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John Le Mesurier


dunsbyowl1867

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Just finished reading a biography. He originally went by his real name John Halliley. Born in Bedford and grew up in Suffolk one of his first stage acting jobs was with the Sheffield Repertory Company. "After passing a perfunctory audition in a grubby little office in Soho, he set off to South Yorkshire to join his new colleagues on the encouraging wage of £7 a week. The reconstituted company duly made its debut on 2 September 1935, on its own premises, and received the following laboured but broadly encouraging review in the press :

" The Sheffield Repertory Theatre, in which marked structural improvements have been made, opened last Monday with a company of eight professionals and two amateurs. One of the professionals, Evelyn Allwn, is speacially engaged for this week, another, Horace Wentworth, is stage manager and well known to Sheffield audiences, the other six are new members of the company. The play was Mary, Mary Quite Contrary by St John Ervine; the producer was Leslie Harcout. The leading part of the temperamental Mary Westlake was taken with spirit and humour by Phyllis Gadsden, Fernando Perredita made an excellent impression as the impulsive and susceptible Geoffrey, and Angus Adams gave good quiet comedy as the clegyman; while Evelyn Allen was placidly humourous as his wife. Patricia Pellowe made the most of her opportunities as the jealous niece. Eadie Palfrey had the comic part of the Cockney manager and John Halliley and two amateurs had small parts. The piece was heartily received and the season which was formally opened by the Mayor of Sheffield has begun well"

He enjoyed a brief but enjoyable romance with an local woman who was the great great grandaughter of Joseph Hansom the inventor of the hansom cab. John took his friend to nearby restaurants, pubs and cinemas asnd picnics in the local Botanical Gardens.

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Just finished reading a biography. He originally went by his real name John Halliley. Born in Bedford and grew up in Suffolk one of his first stage acting jobs was with the Sheffield Repertory Company. "After passing a perfunctory audition in a grubby little office in Soho, he set off to South Yorkshire to join his new colleagues on the encouraging wage of £7 a week. The reconstituted company duly made its debut on 2 September 1935, on its own premises, and received the following laboured but broadly encouraging review in the press :

" The Sheffield Repertory Theatre, in which marked structural improvements have been made, opened last Monday with a company of eight professionals and two amateurs. One of the professionals, Evelyn Allwn, is speacially engaged for this week, another, Horace Wentworth, is stage manager and well known to Sheffield audiences, the other six are new members of the company. The play was Mary, Mary Quite Contrary by St John Ervine; the producer was Leslie Harcout. The leading part of the temperamental Mary Westlake was taken with spirit and humour by Phyllis Gadsden, Fernando Perredita made an excellent impression as the impulsive and susceptible Geoffrey, and Angus Adams gave good quiet comedy as the clegyman; while Evelyn Allen was placidly humourous as his wife. Patricia Pellowe made the most of her opportunities as the jealous niece. Eadie Palfrey had the comic part of the Cockney manager and John Halliley and two amateurs had small parts. The piece was heartily received and the season which was formally opened by the Mayor of Sheffield has begun well"

He enjoyed a brief but enjoyable romance with an local woman who was the great great grandaughter of Joseph Hansom the inventor of the hansom cab. John took his friend to nearby restaurants, pubs and cinemas asnd picnics in the local Botanical Gardens.

We watched the programme about Hattie Jacques the other night. He came over as an incredibly tolerant man, and must have loved her very much. I see from his biog. that his full birth name was John Elton Le Mesurier Halliley. So we see where his stage name came from, but did Elton John pinch the other bit?

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We watched the programme about Hattie Jacques the other night. He came over as an incredibly tolerant man, and must have loved her very much. I see from his biog. that his full birth name was John Elton Le Mesurier Halliley. So we see where his stage name came from, but did Elton John pinch the other bit?

I thought you couldnt make "Le mesurier up", its a Channel Island name, ( Hugenot possibly) I have them in my (Alderney) tree. All C.I. people seem to be related to one another.... small islands!

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I thought you couldnt make "Le mesurier up",

Someone seems to have made it up as I can't translate it!

It means "The ?????"

OK "Simon Le Bon" of Duran Duran fame is "Simon the good"

But John Le Mesurier?, John the ????? what????

Obviously French but with no obvious translation into English.

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We watched the programme about Hattie Jacques the other night. He came over as an incredibly tolerant man, and must have loved her very much.

Don't forget the disclaimer that was put up at the beginning of the programme.
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I missed that Mike, what was it?

The opening frames were two lines that read:-

This film is based on a true story

Some events have been created or changed

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The opening frames were two lines that read:-

This film is based on a true story

Some events have been created or changed

Le Mesurier is an ancient Guernsey name. It first appears in Guernsey records in 1274 in the form Mesurier and then about the year 1300 as Le Mesurier or Le Masurier. There are various theories about its original meaning which depend on the way it was spelt before the days of printing. The most persuasive is that it was an occupational name describing a person engaged in measuring land or possibly vessels and boats.

[edit] Variants

• Le Messurier

• Le Masurier

[edit] Notable Guernseymen

• John Le Mesurier (1781-1843), Governor of Alderney

• Paul Le Mesurier (1755-1805), Lord Mayor of London

http://www.guernsey-society.org.uk/donkipedia/index.php5?title=Le_Mesurier

The name may not be Hugenot (in fact there may be no such thing, only French names) If there is such a thing Jaques is said to be one.

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Le Mesurier is an ancient Guernsey name. It first appears in Guernsey records in 1274 in the form Mesurier and then about the year 1300 as Le Mesurier or Le Masurier. There are various theories about its original meaning which depend on the way it was spelt before the days of printing. The most persuasive is that it was an occupational name describing a person engaged in measuring land or possibly vessels and boats.

[edit] Variants

• Le Messurier

• Le Masurier

[edit] Notable Guernseymen

• John Le Mesurier (1781-1843), Governor of Alderney

• Paul Le Mesurier (1755-1805), Lord Mayor of London

http://www.guernsey-society.org.uk/donkipedia/index.php5?title=Le_Mesurier

The name may not be Hugenot (in fact there may be no such thing, only French names) If there is such a thing Jaques is said to be one.

"John the measurer" it is then, although in modern French this would be "John Le Mesureuse" which is pretty close, - close enough to be convincingly correct.

Jaques, as in his wife, Hattie Jaques, is certainly French.

As I understand it the Hugenots were a group of Protestants from France and the Netherlands (including what is now Belgium). Due to persecution in their homeland many fled to Britain (and clearly the Channel Islands as well) for sanctuary. I would therefore expect Hugenots, being a religious group rather than a National group of people, to have a mixture of French, Flemmish, Dutch and Germanic names.

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