Told by local historian Susan Wilson with photographs by Michael Gradwell
George Formby was born at 3
Westminster Street Wigan on 26th May 1904. George was born
blind on an account of a caul or membrane enclosing his head and he
was unable to see for several months. He said that he owed the miracle
of sight to a simple sneeze. His father George Formby Senior was known
in music hall circles as The Wigan Nightingale. His real name was James
Lawlor Booth. He had been born in Ashton-under-Lyne in 1875 the illegitimate
son of Sarah Jane Booth. Sarah Jane was a Lancashire prostitute who
was convicted 140 times for offences in 10 years.
It was in Wigan in 1898 that
George Formby Senior met the woman that would become the mother of George
Formby Junior. He fell for a young lady called Eliza Hoy. Eliza's
parents were devout Roman Catholics. They were horrified to learn that
their daughter had been asked out by a music hall turn. However they
continued courting and were married on the 11th August 1899
at Wigan Registry Office. It was a very happy marriage. They had 13
children but 6 did not survive infancy. George Formby Junior was their
fourth child.
George Formby Junior did not
have to suffer any of the hardships which had been imposed upon his
father. He did well in music at school but really only through fear
of his music teacher Sister Veronica. Despite having a most astonishing
sense of timing and an ear for rhythm, George would never learn to read
or write music. George was sent to work in a racing stables but that
was not the career for him. In 1921 he received a telegram to say that
his father had collapsed in the wings of Newcastle Empire. He was just
45.
Shortly after his father's
death his mother Eliza took George to London. At the Victoria Palace
they saw a comedian named Tommy Dixon who styled himself on George's
father. George was appalled and he made his mind up there and then to
follow in his father's footsteps. His mother supported him. Originally
he was billed as George Hoy but changed it to Formby later. In 1923
his life changed when he bought a ukulele. He first used it at Barnsley
and he received a standing ovation. From then on he could never leave
the stage without playing the instrument.
He met Beryl Ingham when they
were appearing on the same bill in Yorkshire. She was a 23 year old
Accrington born clog dancer. George was immediately attracted to Beryl,
but Beryl was not immediately attracted to George. After some time in
the middle of the night George drove to her house in Darwen and began
crooning. The noise is supposed to have awoken half the neighbourhood.
After that Beryl agreed to marry him. The wedding took place on 13th
September 1924. Eliza did not find out about the marriage until the
couple came back from honeymoon.
George Formby collaborated
with Jack Cottrell and he supplied George with 22 songs. George recorded
'When I'm Cleaning Windows' in Blackpool in 1936. He recorded
'I'm leaning on a lamppost' in 1937 and from then on he could
never leave the stage without performing the song.
His wife Beryl was diagnosed
with cancer and she died on Christmas Day 1961. Over the years George
Formby had become very friendly with a lady called Pat Howson. After
his wife's death he came back to Fairhaven and contacted Pat. George
himself had suffered from ill health for some time. He was admitted
to hospital shortly after getting together with Pat, and he died on
Monday 6th March 1961.
It was one of the largest funerals
for a show business personality. 150,000 people lined the route to the
church. After George's death there were arguments over George's
will and Pat Howson received the brunt of those arguments. Pat herself
died of cancer aged 46 in 1971. Eliza, George's mother herself lived
on to the great age of 102 and died in August 1981. It was said of George
that he was an unspoilt Lancashire lad.
Legends never die and his unique legacy lives on. There is now a very popular George Formby Appreciation Society.
Copyright (c) Susan Wilson 2007