Gertrude Ayton, actress of some renown?

[nanny jan]

I'll take another look at James' dates. James was my husband's grandfather's nephew & I'm relying on info from another member of the family.

I'm guessing a typo but you have James b.1891 and d.1895...........



Nanny Jan

[RedMystic]

Good catch on the husband Nanny Jan! I copied the wrong brother when I first posted.

John Robert COPLAND (b.14 Mar 1889-Lerwick,SHI,SCT d.29 Mar 1949-Edinburgh,MLN,SCT)
     sp: Gertrude M. AYTON (m.1916)

When I Googled the Scottish Blood Transfusion Service it gives the name Jack R. Copland. (In Canada it wasn't uncommon for fellows named John to be called Jack. I know of several in their 60s for whom this is the case. Is it the same in Scotland?)

[danuslave]

Hi Red

It's certainly the same in England.  My Dad (also named John Robert) was a lifelong Jack   

Can see no reason why it shouldn't be the same in Scotland

Linda

[mshrmh]

Nothing I could find in the Guardian/Observer archive for him under any variant.

I did find this about Jack & his son John - you may have seen it, but in case as includes a photo of the son: http://snbtssecure.scot.nhs.uk/early_years.asp
Similar (no photo) with a detail on crusaders:
http://www.lhsa.lib.ed.ac.uk/collections/GD14/gd14_tlfa.htm

Memories from the son (then 90) of both his own & his father's work:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/tayside_and_central/7438251.stm

There's a lot about their work out there, nothing too obvious about the family.

[Tyrannosaurus]

Some early reviews from the Scotsman.

27 Feb 1912 – “A thoroughly enjoyable performance of the comic opera, “Falka,” was given last night in the Theatre-Royal by “The Bohemians,” the local amateur lyric opera company” …………………….. “Mr Gertie Ayton acted with spirit and impressiveness as Alexina”.

01 Dec 1913 – Performance by the Edinburgh Windsor Dramatic Club of “Hero Mine”, “a farcical comedy of distinct possibilities”, given in the Philosophical Institution, Edinburgh. “capable part was taken by Miss Gertie Ayton ……….”

12 Jan 1914 – Entertainment at a “ladies night”, at the Geoghegan Solfeggio Club, Edinburgh, given by “The Bohemians,” Amateur Lyric Opera Company. Among those contributing was Gertie Ayton.

29 Jan 1915 – Performance of comedy “Caste”, by the Windsor Dramatic Club in the Lauriston Hall, Edinburgh. Miss Gertie Ayton played Polly.

13 Dec 1915 – A matinee in aid of the Fund for sailors and Dockyard Men at Rosyth at the King’s Theatre. Miss Gertie Ayton appeared in a farcical sketch entitled “Shocks”.

There are a dozen or so results for “Gertrude Ayton” in the Scotsman, all are in the period 1920-1926.

Rex

[RedMystic]

Thank you for those links to the blood transfusion history mshrmh. I really enjoyed reading them. I'd seen the crusader one, but not the other two stories & they really flesh out the picture. I didn't know that both father & son (Jack & John) were involved in getting the service up and running, so that's a nice bit on new info to add to my story. Thank you again.

Welcome to RootsChat Tyrannosaurus! We love new people joining us. I hope you find your time here fruitful. I know that I very much appreciate the finds that you've made for Gertrude. It does seem strange that, for someone as active as she was, she proves to be so illusive when it comes to a bio or picture.

[RedMystic]

Thanks once again for these links. They are quite fascinating.

I've been searching on FamilySearch, and while I'm no super whiz at it, I can't find any birth record for Gertrude. I'm beginning to wonder if "Gertrude Ayton" was a "stage name".

In order to come at it from another direction, does Edinburgh have obituaries available on-line? I'm thinking that if there is an obit for her husband, it might lead me to know a bit more about her - at least if she was alive or dead at the time he passed.

The husband was: John Robert COPLAND (b.14 Mar 1889-Lerwick,SHI,SCT d.29 Mar 1949-Edinburgh,MLN,SCT)

Thanks to your sleuthing, I now know that they had a son Jack.

Can someone please advise on the availability/sourcing of Edinburgh obits for 1949?

[groom]

Hi RedMystic

You might be better off asking that on the Scotland board, putting a link back to here. There will probably be someone on there that knows how to find out.

Jan

[RedMystic]

TX Groom. Will do.

I just found him returning from New York on 30 Dec 1927, but dang it all, no wife is with him.