deceptionist Hamilton Kaye Advertising Card, c1950 - 1959

 Item — Box Hamilton Kaye Box 1: Series 178R29; Series 178T9; Series 178K28; Series 178I14; Series 178Z30
Reference code: 178I14.10
Scope and Contents

Advertising card for "the Fascinating Deceptionist" magician Hamilton Kaye, circa 1950s, with black and white photograph.

Dates: c1950 - 1959

The Fascinating Deceptionist Hamilton Kaye Promotional Flyer, c1950 - 1959

 Item — Box Hamilton Kaye Box 1: Series 178R29; Series 178T9; Series 178K28; Series 178I14; Series 178Z30
Reference code: 178I14.6
Scope and Contents

Promotional flyer for "the Fascinating Deceptionist" Hamilton Kaye, circa 1950s, with photograph.

Dates: c1950 - 1959