Gitana, Gertie (1887 - 1957)
Dates
- Existence: 27 December 1887 - 5 January 1957
Biography
British music hall entertainer born Gertrude Mary Astbury in Longport, Stoke-on-Trent. Her father was a pottery works foreman and her mother a teacher.
Gertie started to perform from the age of four with Tomkinson's 'Royal Gipsy Children' and sometimes she was billed as 'The Staffordshire Cinderella'.
She made her professional debut in 1896 at The Tivoli in Barrow-in-Furness and within the next four years, still a child, Gertie featured at the Argyle Theatre in Birkinhead and in London. Aged seventeen, Gertie topped the bill for the first time at The Ardwick Empire at Manchester.
During the First World War Gertie became the Forces' sweetheart and often entertained wounded soldiers in hospitals.
After the war, she appeared in pantomime and later in a Royal Command Performance.
Gertie married variety performer, agent and circus proprietor Don Ross in 1928.
Gertie retired in 1938 and returned to the stage ten years later for two years, until her final retirement in 1950 at The Empress Theatre in Brixton.
Gertie died of cancer on 5 January 1957 in Hampstead, London and is buried in Wigston Cemetery, Leicestershire.
Found in 3 Collections and/or Records:
Argyle Theatre Collection
This collection contains a large number of posters as well as business records including records of artist bookings, accounts, scrapbooks, contracts and correspondence.
Argyle Theatre of Varieties Poster, 3 October 1910
Argyle Theatre of Varieties, Birkenhead. Gertie Gitana Vocalist, Mike S. Whallen Comedian and Raconteur, The 4 Vagabonds Comedy Quartettte, Milner and Storey Comedy, Frances McNulty, Bros. Ashley Comedy Boxing Sketch, Dick Geldard Light Comedian, Brown’s Royal Bioscope, H.O. Wills Comedian. Printed by S. Griffith and Co, Printers, Liverpool. Blue and red type.
Posters, c1880 - 1940
Large collection of Argyle Theatre posters.