Mystery Woman - E Levett

[garyatkinson]

Thanks China and to everyone that is trying to help out with this. Amazing that people unrelated can put in such effort. I am now feeling more sure that her identity will be cracked. All the more so, when as a result of Arthur's link, I got up this morning to receive this email from the Secretary of The Burgon Society in Oxford which reads;

"Dear Gary

Thanks for your enquiry.

What a charming photograph!  These are the robes for an Associate of the London College of Music - ALCM.  The black gown has gathers on the sleeve at the elbow and over these are laid three vertical cords, which would be light blue.  This combination of features is unique to the LCM gown.  The tassel on the black square cap would also be light blue.  Associates do not wear an academic hood with their gown; holders of higher grades of diploma from the LCM do. The College was founded in 1887 and was an independent teaching and examining body based in central London, holding examinations at centres around the country. In 1993 the LCM was amalgamated with Thames Valley University, now the University of West London..."

I am trying to contact the University whilst at the same time I am trying to find out if any such exams were taken, at the time, in the Hull area.

[Treetotal]

Excellent...If you look in FindMyPast newspapers you will see a grade 5 in music.... I think awarded to Ellen in 1932 at the National College of Music....I tried to post last night but couldn't get connected.
Carol

[Milliepede]

Haven't found anything new to add but this is really interesting 

[garyatkinson]

Hi Carol. I have also found a piece in the Hull Daily Mail announcing results of Exams taken "at the Hull Centre of the National College of Music London". In the list there is an Esther Levett,. But these examinations took place in 1935 and I feel sure that this outdates the time of the picture being taken. Certainly the Esther Levett mentioned in the paper is not my great grandmother  I know this for a fact. It is Esther's, Ellen, who was far more likely to be the person to have gone to university or college. In addition, I am doubtful, though not one hundred per cent sure, that the Barry photograph studio existed by then.
However, the 1935 article is making me wonder if there was a younger Esther Levett in the family, someone who was named after my great grandmother. I feel that I am very close now but is the trail going to go cold again...? I am waiting for a reply from the London University. It would be helpful if I  could find out where the Hull examinations took place. Probably Hull University by 1935 but not in 1910 as this was before the university opened.

[Treetotal]

I'm just showing what I have found and how it may relate to your line Gary...rule nothing out...these ladies may be related to her as the Daughter of one of her Brothers...I'm not necessarily linking these press cuttings with Ellen and Esther...but...it's feasible that their Brother's Children were named after their Aunt/s and were also musically inclined....it all could help with the bigger picture.

Carol

[garyatkinson]

Hi Carol. Yes, I agree. It is worth investigating children of great aunts and uncles. I have picked up an Esther Levitt, having taken exams at the Hull Centre for the London College of Music in 1930. But I am now asking myself does 1930 fit in with the age of the photograph which would be twenty years earlier than I estimated?

[Treetotal]

I've just read that one with a date of December 1930...There is also an examination entry for December 1931 and again in 1932.. I am not connecting this with the lady in the photo as the dates are too late...but not ruling out a family connection to her.
Carol

[chinakay]

What an interesting thread

I have been looking at the photo again and I just can't shoehorn it into the 1930s...the hair is all wrong and the surround/backing just doesn't belong in the 30s.

Could we see the back please if there is any printing on it.

Cheers,
China

[mazi]

I think that if you became qualified at either of the colleges of music you were entitled to wear "cap and Gown".

Royal college of music  London
Victoria college of music manchester


mike

the colleges then were not universities as we now know them, it was possible to pass the exams without ever having studied there, although the did provide tuition not necessarily fulltime

mike