Friday 29 May 2015

MELVIS WHITE

Clown, Digger Pugh Girls

The above picture appeared in a previous post. It is a still from old home movie sequence filmed outside Rhyl Pavilion in 1960 showing members of the resident circus. The blonde on the left with an attractive toothy grin has been revealed as Melvis White, identified by her daughter Melanie Robinson who writes:

“My Mum Melvis White was born in Wales and then lived in Liverpool from a teenager. She was a singer and was in panto, and then in the circus at Rhyl Pavilion in 1960. She also sang at the Pavilion on the variety nights. After her stint in Rhyl she sang all over the North of England then later in London where she met my Dad and they formed a duo then later a band.”

In the following photo Melvis White is shown outside the Pavilion in the dance troupe called The Digger Pugh Girls. She is standing far right:

Melvis White
Melanie continues:
“Digger Pugh and his wife trained girls to be dancers. My Mum went along to a class to learn a few steps and they asked her to join the circus in Rhyl, so she did. She stayed in a guest house with the other girls and loved it.
     "She said the circus was like a big family to her. She sang at the Pavilion before the big acts came on. She did the one season. Digger Pugh wanted her to stay on as head dancer but she wanted to sing more than dance so she went off to sing instead.” 
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Readers, I am delighted to report that Melvis White is alive and well and living in London. My thanks to Melanie Robinson for getting in touch and supplying the sepia photo - I love it !
The Digger Pugh Girls are on Facebook: