This collection contains materials relating to the lives and stage careers of the actress, comedienne and musical comedy performer Felicia Firmin and her husband, actor Roy Lorraine. Includes programmes, playbills, photographs, postcards, correspondence, contracts, cuttings, a music manuscript, a diary and a selection of personal ephemera.
The collection also contains a number of materials relating to Reg and Amy Lorraine, who may have been related to Roy Lorraine.
The earliest references to Felicia Firmin's performing career within this collection mention her appearing in concerts as early as 1904, billed as 'Little Felice'. Other line-ups have Firmin listed variously as 'Little Felicia' and 'Felicia Blackley'. Throughout her career she regularly appeared in pantomime and in the chorus of musical shows as well as taking part in concert parties (popular in Britain from the 1920s to 1940s, concert parties originated from the French Pierrot shows and consisted of travelling shows with a mixture of comedy, songs and dance, often performed at seaside venues); specifically with a Pierrot show in 1910 and in various entertainments during the First World War. Later she would play roles such as Pekoe in Aladdin and in 1912 she toured England with Charley's Aunt, playing the role of Ela.
In 1904 'Master Roy Lorraine' sailed with Edward Terry's Company to New York, and appeared with him there in the following year at the Princess's Theatre in New York. In 1918 he produced and appeared in a pantomime at the Opera House in Camiers, France.
By 1920 Firmin and Lorraine were managers of the Harmony Concert Party.
This collection has been arranged into the following series:
This archive collection is available for consultation in the V&A Blythe House Archive and Library Study Room by appointment only. Full details of access arrangements may be found here: http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/a/archives/ .
Access to some of the material may be restricted. These are noted in the catalogue where relevant.
Gift
Information on copying and commercial reproduction may be found here: http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/a/archives/ .
This collection was appraised in line with the collection management policy. A number of unrelated production programmes have been removed from the collection.
No further accruals are expected.
