When Ardrossan and Saltcoats Players won the World Cup

[down south]

It's not often that a team from the Three Towns has taken on the world and come out triumphant. But it did happen once upon a time, back in 1928 ; not for footballers, or any other sports team, but when local amateur actors from the Ardrossan and Saltcoats Players won the World championship for amateur dramatics.

We've heard mention of this before on 3T, particularly in connection with Jack Lambert, one of the group, who went on to have a professional career:

http://www.threetowners.net/forum/viewt ... 806#p70806

But the full story, as told in the article below,which appeared in the Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald in the early 1970s, is well worth another airing. Once again it appears with full acknowledgements to them.

Local support, as you'll see, was considerable, extending to raising money to send the team to the finals in New York; and climaxing, even in those far-off days, in a procession round the streets through cheering crowds to a civic reception.

Sad that with their illustrious history the Ardrossan and Saltcoats Players seem to have folded around the start of the 1960s, when other local amateur groups like the Largs Players continued and I believe are still going. Any memories of them and their productions ?

Susan


THE PLAYERS WON THE CUP

A triumphal procession through Ardrossan, Saltcoats and Stevenston led by a pipe band, with the winning team in an open-topped bus being showered with streamers and the Provosts of Ardrossan and Saltcoats holding aloft the world cup, has only happened , once — and not for a football team, but for a group of amateur actors.

This occurred in June 1928 when Ardrossan and Saltcoats Players' Club returned home having won the world championship for amateur drama — the Belasco Cup —in New York. The play they had presented was "The Old Lady Shows Her Medals" by J. M. Barrie.

The Players' progression to world renown had begun quietly enough in the previous November when they entered the preliminary rounds of the Scottish Amateur Drama Competition, winning against a team from Cumnock on home ground at the Beach Pavilion, Saltcoats. The club at that time had been in successful existence for twenty years but had rarely strayed outside their home towns.

The following week they won the second round in Ayr and the week after that they won the Scottish final at the Lyric Theatre, Glasgow.

As a result they were eligible to take part in the British final in London in February 1928, competing against five other finalists from regions of England and Wales, and on Monday, February 6, "The Old Lady' won her medals at the New Theatre, London, giving, in the words of one of the adjudicators, Lilian Braithwaite, "A very beautiful and very perfect representation of a very beautiful play."

This national triumph was recognised by this newspaper with a story and pictures spread over five columns, paying due tribute to the cast — Isabel Jamieson, Nettie Taylor, May Hamilton, Mrs Huntingford, Jack Lambert and Harold Wightman, and to the producer, James Woodburn. The win carried with it the award of the Howard de Walden Cup.

No doubt this achievement would have been recognised by the civic authorities, but before they had time to organise anything, a further possibility emerged. The Players were invited to represent Britain at the international drama festival in New York, but the cost, estimated at £800, seemed prohibitive.

"The Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald" however, had faith in the club and inaugurated a fund to try and raise enough money for the trip. The proprietors started it off with £5, the Duke and Duchess of Montrose sent £3,
Sir Alexander Walker contributed £50 and West Kilbride Players' Club, two guineas.

On February 17, Sir J. M. Barrie himself wrote to Mr Woodburn—"Though absence from London prevented my seeing the Ardrossan and Saltcoats amateurs win their victory here with my play, I am naturally very proud of them. You had no doubt yourself a great deal to do with their success as had Miss Jamieson (who was evidently a delight), Mr Lambert, and indeed all, and I send you my warm congratulations. I enclose also a little contribution to the funds which I hope are to waft the company across the Atlantic to their honour and ours. "

Barrie's contribution to the fund was £10 , and by the end of the second week donations had totalled £200. Subscriptions over the next six weeks ranged from 3d pieces from schoolchildren to £100 from the Players themselves, and when they sailed for America at the end of April the " Herald " fund totalled £1008. The 740 contributors represented all classes in the community.

The Players sailed from Greenock on the Cameronia on April 28, and were sped on their way from Ardrossan station by a large crowd of townspeople. Their reserved carriage was decorated with streamers, and fog-signals were detonated on the line as the train steamed out.

There were twenty teams competing in New York, where the international tournament was held in the Frolic Theatre on Braoadway; and the Ardrossan and Saltcoats Players presented their play on Thursday May 10. Four finalists were selected for the last stages on the Saturday and the Players were awarded first prize, the Belasco Cup and 200 dollars.

They sailed home on the Athenia and were met at Greenock by Provost Kerr, Saltcoats and Provost Fawcett, Ardrossan. As they arrived on a Sunday, the public welcome was postponed till the following day. On the Monday afternoon the Players were conveyed in triumph through the three towns, thousands of people lining the streets to cheer them. They were showered with streamers and flags and bunting were everywhere — including Princes Street, Ardrossan, where three of the flags hung over the road were those for cholera, plague and quarantine.

There was an official welcome at South Beach Green, Ardrossan, with numerous speeches and dancing; and in the Beach Pavilion, Saltcoats, with more speeches, telegrams, including one from Barrie, and more dancing. There was a civic reception in Saltcoats Burgh Chambers where there were eleven more speeches; and songs — by the Provost and Councillors.

Thereafter the Players presented their award winning production of "The Old Lady Shows Her Medals" up and down the county, and for years afterwards continued to entertain local audiences twice yearly with productions of consistently high standard. They celebrated their golden jubilee in 1959 but then seemed to fall on evil days. Their last recorded performance was over ten years ago.

[geomacintyre]

The mention of the West Kilbride Players - who if I remember right celebrate their 90th anniversary this year - in the A&S article struck a chord. It may be my imagination but I have a vague recollection of the Players putting on The Old Lady Shows Her Medals - perhaps in 1978 as part of the 50th anniversary of the world winning performance.

[hahaya2004]

Hughie posted Jack Lambert's obituary here:

http://www.threetowners.net/forum/viewt ... =663#p2734

[Hughie]

Great find, Susan. Thanks for posting.

[down south]

( I know you all enjoy guessing games, so I suspect my earlier attempt to mention this in my initial post may have got lost among all the other detail. Or maybe it's just too hard ! Here it is instead in its own right : )

There's also a brief film clip here from the Scottish Film Archives of the triumphal procession round the streets with the cup; by their account, sadly all that now remains of a short film that was made :

http://ssa.nls.uk/film.cfm?fid=0574" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Eighty years have seen some changes I suppose, but I've had great difficulty trying to work out exactly where this is along their route round the towns; does anyone feel they recognise the spot ?

Susan

[George Ardrossan]

Susan

Could it be the bridge over the railway at Saltcoats Station between Canal Street and Vernon Street?

George

[meekan]

I'm pretty sure that's where it is George

[down south]

Thanks, both of you. I'm pretty sure now that you're right ; the procession of cars is coming up Kyleshill, on its way from Stevenston to Saltcoats. I would guess they started out in Ardrossan, went up along the High Road to Stevenston, and back through Saltcoats to the seafront.

But it' took me quite a while, and much looking and thinking, to convince myself that's where it was.To look at the picture you'd think the sea was miles away,not just over the wall ; and there's such a surprising amount of greenery. But that low building on the right , I'm sure, is this one that's still there beside the Mission Coast Home :

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Saltcoa ... 68,,0,-0.1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And the tall one that just sneaks in on the left in the last seconds of the clip is surely the one at the top of the street in this picture :

http://imgur.com/DKHThn1

Can't reproduce the view exactly on Streetview, alas; buses keep getting in the way. But you can see how almost EVERYTHING has changed so much round there, right down to the walls and fences. And the whole scene would be completely unrecognisable to a youngster today.

Susan

[Penny Tray]

I'm in complete agreement about the location and the "greenery" was located in the grounds of Parkend Home, halfway down Kyleshill on the left on the way to Stevenston.

http://special.st-andrews.ac.uk/saspeci ... Ow==&pg=12" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[little plum]

Susan, I tend to agree with P.T. ( unusual for me) the procession is heading to Stevenston .

[Penny Tray]

Little Plum,

You and I seldom agree and tonight is no different . I never said the parade was heading towards Stevenston. It is clearly moving down towards Saltcoats Railway Station. I was describing the location of the trees as you look at the film - i.e. halfway down Kyleshill on the left on the way to Stevenston. Sorry.

[little plum]

Had another look at that. . See you Penny Tray, last night I was telling my sister some of your good points, will need to update her the next time I see her.