33:
273:
Dove's career burgeoned internationally in the 1920s and '30s. She was performing at London's Mile End Empire in June 1926, then five months later Evelyn Dove and Her
Plantation Creoles – "the only singing and dancing act of its kind in Europe" – appeared at Wintergarten in
313:
She is an artist of international reputation, one of the leading personalities of Europe's entertainment world. She is described as the closest rival of the great
Josephine Baker herself. Evelyn didn't get just the big hand. She got an ovation, a roaring
220:(SSO), a band composed of British West Indian and West African and American musicians who were popularising black music on the UK club scene. On 9 October 1921, eight or nine members of the SSO and around 27 other passengers drowned when the
151:, building a solid reputation not only through her work in Britain but also internationally, travelling to France, Germany, Italy, Austria, the Netherlands, Hungary, the United States, India and Spain. She was featured as a
431:
Leaving the BBC in 1949, Dove worked in cabaret in India, Paris and Spain. When she returned to
Britain at the end of 1950, as Stephen Bourne has written, she struggled to find work, "though she did appear in the cast of
516:, aged 85, on 7 March 1987, registered as "Evelyn Dove, otherwise Brantley" (she had married her third husband William Newton Brantley, in 1958, having previously been married to Felix John Basil Inglis Allen in 1941).
894:
215:
from 1917 until 1919, when she graduated, and on 27 September that year married Milton
Alphonso Luke in London. Howard Rye records that she was using the name "Norma Winchester" when she became a member of the
350:. She is, of course, a highly trained singer. She is an extremely charming person with a very attractive personality. I would rate her the best coloured contralto in this country.
1148:
1390:
1360:
500:
We became friends, but Evelyn's life took a bad turn. Her reputation as a singer faded, and she became very ill. She lost contact with her family. Her spirit was broken.
278:, and her revue appeared in the Netherlands in February 1927. She was very popular in Italy, where she lived for some years, before in 1932 going to France to replace
339:. The BBC employed Evelyn all through the war, and she proved to be one of radio’s most popular singers, appearing in a wide range of music and variety programmes."
814:
1370:
916:
470:." In 1955, her search for work led her to apply for a job as a Post Office telephonist, asking the BBC for a reference. In 1956 the BBC cast her as
346:
She is a contralto with a perfect microphone quality and although I have used her mostly in music of negro origin this has ranged from spirituals to
699:
797:
1365:
723:
874:
419:, an early example of a UK television special dedicated to Black talent, which was filmed live on 7 October 1947 at the RadiOlympia Theatre,
1395:
243:
147:
and
English parentage, Dove is recognized as a "trailblazing performer": in 1939, she made history as the first black singer to feature on
1328:
1400:
1385:
1380:
164:
323:
The decade from 1939 to 1949 marked the height of Dove's career in
Britain, when she did much notable radio work broadcasting with the
586:/Battersea Society commemorative blue plaque was unveiled outside a house in Barnard Road, Battersea, where Dove had live when young.
1303:
1268:
1002:
1375:
668:
266:
1030:
1410:
899:
445:
402:
217:
1405:
616:
861:
543:
series celebrating black
British and British-based musical entertainers who came to fame between the 1930s and 1950s.
453:
1185:
1113:
1334:
846:
611:
583:
575:
On 11 January 2019, which would have been Dove's 117th birthday, Google celebrated her life in one of their first "
32:
252:, who had to return to the US, and the show toured western Europe for a year, before going to the USSR to play in
751:
728:
139:(11 January 1902 – 7 March 1987) was a British singer and actress, who early in her career drew comparisons with
960:
1167:
196:
1131:
1252:
1050:
663:
547:
462:
457:
360:
347:
328:
261:
478:, and more television work followed, and then a role on the West End musical stage, as one of the stars of
212:
449:
184:
781:"Lieutenant Macormack Charles Farrell Easmon: A Sierra Leonean Medical Officer in the First World War"
1355:
1350:
633:
192:
1233:
1221:
780:
144:
703:
627:
564:
122:
286:. She subsequently went to the US, where in 1936 she was the headline cabaret act at the famous
176:
1264:
1014:
944:
1222:"ITV Play of the Week (TV Series) | Another Part of the Forest (1957) | Full Cast & Crew"
767:
673:
420:
415:
295:
38:
1260:
1153:
1135:
555:
509:
489:
484:
479:
406:
366:
283:
279:
140:
291:
912:
493:
200:
183:
Winchester, from whom he was later divorced, and who became the first
President of the
172:
834:
1344:
1118:
830:
576:
513:
441:
410:
302:
168:
152:
79:
1291:
1149:"Evelyn Dove: Who was the groundbreaking singer and why is her legacy so important?"
1172:
1168:"Who is Evelyn Dove? Google Doodle celebrates British singer on her 117th birthday"
532:
387:
386:(1945–47), for which she made more than 50 broadcasts with Trinidadian folk-singer
332:
1197:
685:
390:, attracting so many listeners that the BBC decided to make a television version.
1064:
1299:
569:
540:
471:
398:
236:
1100:
986:
962:
Black in the
British Frame: The Black Experience in British Film and Television
677:
1286:
1280:
1132:"Evelyn Dove: Who is the British singer and actress on today’s Google Doodle?"
990:
467:
354:
Dove appeared regularly on such popular music and variety radio programmes as
249:
188:
117:
1319:
1209:
1080:
505:
448:
in 1951. Despite her experience and talent, she found herself understudying
394:
336:
253:
148:
724:"Who is Evelyn Dove, how did she die and why is she today’s Google Doodle?"
1114:"Evelyn Dove: Why is a Google Doodle marking the singer’s 117th birthday?"
235:
collided with another ship and sank. Dove and other SSO survivors such as
221:
127:
974:
815:"Dove-Danquah, Mabel (1905–84), Ghanaian journalist, short-story writer"
342:
A memo from producer Eric
Fawcett to a colleague on 6 June 1947 states:
1323:
1309:
228:
437:
287:
275:
257:
232:
294:. In New York she was photographed by the celebrated photographer
1313:
804:, New Series no. 11, December 1958 (via natinpasadvantage.com).
1031:"Camberwell Author Pens Book on 'Britain's Black Cabaret Queen
798:"Sierra Leone's Role in the Development of Ghana, 1820 – 1930"
559:
393:
In 1947, Dove and Connor – along with other artists including
324:
195:, was called up by the British army in 1915 and fought at the
895:"The Untold Story Of Britain's First Black Female Superstar"
248:
toured Europe from New York, she joined the cast, replacing
913:"Evelyn Dove wearing a mantilla and carrying a folding fan"
309:
reviewed her opening-night performance at the Harbour Bar:
239:
took part on 14 October in the "Survivors Sacred Concert".
1101:"Evelyn Dove 1902-1987 cabaret singer lived in Battersea"
879:, Illini Books/University of Illinois Press, 1992, p. 14.
876:
Voices of the Jazz Age: Profiles of Eight Vintage Jazzmen
211:
Evelyn Dove studied singing, piano, and elocution at the
335:
she enjoyed the same appeal as the 'Forces Sweetheart',
847:"London's jazz legends — Southern Syncopated Orchestra"
1003:"Negro Spirituals – The Concert Tradition 1909 – 1948"
700:"The Negro Renaissance: Harlem and Chicago Flowerings"
1005:(Frémeaux & Associés – FA 168, 1999) at Discogs.
915:. Photograph by Carl Van Vechten, 27 December 1935.
819:
Encyclopedia of Post-Colonial Literatures in English
526:
Negro Spirituals – The Concert Tradition 1909 – 1948
264:, who has researched and written about Dove for the
163:
Evelyn Mary Dove was born on 11 January 1902 at the
155:
on what would have been her 117th birthday in 2019.
1234:"Sunday-Night Theatre presents: The Green Pastures"
837:, The Black Presence in Britain, 26 September 2010.
528:singing the spiritual "Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray".
113:
105:
95:
87:
68:
45:
23:
1287:"My Heart Belongs to Daddy, Billy Cotton, 1939".
1240:, Issue 1818, 14 September 1958, p. 7 and p. 11.
179:(1869–1949) and his English first wife Augusta,
498:
344:
311:
862:"The Southern Syncopated Orchestra remembered"
1281:"Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray (Negro Spiritual)"
821:(1994), 2nd edition, Routledge, 2005, p. 371.
8:
1331:at Vintage Black Glamour by Nichelle Gainer.
1186:"Evelyn Dove Commemorative Plaque Unveiling"
1065:"Evelyn Dove: Britain’s Black Cabaret Queen"
903:, 30 March 2017. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
857:
855:
817:, in Eugene Benson and L. W. Conolly (eds),
710:, University of Illinois Press, 2012, p. 22.
672:(online ed.). Oxford University Press.
492:. Bourne notes that another cast member was
1188:, The Battersea Society, 29 September 2023.
1103:, sheelanagigcomedienne, 16 September 2022.
1095:
1093:
987:"Evelyn Mary Luke (born Dove), 1902 – 1987"
917:Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library
770:, Doodles Archive, Google, 11 January 2019.
752:"Southern Syncopated Orchestra: The Roster"
1257:Evelyn Dove: Britain's Black Cabaret Queen
1212:, Sunday Night Theatre, BBC, 17 June 1956.
1052:Evelyn Dove: Britain's Black Cabaret Queen
666:(2011) . "Dove, Evelyn Mary (1902–1987)".
552:Evelyn Dove: Britain's Black Cabaret Queen
31:
20:
927:
925:
382:. Particularly successful was the series
1391:English people of Sierra Leonean descent
1361:20th-century Black British women singers
889:
887:
885:
524:Dove features on the two-CD compilation
256:and Moscow, where the audience included
1021:, Issue 3637, 16 September 1993, p. 90.
718:
716:
669:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
646:
474:'s mother in a television drama called
658:
656:
654:
652:
650:
16:British singer and actress (1902–1969)
746:
744:
742:
740:
738:
7:
1371:Alumni of the Royal Academy of Music
931:Stephen Bourne, "Spirit of a Dove",
785:The Journal of Sierra Leone Studies
758:, Volume 30, Number 1, Spring 2010.
554:, was published in October 2016 by
171:, London, the daughter of leading
14:
1283:by Evelyn Dove, soprano, c. 1926.
1081:"Antiques Roadshow - Evelyn Dove"
242:When in 1925 the all-Black revue
864:, Jazz Age Follies, 6 July 2013.
568:being interviewed about Dove by
267:Dictionary of National Biography
423:, London, and aired on BBC TV.
1366:20th-century British actresses
965:, Continuum, 2001, pp. 62, 82.
768:"Evelyn Dove’s 117th Birthday"
1:
708:The Black Chicago Renaissance
301:Her travels also took her to
218:Southern Syncopated Orchestra
787:, Autumn 2014, p. 4, note 8.
756:Black Music Research Journal
686:UK public library membership
1396:English radio personalities
706:, John McCluskey Jr (eds),
282:starring in a revue at the
37:Portrait of Dove, 1935, by
1427:
1401:Sierra Leone Creole people
1386:British women entertainers
1381:British cabaret performers
977:, Internet Movie Database.
612:Another Part of the Forest
305:, where on 7 October 1937
185:Gold Coast Bar Association
1337:at The National Archives.
1310:"Evelyn Dove (1902–1987)"
1304:National Portrait Gallery
1292:"Evelyn Dove (1902–1987)"
975:"Variety in Sepia (1947)"
935:, July 1999, pp. 112–113.
849:, BBC, 24 September 2014.
558:. Bourne appeared on the
307:The Evening News of India
187:. Evelyn's older brother
30:
796:K. A. B. Jones-Quartey,
582:On 29 September 2023, a
535:featured Evelyn Dove in
1376:Black British actresses
1198:"Evelyn Dove | Credits"
458:Rodgers and Hammerstein
361:Calling the West Indies
348:Samuel Coleridge-Taylor
1069:International Musician
678:10.1093/ref:odnb/65971
531:On 18 September 1993,
502:
496:, who later recalled:
401:and his Calypso Band,
352:
316:
213:Royal Academy of Music
1411:Actresses from London
1087:, BBC, 12 April 2021.
835:"Before the Windrush"
779:Nigel Browne-Davies,
191:, who studied law at
802:Sierra Leone Studies
698:Samuel A. Floyd Jr,
634:Sunday Night Theatre
590:Selected filmography
504:Evelyn Dove died of
199:, being awarded the
175:barrister (Francis)
1406:Singers from London
331:notes: "Throughout
145:Sierra Leone Creole
101:Evelyn Augusta Luke
1176:, 11 January 2019.
1157:, 11 January 2019.
1147:Chelsea Ritschel,
1138:, 11 January 2019.
1122:, 11 January 2019.
1085:History of the BBC
1041:, 19 October 2016.
732:, 11 January 2019.
704:Darlene Clark Hine
628:The Green Pastures
565:Antiques Road Show
380:Mississippi Nights
376:Caribbean Carnival
123:Mabel Dove Danquah
1099:Jeanne Rathbone,
813:Audrey Gadzekpo,
684:(Subscription or
631:(BBC Television,
384:Serenade in Sepia
356:Rhapsody in Black
245:Chocolate Kiddies
197:Battle of Cambrai
193:Oxford University
165:Lying-in Hospital
159:Family background
134:
133:
99:Norma Winchester;
1418:
1241:
1231:
1225:
1219:
1213:
1210:"Mrs. Patterson"
1207:
1201:
1195:
1189:
1183:
1177:
1164:
1158:
1145:
1139:
1129:
1123:
1110:
1104:
1097:
1088:
1078:
1072:
1062:
1056:
1048:
1042:
1034:
1028:
1022:
1012:
1006:
1000:
994:
984:
978:
972:
966:
959:Stephen Bourne,
957:
951:
942:
936:
929:
920:
910:
904:
893:Stephen Bourne,
891:
880:
871:
865:
859:
850:
844:
838:
828:
822:
811:
805:
794:
788:
777:
771:
765:
759:
748:
733:
720:
711:
696:
690:
689:
681:
660:
619:Play of the Week
436:with ice-skater
421:Alexandra Palace
416:Variety in Sepia
296:Carl Van Vechten
137:Evelyn Mary Dove
96:Other names
75:
59:
57:
50:Evelyn Mary Dove
39:Carl Van Vechten
35:
21:
1426:
1425:
1421:
1420:
1419:
1417:
1416:
1415:
1341:
1340:
1322:discography at
1277:
1261:Jacaranda Books
1249:
1247:Further reading
1244:
1232:
1228:
1220:
1216:
1208:
1204:
1196:
1192:
1184:
1180:
1165:
1161:
1154:The Independent
1146:
1142:
1130:
1126:
1111:
1107:
1098:
1091:
1079:
1075:
1063:
1059:
1049:
1045:
1032:
1029:
1025:
1013:
1009:
1001:
997:
985:
981:
973:
969:
958:
954:
943:
939:
930:
923:
911:
907:
892:
883:
872:
868:
860:
853:
845:
841:
829:
825:
812:
808:
795:
791:
778:
774:
766:
762:
749:
736:
721:
714:
697:
693:
683:
664:Bourne, Stephen
662:
661:
648:
644:
637:) – Noah's wife
592:
579:" of the year.
556:Jacaranda Books
546:A biography by
522:
510:Horton Hospital
490:Laurence Harvey
485:Simply Heavenly
480:Langston Hughes
452:in the role of
429:
413:– performed in
407:Winifred Atwell
367:Variety Bandbox
321:
284:Casino de Paris
280:Josephine Baker
270:and elsewhere.
260:, according to
209:
161:
141:Josephine Baker
126:
121:
109:Singer, actress
100:
83:
77:
73:
64:
63:London, England
61:
60:11 January 1902
55:
53:
52:
51:
41:
26:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1424:
1422:
1414:
1413:
1408:
1403:
1398:
1393:
1388:
1383:
1378:
1373:
1368:
1363:
1358:
1353:
1343:
1342:
1339:
1338:
1332:
1326:
1317:
1307:
1289:
1284:
1276:
1275:External links
1273:
1272:
1271:
1253:Stephen Bourne
1248:
1245:
1243:
1242:
1226:
1214:
1202:
1190:
1178:
1166:Daisy Naylor,
1159:
1140:
1124:
1112:David Hughes,
1105:
1089:
1073:
1071:, 1 June 2017.
1057:
1043:
1039:Southwark News
1023:
1007:
995:
979:
967:
952:
937:
921:
905:
881:
866:
851:
839:
823:
806:
789:
772:
760:
734:
712:
691:
645:
643:
640:
639:
638:
623:
607:
604:Mrs. Patterson
600:
591:
588:
548:Stephen Bourne
521:
518:
494:Isabelle Lucas
488:, directed by
428:
425:
329:Stephen Bourne
320:
317:
262:Stephen Bourne
208:
205:
201:Military Medal
173:Sierra Leonean
160:
157:
132:
131:
115:
111:
110:
107:
103:
102:
97:
93:
92:
89:
85:
84:
78:
76:(aged 85)
70:
66:
65:
62:
49:
47:
43:
42:
36:
28:
27:
24:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1423:
1412:
1409:
1407:
1404:
1402:
1399:
1397:
1394:
1392:
1389:
1387:
1384:
1382:
1379:
1377:
1374:
1372:
1369:
1367:
1364:
1362:
1359:
1357:
1354:
1352:
1349:
1348:
1346:
1336:
1335:"Evelyn Dove"
1333:
1330:
1327:
1325:
1321:
1318:
1315:
1311:
1308:
1305:
1301:
1297:
1293:
1290:
1288:
1285:
1282:
1279:
1278:
1274:
1270:
1269:9781909762350
1266:
1262:
1258:
1254:
1251:
1250:
1246:
1239:
1235:
1230:
1227:
1223:
1218:
1215:
1211:
1206:
1203:
1199:
1194:
1191:
1187:
1182:
1179:
1175:
1174:
1169:
1163:
1160:
1156:
1155:
1150:
1144:
1141:
1137:
1133:
1128:
1125:
1121:
1120:
1115:
1109:
1106:
1102:
1096:
1094:
1090:
1086:
1082:
1077:
1074:
1070:
1066:
1061:
1058:
1054:
1053:
1047:
1044:
1040:
1036:
1027:
1024:
1020:
1016:
1015:"Salutations"
1011:
1008:
1004:
999:
996:
992:
988:
983:
980:
976:
971:
968:
964:
963:
956:
953:
949:
947:
941:
938:
934:
928:
926:
922:
918:
914:
909:
906:
902:
901:
896:
890:
888:
886:
882:
878:
877:
873:Chip Deffaa,
870:
867:
863:
858:
856:
852:
848:
843:
840:
836:
832:
831:Jeffrey Green
827:
824:
820:
816:
810:
807:
803:
799:
793:
790:
786:
782:
776:
773:
769:
764:
761:
757:
753:
747:
745:
743:
741:
739:
735:
731:
730:
725:
722:Aidan Milan,
719:
717:
713:
709:
705:
701:
695:
692:
687:
679:
675:
671:
670:
665:
659:
657:
655:
653:
651:
647:
641:
636:
635:
630:
629:
624:
621:
620:
614:
613:
608:
605:
601:
598:
594:
593:
589:
587:
585:
580:
578:
573:
571:
567:
566:
561:
557:
553:
549:
544:
542:
538:
534:
529:
527:
519:
517:
515:
514:Epsom, Surrey
511:
507:
501:
497:
495:
491:
487:
486:
481:
477:
476:Mrs Patterson
473:
469:
465:
464:
463:South Pacific
459:
455:
451:
447:
443:
442:Norman Wisdom
440:and comedian
439:
435:
434:London Melody
426:
424:
422:
418:
417:
412:
411:Adelaide Hall
408:
404:
403:Buddy Bradley
400:
396:
391:
389:
385:
381:
377:
373:
372:Music For You
369:
368:
363:
362:
357:
351:
349:
343:
340:
338:
334:
330:
326:
318:
315:
310:
308:
304:
303:Bombay, India
299:
297:
293:
289:
285:
281:
277:
271:
269:
268:
263:
259:
255:
251:
247:
246:
240:
238:
234:
230:
227:sailing from
226:
225:
219:
214:
206:
204:
202:
198:
194:
190:
186:
182:
178:
174:
170:
169:Endell Street
166:
158:
156:
154:
153:Google Doodle
150:
146:
142:
138:
129:
124:
119:
116:
112:
108:
106:Occupation(s)
104:
98:
94:
90:
86:
81:
80:Epsom, Surrey
71:
67:
48:
44:
40:
34:
29:
22:
19:
1295:
1256:
1237:
1229:
1217:
1205:
1193:
1181:
1171:
1162:
1152:
1143:
1127:
1117:
1108:
1084:
1076:
1068:
1060:
1051:
1046:
1038:
1026:
1018:
1010:
998:
982:
970:
961:
955:
945:
940:
932:
908:
898:
875:
869:
842:
826:
818:
809:
801:
792:
784:
775:
763:
755:
750:Howard Rye,
727:
707:
694:
667:
632:
626:
618:
610:
606:– Anna Hicks
603:
599:– Mrs Carter
597:Halcyon Days
596:
581:
574:
563:
551:
545:
536:
533:Moira Stuart
530:
525:
523:
503:
499:
483:
475:
461:
450:Muriel Smith
446:Empress Hall
444:at London's
433:
430:
427:Later career
414:
392:
388:Edric Connor
383:
379:
375:
371:
365:
359:
355:
353:
345:
341:
333:World War II
322:
312:
306:
300:
292:Connie's Inn
272:
265:
244:
241:
223:
210:
180:
162:
136:
135:
74:(1987-03-07)
72:7 March 1987
18:
1356:1987 deaths
1351:1902 births
1329:Evelyn Dove
1320:Evelyn Dove
1300:Sonia Boyce
1238:Radio Times
1019:Radio Times
946:Radio Times
622:) – Coralee
570:Emma Dabiri
550:, entitled
541:BBC Radio 2
537:Salutations
472:Eartha Kitt
454:Bloody Mary
399:Cyril Blake
237:Cyril Blake
207:Early years
88:Nationality
25:Evelyn Dove
1345:Categories
1296:Devotional
1259:, London:
1173:The Mirror
1136:Classic FM
1055:at Amazon.
991:MyHeritage
688:required.)
642:References
584:Nubian Jak
468:Drury Lane
290:nightclub
250:Lottie Gee
189:Frank Dove
177:Frans Dove
118:Frank Dove
56:1902-01-11
1306:, London.
900:The Voice
506:pneumonia
395:Mable Lee
337:Vera Lynn
319:1939–1949
254:Leningrad
149:BBC Radio
120:(brother)
114:Relatives
82:, England
1263:, 2016,
948:listings
460:musical
314:welcome.
128:Nah Dove
125:(sister)
1324:Discogs
1224:, IMDb.
1200:, IMDb.
577:doodles
456:in the
229:Glasgow
130:(niece)
91:British
1267:
1119:i News
950:, BBC.
682:
625:1958:
609:1957:
602:1956:
595:1954:
520:Legacy
438:Belita
409:, and
378:, and
288:Harlem
276:Berlin
258:Stalin
233:Dublin
1302:, at
933:Pride
729:Metro
702:, in
327:. As
224:Rowan
143:. Of
1314:IMDb
1265:ISBN
617:ITV
539:, a
69:Died
46:Born
1312:at
1298:by
989:at
674:doi
562:'s
560:BBC
512:in
508:at
482:'s
466:at
325:BBC
231:to
222:SS
181:née
1347::
1294:,
1255:,
1236:,
1170:,
1151:,
1134:,
1116:,
1092:^
1083:,
1067:,
1037:,
1017:,
924:^
897:,
884:^
854:^
833:,
800:,
783:,
754:,
737:^
726:,
715:^
649:^
572:.
405:,
397:,
374:,
370:,
364:,
358:,
298:.
203:.
167:,
1316:.
1035:"
1033:'
993:.
919:.
680:.
676::
615:(
58:)
54:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
