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Dear Reader

Dear Reader #188

Dear Reader,

Clara Bow’s twenty-seventh movie was The Best Bad Man, released by Fox, November 29, 1925. Clara played Peggy Swain. A co-star was ‘Tony the Wonder Horse’ who played himself.

Loaned out by B.P. Schulberg, Clara was hopelessly miscast as a frontier gal in a vehicle for cowboy star Tom Mix. After the success of Clara’s previous movie, The Plastic Age, The Best Bad Man was a backward step.

B.P. Schulberg was a ‘dollars and cents’ producer with no real feel for artistry or a person’s career. Schulberg helped Clara to become a star, but without his help she would have become a star sooner.

Why did Clara Bow quit Hollywood at the height of her fame? I believe there were numerous reasons, and I will explore them in a future article. Certainly, Hollywood did not abandon Clara. The offers continued to roll in. They included three offers for long-term contracts with major film companies ranging from $100,000 to $175,000 per picture, an offer of $150,000 plus a percentage for one picture, and two profit-sharing offers from independent producers. Clara also rejected product endorsements, radio shows, personal appearances and Broadway productions, turning her back on $10,000 – $20,000 a week.

My latest translations, the Dutch version of Operation Sherlock, book five in my Eve’s War Heroines of SOE series, and the Afrikaans version of Love and Bullets, book two in my Sam Smith Mystery Series.

My 10 x great grandparents Thomas Papillon and Jane Brodnax.

In 1667, Thomas was in Breda, Holland as a representative of the East India Company to observe progress in the Treaty of Peace between England and Holland. Thomas exchanged a number of letters with Jane. Her letters survived and have been transcribed. 

In this letter of May 31, 1667, Jane talks about their children: Elizabeth, Philip, Sarah and Ann Mary/Anna Maria, my direct ancestor.

Later in the letter, Jane requests that Thomas returns home with some fresh linen. And “a little cheese.”

My 5 x great grandmother Grace Austin was born on 22 July 1786 in Barking, Essex and baptised on 20 August 1786 in St Margaret’s, Barking (pictured, Wikipedia). She was the fourth born of eight children. Her family lived in relative comfort although, in common with many females of her time, she was not taught how to read and write.

My 5 x great grandparents Samuel Axe and Grace Austin married on 22 September 1803 in Saint Luke Old Street, Finsbury, London (pictured, Wikipedia). Both bride and groom were seventeen years old. Grace’s parents, Isaac Austin and Mary Chetwynd, were also seventeen when they married. Maybe seventeen was the family’s lucky number.

Married to Samuel Axe, between 1805 and 1821 my 5 x great grandmother Grace Austin gave birth to eight children. However, in September 1815, Samuel had an affair with Maria Hammant. We know this because Maria claimed parish relief for her baby. Grace forgave Samuel and gave birth to two more children.

On 25 July 1823, at the age of 37, my 5 x great grandmother Grace Austin died. Her birthing pattern suggests that she was due to give birth to her ninth child, so maybe that was a factor. Grace was buried in Bunhill Fields, Islington (pictured, Wikipedia) alongside such notables as John Bunyan, Daniel Defoe and Susanna Wesley. The common factor: nonconformity. This branch of my family, along with many others, was very strong on nonconformity.

My 6 x great grandmother Mary Chetwynd was born on 7 June 1759 in Barking, Essex and baptised three days later in St Margaret’s, Barking. On 30 January 1777, Mary married Isaac Austin in St Margaret’s. Mary gave birth to at least eight children. 

Mary lived on Paradise Street, just south of the River Thames. In his maps of London, Charles Booth described Paradise Street as a ‘well-to-do, middle-class’ street.

Mary died on 25 July 1823, five days after her daughter, Grace, died. Almost certainly, Grace’s death was a factor in Mary’s death. Mother and daughter were buried alongside each other in the nonconformist graveyard of Bunhill Fields, Islington.

My latest article for the Seaside News, about Gloria Swanson, features on page 35 of the magazine.

It’s a Wonderful Life 50% v 50% Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
It’s a Wonderful Life won on tie-break

Some Like it Hot 57% v 43% Touch of Evil

On the Waterfront 57% v 43% From Here to Eternity

The Grapes of Wrath 59% v 41% Midnight Cowboy

The General 53% v 47% Fantasia

To Kill a Mockingbird 51% v 49% The Philadelphia Story

The Graduate 42% v 58% The Manchurian Candidate

I’m exploring the life and career of Virginia Cherrill, the person who, along with Charlie Chaplin, delivered the “Greatest single piece of acting ever committed to celluloid.”

When she was seventeen, Virginia caught the eye of a handsome young lawyer, Irving Adler. Irving invited her to dances and the theatre. From a high-society Chicago family and with good prospects, Irving had a lot going for him. He proposed marriage, repeatedly, and eventually Virginia said, “yes”.

In the summer of 1926 Virginia and Irving married in secret, often a portent of things to come. Sheltered by an over-protective mother, Virginia’s wedding night came as a shock to her, and the events of that night set the tone for her marriage. 

Irving was often away on business. Lonely, and after seventeen months of marriage, Virginia admitted her mistake. She sought a divorce and on 25 November 1927 made her way west, to friends in Hollywood.

I’m researching material for Sunshine, the second book in my Golden Age of Hollywood series. Sunshine is the nickname of the main character, Abigail Summer. The story is set between 1938 and 1946. 

The theme song for the novel, so to speak, is “You Are My Sunshine”. The Pine Ridge Boys (Marvin Taylor and Doug Spivey) recorded the song on August 22, 1939, and released it on October 6, 1939 for Bluebird Records. Here’s the iconic recording.

This week’s featured title: Sunshine, book two in my Golden Age of Hollywood series.

As ever, thank you for your interest and support.

Hannah xxx

For Authors

#1 for value with 565,000 readers, The Fussy Librarian has helped my books to reach #1 on 36 occasions.

A special offer from my publisher and the Fussy Librarian. https://authors.thefussylibrarian.com/?ref=goylake

Don’t forget to use the code goylake20 to claim your discount 🙂

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Dear Reader

Dear Reader #187

Dear Reader,

Filmed during the summer of 1925 and released on December 15, 1925, Clara Bow’s twenty-sixth movie was The Plastic Age, a breakthrough movie professionally and personally. Clara played Cynthia Day in a tale of “flaming youth in rebellion”. 

With a bigger budget and a decent director, Wesley Ruggles, Clara was offered a chance to shine. And she did to the extent that through this movie she became a major star.

When the film company travelled to Pomona College in Claremont for location shooting, male extras, including Clark Gable, greeted Clara’s appearance each morning with wolf whistles. She captivated everyone on the set, and movie audiences when The Plastic Age went on general release.

In addition, Clara also enjoyed her “first really big love experience” with her co-star, Luis Antonio Damaso de Alonso who was billed in this, and future movies, as Gilbert Roland. 

The Plastic Age revealed Clara’s potential. She was on the road to stardom, with all that that entailed.

Clara Bow Quotes: “I’ve been back in Hollywood a dozen times since the first baby was born, but with no thought of going back into the studio again. For some time to come, I want to concentrate on being a mother.”

In 1637, aged 14, my 10 x great grandfather Thomas Papillon was apprenticed to Thomas Chambrelan, a London merchant. A year later, Thomas was admitted to the Worshipful Mercers’ Company. In 1646, he became a Freeman of the City, but remained with Chambrelan until 1650. 

For political reasons, Thomas was committed to Newgate prison, being released only after a character reference supplied by Thomas Chambrelan, and a large bond provided by his uncle, Pompeo Calandrini.

🖼 Thomas Papillon as a young man, portrait attributed to Robert Walker.

My 10 x great grandparents Thomas Papillon MP and Jane Brodnax married, in Canterbury Cathedral, on 30 October 1651. Together they had 8 children.

David (Died young)
Thomas (Died young)
Jane (Died young)
Anne (Died young)
Elizabeth (Married Edward Ward)
Philip (Married Anne Jolliffe)
Sarah (Married Samuel Rawstorn)
Anne-Marie (Married William Turner) – my 9 x great grandparents.

It’s a curious fact that many of my ancestors were the last born in their family.

My 10 x great grandfather Thomas Papillon enjoyed an illustrious career as a businessman and MP. From 1653, he worked on various customs and excise cases such as the import of lead and the duties payable on brandy. He became a keen investor in the East India Company. Also, he was made master of the Mercers’ Company on no fewer than four occasions. 

In 1667, Thomas travelled to Breda in Holland as a representative of the East India Company to observe progress in the Treaty of Peace between England and Holland. By 1669 he was an active member of the council of trade, advising the government on mercantile affairs. 

Politically, Thomas was a Whig. He was elected MP for Dover 1674-81 and for London 1695-1700. He was known as an effective speaker, and sat on 68 committees. 

In 1689, William III made Thomas a commissioner for the relief of French refugees. Descended from refugees, this office meant a lot to him.

🖼 Westminster, c1700.

In his will, my 10 x great grandfather Thomas Papillon left legacies to his children. He also left significant sums to: Christ’s Hospital, the Mercers’ Company, the apprentices of Dover, the poor of his parish of St. Katherine Coleman, London, the poor of the French Church in London, and his servants.

Throughout his life, Thomas appropriated one tenth of all his income to the poor.

Mastodon Movie Poll, Round Two latest results

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre 59% v 41% Frankenstein

Vertigo 76% v 24% It Happened One Night

The Best Years of Our Lives 34% v 66% Spartacus

The Wizard of Oz 59% v 41% All About Eve

The Bridge on the River Kwai 78% v 22% Rebel Without a Cause

City Lights 42% v 58% Duck Soup

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs 62% v 38% An American in Paris

Her greatest role was as the Blind Flower Girl in Charlie Chaplin’s City Lights, but who was Virginia Cherrill? Through her genealogy, movie career, and public records I intend to find out and shed some light on the person who, in the opinion of film critic James Agee, delivered with Chaplin, “The greatest single piece of acting ever committed to celluloid.”

Virginia Cherrill was born on 12 April 1908 in Illinois to James Edward Cherrill, a dealer in livestock, and Blanche Wilcox. The couple married because Blanche was pregnant. She gave birth to a daughter, Sydney Rose, who sadly died in 1908, a month before Virginia was born. James was a womaniser and, in due course, Blanche obtained a divorce.

During her childhood, Virginia was known as Dolly. She lived with her mother, and with uncles and grandparents. At school, she befriended Evelyn Lederer, who changed her name to Sue Carol when she became an actress. Later, Sue became an agent and married Alan Ladd.

More next week.

As ever, thank you for your interest and support.

Hannah xxx

For Authors

#1 for value with 565,000 readers, The Fussy Librarian has helped my books to reach #1 on 36 occasions.

A special offer from my publisher and the Fussy Librarian. https://authors.thefussylibrarian.com/?ref=goylake

Don’t forget to use the code goylake20 to claim your discount 🙂

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Dear Reader

Dear Reader #186

Dear Reader,

Clara Bow’s twenty-fifth movie was Free to Love, released on November 20, 1925. Clara played Marie Anthony, a woman falsely accused of murder. Producer B.P. Schulberg was still content to churn out movies at pace – he reduced the shooting time from three weeks to two – rather than focus on quality. A shame, because Free to Love’s noirish plot – before noir was ‘invented’ – had something going for it.

My 9 x great grandmother Anna Maria Papillon, 1668 – 1738, gave birth to ten children. Only three of those children – William, Anna Maria (my direct ancestor) and Elizabeth survived into adulthood. I don’t know how Anna Maria’s heart and mind survived. The picture depicts a memorial to her children.

I have a number of rogues on my family tree – indeed, one branch of my family were regulars at the Old Bailey – but this obituary suggests that my 9 x great grandmother Anna Maria Papillon, 1668 – 1738, was a lovely person. She offered charity to the poor and benevolence to all, and possessed a “lovely character”.

Pictured, my 10 x great grandmother Jane Brodnax, born 16 March 1627 in Godmersham, Kent. On 30 October 1651, Jane married Thomas Papillon MP in Canterbury Cathedral. The couple had eight children. The first four died young, the second four, including my ancestor Anna Maria, eighth born, survived. Jane was a great letter writer, and a number of her letters also survived. I’m looking forward to reading them 🙂

My 10 x great grandfather Thomas Papillon MP was born on 6 September 1623 in Roehampton House, Putney, London to David Papillon and Anne Marie Calandrini. Of French Protestant Huguenot origin, his family arrived in Britain as refugees. Thomas never forgot his roots and, although he later acquired great wealth, he was mindful to care for the poor.

Acrise Place, Kent, home of my 10 x great grandparents Thomas Papillon MP and Jane Brodnax. The couple purchased the house in 1666. Jane managed this property and another in Fenchurch Street while Thomas was – frequently – away on political and economic business.

I’m organising the Golden Age of Hollywood Mastodon Mega Movie Poll. Here are the results from the Second Round, Week One. Voted for by the movie lovers of Mastodon.

Citizen Kane 51% v 49% The Third Man

Bonnie and Clyde 49% v 51% A Streetcar Named Desire

Casablanca 78% v 22% The Apartment

King Kong 76% v 24% Shane

Singin’ in the Rain 72% v 28% West Side Story

The Sound of Music 41% v 59% Modern Times

Gone with the Wind 63% v 37% Wuthering Heights

Dr Strangelove 81% v 19% White Christmas

Lawrence of Arabia 93% v 7% Elmer Gantry

Clara Bow Quotes: “When the weeks turned into months and the duties of the ranch and of guiding the baby’s first steps came, I completely forgot I had ever been a movie actress, believe it or not, until a souvenir hunter came along.”

As ever, thank you for your interest and support.

Hannah xxx

For Authors

#1 for value with 565,000 readers, The Fussy Librarian has helped my books to reach #1 on 36 occasions.

A special offer from my publisher and the Fussy Librarian. https://authors.thefussylibrarian.com/?ref=goylake

Don’t forget to use the code goylake20 to claim your discount 🙂

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Dear Reader

Dear Reader #185

Dear Reader,

My books are available in a number of languages, including Spanish, French, German, Italian, Bulgarian, Dutch, Portuguese, Afrikaans and Swedish. And now a new language for my stories with the translation of my Eve’s War Heroines of SOE series into Hindi.

Clara Bow’s twenty-fourth movie was The Keeper of the Bees, a silent drama released on September 19, 1925 at Salt Lake City. The movie went on general release on October 18, 1925.

The promotional blurb: “Joseph P. Kennedy presents Clara Bow in her greatest emotional triumph!” However, Variety stated: “Clara Bow acts all over the lot and aside from weeping (her specialty) and swirling around, does little.” 

At this stage of her career, B.P. Schulberg was still farming Clara out to substandard productions.

I’m organising the Golden Age of Hollywood Mastodon Mega Movie Poll. Here are the results from Week Three.

Voted for by the movie lovers of Mastodon.

The format: 32 movies seeded and selected by the American Film Institute receive a bye to Round Two.

Round One: 64 movies selected by Mastodon movie lovers, matched when possible by era and genre.

My Man Godfrey 39% v 61% The Thin Man

Rebel Without a Cause 64% v 36% Sweet Smell of Success

All About Eve 76% v 24% A Face in the Crowd

It Happened One Night 69% v 31% The Lady Eve

Stagecoach 54 % v 46% The Searchers

Frankenstein 80% v 20% Mutiny on the Bounty

The Jungle Book 49% v 51% Fantasia

Meet John Doe 75% v 25% This Happy Breed

Intolerance 13% v 87% Sunrise

The Awful Truth 13% v 87% His Girl Friday

I’ve traced the Axe branch of my family back from Jane Esther, born 1812, to John, born 1670. All ancestors on this branch were educated, literate and married merchants, captains in the navy, daughters of lawyers, etc. Although often faced with the challenges of life, all did well for themselves and their families.

Jane Esther managed her family’s financial affairs, Samuel, born illegitimate, was a property developer, while the three Johns were Freemen of the City of London and traded as tallow chandlers. Crucially, for further research, Ann, her father John and grandfather John were Non-Conformists. Going back in time, the story is about to get ***very*** interesting.

My 8 x great grandmother Anna Maria Turner was born on 12 October 1696 and baptised on 1 November 1696 in Canterbury, Kent. Her parents: William Turner and Anna Maria Papillon. Her denomination: French Protestant. Anna Maria’s grandfather, David Papillon (c.1581-1659) arrived in Kent from Dijon, France, escaping religious persecution.

On 25 April 1720, my 8 x great grandmother Anna Maria Turner married John Axe in St Margaret’s, Lee, Kent. Between 1722 and 1731 Anna Maria gave birth to five children: Ann, John (my direct ancestor), George, Richard and Turner. George joined the Royal Navy as a gunner. Ann married a prosperous coal merchant. John continued the family business as a chandler.

📸 Remains of the tower of the former Church of St Margaret in the Old Churchyard (Wikipedia).

My 9 x great grandfather William Turner was born on 1 December 1660 in Canterbury, Kent. His mother, Elizabeth Brodnax, died when he was seven, so a tough start in life. The key to understanding this branch of my family is the entry that accompanies them in the church records, “French Protestant.” Faced with religious persecution in France, they sought sanctuary in Kent.

On 14 August 1689 my 9 x great grandparents William Turner and Anna Maria Papillon married in Canterbury, Kent. French Protestants, their families had fled religious persecution in France. 

William became a lawyer. When he died on 24 September 1729, the following words were written about him: “That excellent man, William Turner, gent. A man exceedingly remarkable in his piety, benevolence and compassion towards God, men, his own family. 

Highly expert in English municipal law, abundantly eloquent in conducting law cases, a loyal patron of his clients. Mourned with sadness by everyone and particularly his own family.”

Clara Bow Quotes: “The first few months when I moved up to the ranch and Rex and I began to build our home there, I was dreadfully lonely. I did miss the studios and the hustle and bustle of the sets; I missed the autograph hunters and the crowds. You can’t just turn your back on a career and forget it in a moment. But I did find that being a wife and planning a home was quite the most wonderful job in the world.”

As ever, thank you for your interest and support.

Hannah xxx

For Authors

#1 for value with 565,000 readers, The Fussy Librarian has helped my books to reach #1 on 36 occasions.

A special offer from my publisher and the Fussy Librarian. https://authors.thefussylibrarian.com/?ref=goylake

Don’t forget to use the code goylake20 to claim your discount 🙂


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Dear Reader

Dear Reader #184

Dear Reader,

Clara Bow’s twenty-third movie was The Primrose Path, produced during the summer of 1925 and released on September 15, 1925. Clara played Marilyn Merrill. For this movie, Clara was on ‘loan-out’, a common occurrence for contract players. 

The Primrose Path was classified as a ‘daily change’ movie, a movie that played in a theatre for one day then moved on to another town. In other words, it wasn’t very good.

At this stage of her career, Clara was overworked – sixteen movies in eighteen months – and underpaid, but she was making progress. In June 1925, she appeared on the cover of Motion Picture Classic, her first cover feature. The accompanying article stated: “The truth is, little Clara Bow shows alarming symptoms of becoming the sensation of the year in Hollywood. There is something vital and compelling in her presence. She is the spirit of youth. She is Young America rampant, the symbol of flapperdom.”

I’m organising the Golden Age of Hollywood Mastodon Mega Movie Poll. Here are the results from Week Three.

Voted for by the movie lovers of Mastodon

The format: 32 movies seeded and selected by the American Film Institute receive a bye to Round Two.

Round One: 64 movies selected by Mastodon movie lovers, matched when possible by era and genre.

The African Queen 90% v 10% I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang

South Pacific 40% v 60% White Christmas

Touch of Evil 54% v 46% 12 Angry Men

A Night at the Opera 28% v 72% Duck Soup

Shane 50% v 50% The Quiet Man

Shane won on AFI tie-break

A Matter of Life and Death 28% v 72% Wuthering Heights

Elmer Gantry 63% v 27% Trapeze

Point Blank 25% v 75% The Manchurian Candidate

Look who just appeared on my family tree, notorious outlaws Jesse and Frank James. Our common ancestor is William John James, 1570 – 1627. This branch of my family goes back to Dirk Jacobsz Van Haastrecht, born c1470 in the Netherlands.

My 5 x great grandfather Samuel Axe was an ‘esquire’, a property developer in late 1700s-early 1800s London. He had a wife, eight children and a mistress who on one occasion was pregnant at the same time as his wife. Yet, Samuel was ‘base born’, his father not acknowledged. How did his mother, Ann, find the resources to help him start his property developing career? I shall endeavour to find out…

My 6 x great grandmother, Ann Axe, was baptised on 1 October 1756 in St Alfege Church, Greenwich, Kent. Her parents were John Axe and Sarah. As a teenager, Ann gave birth to my 5 x great grandfather, Samuel Axe. Samuel’s father was not acknowledged. As watermen and excise officers on the Thames, compared to many, the Axes enjoyed a comfortable lifestyle. And the surviving records suggest that Ann enjoyed her family’s support.

On 7 July 1778, aged twenty-two, my 6 x great grandmother Ann Axe, married Owen Griffiths. The couple married by special license through a ‘Marriage Allegation and Bond’. These licenses allowed for fast, private marriages. The reasons for such marriages were numerous, but on this occasion it would appear that Owen, a mariner, was about to set sail on his ship.

Owen had to pledge £200 should any fault be found in the legality of the marriage, a huge sum in 1778. Supporters sometimes added their names to the pledge. However, on this occasion ‘John Dow’, obviously a fictitious person, supported the pledge. Therefore, Owen was carrying the burden alone. Despite Ann’s status as an unmarried mother, he was very keen to marry her.

In common with most married women in the 1700s, my 6 x great grandmother Ann Axe gave birth approximately every two years – in 1779, 1782, 1784 and 1786 to William, John, James and Mary respectively. I anticipated finding another birth record in 1788, but instead I discovered Ann’s death record. Ann was buried on 15 January 1788. At the age of thirty-one, it’s possible that she died in childbirth.

A sad record, my 6 x great grandmother Ann Axe’s death record. However, in just a few words it confirms several key facts: Ann was married to Owen Griffiths and her father was John Axe, thus linking other records together. And, crucially, this record was recorded in a Non-Conformist register (one of our key family traits is that of non-conformity, in many aspects of life). The research path is now clear: search for other Non-Conformist Axe ancestors.

My article about Mary Pickford is featured in this month’s issue of Connections Magazine.

Clara Bow Quotes: Clara’s sisters both died within hours of their birth. Did these tragedies influence her ‘live for the moment attitude? She said this at the height of her fame: “I don’t want to look into the future. I don’t care. I distrust the future. If someone would lift the veil for me, I wouldn’t let them. It is better not to look ahead and not to look back. I will not look back. I must not. And I dare not look ahead. I am afraid.”

As ever, thank you for your interest and support.

Hannah xxx

For Authors

#1 for value with 565,000 readers, The Fussy Librarian has helped my books to reach #1 on 36 occasions.

A special offer from my publisher and the Fussy Librarian. https://authors.thefussylibrarian.com/?ref=goylake

Don’t forget to use the code goylake20 to claim your discount 🙂