Charles Mortimer
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  • Early Life
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    • 1890 - 1899 >
      • The Winner 1894
      • East Lynne 1894
    • 1900 - 1909 >
      • The Silver King 1902
      • Manxman 1907
      • A Broken Heart 1909
      • Warning to Women 1909
    • 1910 - 1919 >
      • The Great Awakening 1910
      • Temptation 1911
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      • The White Slave Traffic 1913
      • Lead Business 1913
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      • The Gambler 1913/14
      • The Lights O'London 1914
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      • For Russia 1915
      • What Happened to Jones 1915
      • Diplomacy 1915
      • The Man Who Stayed at Home 1916 - 17
      • Sinbad 1918
      • The Bear Leaders 1919
    • 1920 - 1924 >
      • Milestones 1920
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      • When Friends Fall Out 1921
      • The Voice of the Minaret 1921
      • Witching Willow 1922
      • A Bill of Divorcement 1922
      • Skittles 1923
      • The Cat's Paw 1923
      • The Edge O'Beyond 1923
      • Partner's Again 1924
      • Before Sunset 1924
      • Vendetta 1924
      • In The Next Room 1924
    • 1925 - 1929 >
      • The Rat 1925
      • Abraham Lincoln 1925
      • Sweet Pepper 1925
      • Paper Chase 1926
      • The White Heather 1926
      • South African Tour (Cape Town) 1926
      • Anne One Hundred Per Cent 1927
      • The Return 1927
      • The Dark Room 1927
      • Sadie Dupont 1927
      • Our Countess 1928
      • Young Woodley 1928
      • The Dictator 1928
      • The Moving Finger 1928
      • The First Performance 1928
      • Plans for the Coronation 1928
      • The Lady from the Sea 1928
      • Nearly... But Not Quite 1928
      • The Iron Law 1928
      • The Protectress 1929
      • Black St. Anthony 1929
      • Obsession 1929
      • Patterson 1929
      • Hold Everything 1929
      • The Subway 1929
      • Bitter Sweet 1929 (U.S.A)
    • 1930 - 1931 >
      • How To Be Healthy Though Married 1930
      • Who Knows 1930
      • Machines 1930
      • The Quaker 1930
      • Motives 1930
      • Merchant and Venus 1930
      • John Brown's Body 1931
      • Frailties 1931
      • Something Strange 1931
      • The Phoenix 1931
      • Tomorrow 1931
      • Sailors Do Care 1931
      • Make Up Your Mind 1931
      • Late Night Final 1931
      • Droit du Seigneur 1931
      • Miss Rose's Girl 1931
    • 1932 - 1934 >
      • Below the Surface 1932
      • Juarez and Maximillian 1932
      • Bewitched 1932
      • Red Triangle 1932
      • What You Like 1932
      • Rings On Her Fingers 1932
      • The Jack Pot 1932
      • Blood Royal 1932
      • Heritage 1932
      • Spacetime Inn 1932
      • The Silver Box 1932
      • Another Language 1932
      • One of Us 1933
      • Only a Mill Girl 1933
      • Wild Justice 1933
      • The Voice 1933
      • What Happened Then? 1933
      • A Corporal and a Man 1933
      • The Nineteenth Hole 1933
      • Before Sunset 1933
      • Acropolis 1933
      • Execution 1934
      • Living Dangerously 1934
      • Just Luck 1934
      • Dreams and Ditches 1934
    • 1935 - 1939 >
      • The Hooligan 1935
      • Murder Gang 1935
      • These Mortals 1935
      • Sauce for the Goose 1936
      • Tonight at Seven Thirty 1936
      • Miracle 1936
      • England Expects... 1936
      • Kind Lady 1936
      • Night Must Fall 1936
      • The Amazing Dr Clitterhouse 1936
      • The Script 1937
      • It's a Wise Child 1937
      • Marcia Gets Her Own Back 1937
      • Yang-Hi Treaty 1938
      • Oscar Wilde 1938
      • Take Heed 1938
      • St Joan 1939
      • Emperor of the World 1939
      • Drake 1939
      • I am the King 1939
      • Stay Just As You Are 1939
    • 1940 - 1944 >
      • As You Are 1940
      • The Death Trap 1940
      • Peril at End House 1940
      • Cottage To Let 1940
      • Goodnight Children 1941
      • Old Master 1942
      • Escort 1942
      • Warn That Man 1943
      • Lady from the Sea 1944
      • Michael and Mary 1944
      • The Case of the Frightened Lady 1944
    • 1945 - 1949 >
      • The Ringer 1945
      • ITMA 1945
      • The Case of the Frightened Lady 1945
      • The Apple Cart 1946
      • Droit et Seigneur 1946
      • Dr Jekyll and Mr Hide 1947
      • Closed for Cleaning, or, All the World's a Stage 1949
      • Every Picture Tells a Story 1949
    • 1950 - 1960 >
      • Yang-hi Treaty 1950
      • Mr Christian 1950
      • Albert 1951
      • Carousel 1952
      • Blind Alley 1956
  • Films
    • Bracelets 1931
    • A Safe Affair 1931
    • Watch Beverly 1932
    • You Made Me Love You 1933
    • The Warren Case 1934
    • Boomerang 1934
    • The Outcast 1934
    • The Return of Bulldog Drummond 1934
    • Evergreen 1934
    • Sometimes Good 1934
    • Things Are Looking Up 1935
    • The Triumph of Sherlock Holmes 1935
    • Sunshine Ahead 1935
    • Royal Cavalcade 1935
    • Old Roses 1935
    • The Price of a Song 1935
    • Birds of a Feather 1935
    • Discipline 1935
    • Someone at the Door 1936
    • Murder Gang 1936
    • The Small Man 1936
    • Living Dangerously 1936
    • The Mystery of the Marie Celeste 1936
    • Aren't Men Beasts 1937
    • Dead Men Are Dangerous 1939
    • Poison Pen 1939
    • The Ghost of St Michael's 1941
    • When We Are Married 1943
    • Theatre Royal 1943
    • The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp 1943
    • No Highway 1951
    • Dial 999 1955
    • The Case of the Rue Morgue 1956
  • Radio and Television
    • 1920 - 1930 >
      • Nine O'Clock 1925
      • Brains Limited 1925
      • The Heel of Achilles 1925
      • Christopher Columbus 1925
      • Macbeth 1928
      • Sailors' Delight 1928
      • The Blue Bird 1928
      • The Test 1928
      • The Locked Chest 1929
      • St Joan 1929
      • The City 1929
      • Francesca da Rumini 1929
      • Hold Everything 1929
    • 1931 - 1940 >
      • The Forest 1931
      • Chinese Moon Party 1931
      • The Taming of the Shrew 1932
      • Love One Another 1932
      • Mr Petre 1933
      • Contrasts 1933
      • Captain of Kopenick 1933
      • Robert E Lee 1933
      • Three Trappers 1934
      • Verses 1935
      • Twelfth Night 1936
      • Bath and the Beau 1936
      • Doctor Clitterhouse 1936
      • Julius Caesar 1937
      • Bianca 1938
      • Death of an Artist 1938
      • The Kidnapped General 1938
      • Lucky Dip 1939
      • Macbeth 1939
      • Othello 1939
      • What Price Crime 1939
    • 1941 - 1950 >
      • The Merry Wives of Windsor 1943
      • The Story of a Stunner 1943
      • Her Majesty Desires, Master Shakespeare 1943
      • The Magistrate 1944
      • The Queen's Husband 1946
      • Outward Bound 1947
      • 1947 >
        • Room to Let 1947
        • Study in Arrogance 1947
        • Outward Bound 1947
        • The Octave of Jealousy 1947
        • Nothing Ever Happens to Some Girls 1947
        • The Pimlico Mystery 1947
        • The Story of Jonah 1947
        • The Clock 1947
        • Three Men in a Pub 1947
        • Kipps 1947
        • Worse Than Murder 1947
        • After All 1947
        • King Henry V 1947
        • The Love Child 1947
        • Lewes 1264 1947
        • Evesham 1265 1947
        • Lucy Arnold 1947
        • The Outstation 1947
        • The Voysey Inheritance 1947
        • Missing 1947
        • Tartuffe 1947
        • Dick Barton - Special Agent 1947
        • But the Woman Lost Her Life 1947
      • 1948 >
        • The Black Cap Has To Wait 1948
        • Whose Body 1948
        • Middle Class Murder 1948
        • Cornelius 1948
        • Success Story 1948
        • Simple Simon 1948
        • The Atom Bowler 1948
        • The Detection Club 1948
        • Error in the Universe 1948
        • Give Us This Day 1948
        • The Gentle People 1948
        • Fiat Justitiaj 1948
        • Slow Poison 1948
        • The Cloud and the Waltz 1948
        • The Constant Couple 1948
        • The Headswoman 1948
        • Scenes from the Booke of St Thomas More 1948
        • The Small Back Room 1948
        • Michael and Mary 1948
        • Last of the Legions 1948
        • The Water Gypsies 1948
        • Emmy 1948
        • Certain Alibi 1948
        • Koko 1948
        • The Warden 1948
        • Reunion 1948
        • Dead Reckoning 1948
        • Guilty, My Lord 1948
        • Young Chippie 1948
        • Crossed Stars 1948
        • The Late Mr Bannister 1948
        • The Case of the Glass Slipper and Wonderful Lamp 1948
      • 1949 - 50 >
        • Providence and the Guitar 1949
        • The Father Brown Mysteries 1949
        • The Father Brown Stories 1949
        • Caligula 1949
        • The Scarlet Pimpernel 1949
        • Possession 1949
        • Virginia Regina 1949
        • The Persecution of Bob Pretty 1949
        • Busman's Honeymoon 1949
        • Made in Heaven 1949
        • Chung Ling Soo 1949
        • Revolt in Ulania 1949
        • A House in the Square 1949
        • Mary Lovelace 1949
        • Endymion 1949
        • Four Just Men 1949
        • Egmont 1949
        • The Course of Justice 1949
        • Great Scott, Caroline! 1949
        • Frolic Wind 1949
        • Stepping Stone Inn 1949
        • The Constant Wife 1949
        • Macbeth 1949
        • The Skin Game 1949
        • Okay for Cash 1949
        • The Golden Bridegroom 1950
        • That's My Baby 1950
        • Rodney Stone 1950
        • His House in Order 1950
    • 1951 - 1960 >
      • The Lady from Denmark 1951
      • The Warden 1951
      • King Henry V 1952
      • This Is Show Business 1954
      • Fabian of the Yard 1955
      • The Counterfeit Plan 1957
      • Carry On Admiral 1958
      • You Are There 1958
  • Greta Wood/Charles Neil Mortimer
    • Charles Neil Mortimer >
      • Theatre career >
        • King Henry the Fifth 1852
        • Alice Wingold, the Pearl of London City 1862
        • Mazeppa 1862
        • Louis the Eleventh 1863
        • The White Gypsy 1865
        • The Sin and the Sorrow 1866
        • East Lynne 1866
        • Toilers on the Thames 1869
        • Clancarty 1876
        • A Winter’s Tale 1876
        • Miss Isabel McKenzie’s Powerful Dramatic Co. 1882
        • Brien McCullough’s “Self” Tour 1884
        • Queen’s Evidence/Bay of Biscay 1886
        • Mr Augustus Harris’s Tour 1887
        • Light O'Day 1891
        • The Orphan's Debut 1891
        • Fortune's Wheel 1891
        • Lady Audley's Secret 1892
        • Illgotten Gains 1892
        • The London Express 1892
        • Sweeney Todd, the Barber Murderer 1892
        • A Daughter of Eve 1893
        • Deep Shadows 1893
        • Self 1893
        • The Coiner 1893
        • The Lily and the Rose 1893
        • Nobbled 1894
        • East Lynne 1895
        • Old Chums 1895
        • England's Defenders 1895
        • Dark Shadows 1895
        • Light O'Day 1895
    • Greta Wood >
      • Theatre career >
        • 1900 - 1919 >
          • The Man Who Stayed at Home 1916
          • The Lady of Ostend 1916
          • The Headmaster 1916
          • The Glad Eye 1916
          • Little Lost Sister 1918
          • The Luck of the Navy 1919
        • 1920 - 1929 >
          • Paddy, the Next Best Thing 1920
          • The K.C 1921
          • The Edge O'Beyond 1923
          • The Rat 1925
          • The Dancing Queen 1926
          • The Flag Lieutenant 1926
          • The Oldest Profession 1926
          • Drink 1927
          • The Speckled Band 1927
          • Home Sweet Home 1927
          • Hobson's Choice 1928
          • Wake Up and Dream 1929
        • 1930 - 1939 >
          • Service 1932
          • Windfall 1934
          • Autumn 1937
          • Serena Blandish 1938
        • 1940 - 1949 >
          • The Jersey Lily 1940
          • Michael and Mary 1944
          • Madeleine 1944
          • Crooked Sapling 1944
          • Bill of Divorcement 1945
          • Jane Eyre 1946
          • Miss Mabel 1948
          • Fumed Oak 1948
          • Red Peppers 1948
          • Double Door 1948
        • 1950 - 1965 >
          • Early in the Year
          • Guilty 1951
          • Carousel 1951
          • The Big Window 1952
          • Jane Eyre 1953
          • The Return 1954
          • Come Back Peter 1954
          • The Deep Blue Sea 1954
          • Suspect 1955
          • Blind Alley 1956
          • The House by the Lake 1957
          • Time and Yellow Roses 1961
          • Saints' Day 1965
          • Sir Arthur Savile's Crime 1965
      • Film career >
        • Diana and Destiny 1916
        • No. 7 Brick Row 1922
      • Television career >
        • Jane Eyre 1946
        • What Every Woman Knows 1955
        • Nicholas Nickleby 1957
        • Our Mutual Friend 1958
        • The History of Mr Polly 1959
        • The Day After Tomorrow 1960
        • Late Summer Affair 1962
        • Z Cars 1964
        • A Tale of Two Cities 1965
        • Court Martial 1966
      • Radio >
        • Organising a Children's Party 1930
        • The Path of Glory 1932
        • No Plays of Japan 1933
        • Kagekiyo 1933
        • L'ami Fritz 1933
        • Strife 1933
        • Hindle Wakes 1945
        • They Went Singing 1946
        • The Jar 1956
        • I Am Barabbas 1957
      • Childrens' Entertainment
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Charles Neil Mortimer

My adventure started when I discovered a suitcase of theatrical memorabilia about my grandparents, Charles Mortimer and Greta Wood. In particular, there was a newspaper cutting showing the stage and film career of Charles Mortimer. This can be seen in the "other newspaper articles" section of this site. From this, I further discovered my family's history in the theatre, notably, that of my great grandfather, Charles Neil Mortimer, and his two wives. I hope you enjoy viewing my site.

Picture
Emily Gibson, Charles Neil's first wife
Picture
Charles Mortimer aged about 25 years
Harold Paul Monro Mortimer was born in London on the 28th of July, 1885. He was the son of Charles Neil and Rosa Mortimer.

Charles Neil (born in 1837, in Epsom, Surrey) was theatre through and through. He had been married to Emily Gibson, another well known actress, who had tragically died, when on tour in Buxton, Derbyshire, on 9th July, 1881, at the age of 42 (see newspaper clipping). She was the daughter of John Gibson, of the celebrated 19th century theatrical trio of Brown, King and Gibson.

He was well known in the theatrical world, as an actor, stage manager and producer. He had been in the profession from the 1860’s in plays such as “Alice Wingold, the Pearl of London City”, (Batty’s Royal Amphitheatre, London, May 1862), and working with the tours of Miss Isabel McKenzie (1882) and Brien McCullogh (1884). One newspaper, when describing a speech given by him in “A Winter’s Tale”, said that it was “admirably given by Mr Charles Mortimer, whose elocution was of the old school”. As a producer, he paid the princely sum in those days of £5000 for the rights to stage “The Lily and the Rose”, written by the then little known playwright, Hal Reid.

Charles Neil then married Rosa Susannah Frances Munro (born in 1849 in Ealing, West London). They were married in 1882 in West Ham, London. She was also an actress. The marriage brought Harold (to be known as Charles) into the world in 1885, followed by his brother, Edgar Francis Monro Mortimer in November, 1886. A third brother, Ormond Bruce Monro (1890 – 1963), arrived (he was to become a shoe and boot salesman eventually in Brighton).
​

According to programme notes for the play "Late Night Final" in 1931, Charles made his first appearance on stage at 6 weeks old, when he was carried on in a farce called "Mrs White". 


Charles started in the theatre from an early age, performing in the Brien McDonough and Mrs Bennett Company, at the Middlesex Music Hall in 1894, where he performed sketches with his father. His first part was as Joe Winner in "East Lynne" in 1894.


Charles Neil Mortimer died on the 27th September, 1913, at the age of 76. It was believed that his death was due to the shock of losing his wife a few weeks before.

Charles Mortimer married Clara Augusta Stephenson (born in 1869 in Hebelen Bridge, Yorkshire) in Warrington, in 1910. (please see further information below).

Marriage: 24 Dec 1910 Holy Trinity, Warrington, Lancashire, England

Harold Paul Monro Mortimer - 25 Actor Bachelor of 7 King St. 
Clara Augusta Stephenson - 38 Widow of 7 King St. 
Groom's Father: Charles Neil Mortimer, Actor
Bride's Father: Thomas Valpole Binns, deceased
Witness: Herbert Laurence Vickson Smith; Alissimon Massey Baker

Interestingly, Charles was invited, and joined, the Freemasons in 1912, being a member of the Lodge of Asaph, 
which formed in 1870 and met in the afternoons to permit its membership of musicians and actors to continue with their regular jobs in orchestras and theatre in the evenings. 

It is known that Charles was living at Dalcais, Heath Park Road, Romford, in 1914.

In June, 1915, Charles' address was 61, Kingsdown Avenue, Ealing, West London, with a telephone number of Ealing 1348, (according to The Stage of 17 June, 1915, when he was in the company of "What Happened to Jones?").


It is likely that Charles Mortimer met Gertrude Sarah Wood (known as Greta, born 26 March, 1892 in Hoylake). In 1911, her profession was "elocutionist", while they were both in the play, "The Man Who Stayed at Home", in 1916. They were to live together until 1964, when Charles passed away. They had 4 children, Basil, Rosalind, Bill, and Richard, and 6 grandchildren, including this author.

According to the book, 
Hammer Complete: The Films, the Personnel, the Company by Howard Maxford, Charles and Greta married in 1950, although a family friend informed me that this may have been a later date, maybe 1960.

Charles and Greta lived in London, at a number of different addresses including in no particular order:

140 Ebury Street
167 Ebury Street
30 York Street
14 Buckingham Street
126 Sutherland Avenue
99 Queen's Gate
7 Market Mews, Shepherd's Market
​


Picture
99 Queen's Gate.
Picture
Market Mews, Mayfair.
Picture
167 Ebury Street.
Picture
30 York Street.
Picture
14 Buckingham Street.
In 1939, on the advice of their RAF son, Basil, Charles and Greta moved to Wheeler End Common, near High Wycombe im Buckinghamshire. The story told to me by my mother, was that she had a row with her parents and left the London flat. She got an evening paper, and on the final page, in the "to let" section, was an advert for a three bedroom cottage at Wheeler End Common, which they duly took. My mother went with them, and before joining TOC H ( a charity providing R and R for troops), she worked for a local doctor.
The Era 31 December, 1910, has evidence that Clara A Stephenson who married Charles Mortimer, was in fact Nora Carton, who had a theatrical troupe, of which Charles was a member, details of which can be found in the website.

"Miss Nora Carton, who for the last twelve months has toured Temptation, was married by special licence on Saturday last at the Holy Trinity Church. Warrington, to Mr. Charles H. Mortimer. The bride was given away by Mr. Martin Comstock, the general manager of the company. We wish the newly married pair every happiness."
From The Era of 31 December, 1910.

MARRIAGES

Mortimer - Stephenson - By licence, on Dec. 24, at Holy Trinity Church, Warrington. Harold Monro Mortimer (Charles H. Mortimer) to Clara Augusta Stephenson (Nora Carton).
In 1913, Nora and Charles spent three months in Norway. According to a brief article in the Era of February of that year, they had a wonderful time, which included trout fishing, but it also mentioned that "Mrs Mortimer is quite recovered", which showed that Nora had been quite ill. The article is re-produced in the "other newspaper articles" of this website.
Clara was born Clara Augusta Binns. 
Birth about 1869 Heptonstall, Yorkshire.
Death 26 August 1948 (Age 79) - Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire.

This information has been gained from censuses of the time:

1886 August 9 Daily News (London): Marriage on Aug 6th at St Andrew, Southport, Herbert Stephenson, son of Robert Smith Esq, of Parkfield, Birkdale, to Clara Augusta, youngest daughter of the late Thomas Walpole Binns Esq. (Also 14 August in Manchester Times).
1886 Marriage of Clara Augusta Binns and Herbert Stephenson Smith registered in Ormskirk, Lancs
1891 Census at Bellmount, Undermilbeck, Kendal, Westmorland, Clara Augusta Smith, wife age 20, born Yorkshire.
1910 December: Marriage of Clara A Stephenson and Harold P M Mortimer registered in Warrington.
1939 January 30: Probate at London of Louisa Snow, to Clara Augusta Mortimer (wife of Harold Munro Mortimer).
1948 September: Death of Clara A Mortimer registered in Bishop Stortford, aged 81.
1948 December 21: Probate at Manchester of Clara Augusta Mortimer, late of Durrington Hall, Harlow, Essex, widow, who died 26 Aug 1948 at Knaresborough Nursing Home, Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire to; Harold Slaney Kershaw, solicitor; and Sylvia Jane Pryce, married woman. £4142.

I found this information about Greta Wood from an advert for the sale of a first edition of "The Return of the Soldier" by Rebecca West.

Rebecca West – The Return of the Soldier – First UK Edition 1918 – SIGNED by the Author Nisbet
​
A first edition, first printing published by Nisbet in 1918. A very good copy, bound in publisher's green cloth with titles in black to the spine and upper board. Some sunning to the cloth and on the spine with some minor wear to the spine tips and corners. All corners are bumped with some wear to the edges. Small pale stain to the front board. Some foxing and toning, mainly to the endpapers and prelims and text block. Inscribed in pencil in the year of publication to the half-title: 'Greta Wood, 4 Russell Gardens, Golders Green from Rebecca West's first novel, featuring the homecoming of a shell-shocked captain suffering from amnesia following experiences in the Great War, and his relationships with the women in his life. Actress Greta Wood (aka Gertrude Sarah Wood, 1892-1984) was a contemporary and lifelong friend of West with a career spanning from 'Diana and Destiny' in 1916 to 'The Day after Tomorrow' in 1960. They met as students at the Academy of Dramatic Art where Greta was West's 'greatest friend'. After the war ended, West took her son to see a pantomime at Brighton and recognised Greta in the cast. The two of them became the 'a team' as West put it. She sometimes lent the struggling actress money and passed on Anthony's outgrown clothes to her son. Greta helped Rebecca in domestic crises and looked after her when she was ill. Greta married Charles Mortimer, fellow actor best known for his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes and spent her twilight years in Newcastle upon Tyne (Victoria Glendinning: 'Rebecca West: A Life' (pp. 35, 68)).

£1250

Regretably, the author could not justify the price of purchasing this book, and when contacting the vendor informing him/her of his relationship to Miss Wood, and "volunteering" to take the copy off his/her hands, he surprisingly received no reply!!
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