Miss Gabrielle Ray

I bought two postcards that were posted in 1905 to a couple of people who lived in Rochdale. I was more intrigued by the addresses and the person who was pictured on the postcard.

I looked up Gabrielle Ray who was a dancer, singer and actress during the Edwardian period and turned out to be the most photographed lady in the UK and known through out the world at the time at her peak. I do not usually bother with the subject of actresses from this period but her story is one of greatness and tragedy.

Looking at the photographs you can understand why she was highly regarded with her natural beauty and captivated by the photographs at the time.

Born in Cheadle in 1883 and had a stage career that lasted 33 years, but died in 1973 in a Mental Health Hospital after suffering more than 40 years with mental health problems. Also she had a sister whos career was just blossoming but also died at a young age in tragic circumstancies. Both so beautiful and yet both stories so tragic.

Interesting how people were captivated by the then celebrities of the time and in some ways compare them with some celebrities we have in the news today. A life of greatness and then tragedy

Also interesting to see which celebrity some people of Rochdale were talking about in 1905.

It would appear there are a lot of Gabrielle Ray postcards that are very collectable.

Yes there are Tinkerbell. I was more interested of the two postcards that were addressed to people who live in Rochdale. One to Milkstone Road and one to Yorkshire Street.

I see loads of photographs of actors of the period at various postcard fairs but was intriged by the two posted to Rochdale. Also captivated how beautiful she was. I have heard of her but I thought I must look up her story.

Never paid much attention to celebrities of the period but interesting to compare stories then and the celebrities we see now.

Though you can understand why she was much sought after for photographs..

She has a look of Mabel Normand, the American silent film actress. she was a friend of Charlie Chaplin, born in 1892 and died in a sanitarium in 1930 (or thereabouts)

The Music Hall celebrities of the period are fascinating. I have always had a huge interest in these things. my great grandfather was a music hall artiste.

Hello.

So talent runs through your family then. Interesting. What his name or did he use a stage name?

If you do not mind me asking Tinkerbell?

Not sure but he was called Thomas Harrison Stretton (the latter being my maiden name) and played the violin. My Grandfather and his siblings were abandoned as children and brought up in an orphanage.

Do you know where your Grandfather would have been born Tinkerbell?
I did a search to see if I could find a stage name for him and came across this;

Sarah Ann married Thomas Harrison Stretton Mar 1890 Nottingham 7b 305
1891 RG12/2696 fol.144 p.18 4 Stokes Place, Nottingham
Thomas H. Stretton head mar 24 Frilling Warehouseman Nottingham
Sarah Ann " wife " 22 Warwicks Coventry

Flippin' 'eck charly. That's him. They came from Nottinghamshire which is where the name (and place) Stretton comes from. As for a stage name I don't know. As i said he and his wife abandoned their children.they were found by a neighbour and taken to Crumpsall Workhouse and later to a Catholic orphanage in Swinton. The family weren't catholic but the neighbour was. After that My Grandad and his siblings were lifelong catholics.Great Grandad turned up at the orphanage some years later with another woman. He probably wasn't a big shout on the boards, but he was there and I suppose it's where I get the Bohemian tag.

The family moved up to Newton Heath. My Grandad was born in 1900 and was called Horace Tansley Stretton.He died in 1986 in Blackpool.

My father was born in Newton Heath in 1903.
I cant seem to trace him back much further than his dad.
My half sister lost her mum at about 4 years old so didn't know much about her maternal ancestors, I managed to trace her mums side back to 1767.
It is fascinating some of the details that are documented i.e they lived in a 3 roomed house with windows
I guess this was around the time of the window tax and the origin of the saying daylight robbery

My Mum does all the genealogy stuff. I'd love to get into it but time is the problem. My paternal Grandmother was born in Collyhurst in 1901 and was the eldest of eight children. they went to St patrick's school and church on Livesey Street. I was bon in Blackley and lived there till i was ten when we moved to Blackpool. I came to Rochdale in 1978 and married John in 1979.My parents still live in Blackpool. I am proud of my working class Mancunian background. My parents always wanted to rise above it. my mum always said that those with no imagination move to Alkrington, so they went to Blackpool instead.I still love them to bits.

My better half traced her family line on her Mothers side all the way back to the Lake district in the 1700s. What was biggest shock was seeing all the buildings still standing where they all lived. A lot converted now to flats etc, but you can immagine the sort of conditions they lived in.

Done some of my family tree and found how rich some of my Mother side was for the times. Owning shops around a town. Though more to do yet.

Anyway after a couple of more old pictures this weekend from a dealer.

Tinkerbell I was just asking about your Grandfather to see if he was well known at the time and there might have been a chance of seeing any old photographs of him on stage. Just thought there might something about him on the website. Funny what turns up sometime.
s.