Binnie Hale Press Scrapbooks

This material is held atV&A Theatre and Performance Collections

  • Reference
    • GB 71 THM/8
  • Dates of Creation
    • 1923 - 1940
  • Name of Creator
  • Language of Material
    • English
  • Physical Description
    • 6 scrapbooks

Scope and Content

Predominantly filled with text based press cuttings, these six scrapbooks also feature many images cut out from newspapers, journals and programmes. As well as reviews and publications regarding Binnie Hale’s performances, there are also a small number of fan letters and other correspondence.

Administrative / Biographical History

Binnie Hale (1899-1984) previously named Beatrice Mary Hale-Munro, was a leading star of London’s 1920s musical comedy circuit. Her career spanned from the early twenties to the early forties and she was an accomplished actress and singer.

Born into a Liverpool-Irish family, she came from a theatrical background with her father and brother being the actors Robert and Sonnie Hale. She made her first professional debut when she was sixteen in 1916 at the Liverpool Empire.

She went on to have a career that was full of variety with the actress starring in musical theatre, musical comedy, revues, vaudeville and pantomime. Along with her stage performances, she was also a talented chanteuse with her song Spread The Happiness recorded from the 1929 musical Mr Cinders winning her notable fame and success.

Arrangement

The scrapbooks are bound into six volumes with each displaying material chronologically:

  • Volume I: 1923 - 1927
  • Volume II: 1926 - 1930
  • Volume III: 1930 (cont.) - 1932
  • Volume IV: 1933 - 1936
  • Volume V: 1936 (cont.) - 1937
  • Volume VI: 1938 - 1940

Access Information

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.

Physical Characteristics and/or Technical Requirements

Some of the contents in the scrapbooks are loose and all volumes are fragile.

Conditions Governing Use

Information on copying and commercial reproduction may be found here: http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/a/archives/.

Related Material

See also the core collections of the V&A Department of Theatre and Performance. Material relating to Binnie Hale may be found in several collections, including the production and biographical files.

Please ask for details.