From: Rick Townend [rick.townend_at_gmail_dot_com]

Sent: 05 September 2014 11:04

Subject: Phill Morley - 2 - Sheridan Smith

 

Message from Chrissie Forbes:

 

There will be a commemorative concert for Phill at Steeple Morden on 24th January.

 

 

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Sheridan Smith:

 

In case you didn't see 'Who do you think you are' on TV last night, it featured actress Sheridan Smith, and a large part of the show was taken up with research into her Great Great Grandfather, Benjamin Doubleday, whose photo portrait she had, playing banjo, with two ladies (also playing banjos) who we later found out were his daughters May and Ettie (Harriet). For the anoraks - all the banjos were five-string, and looked fret-less.  

 

You probably know - as will anyone who has talked to Pete Stanley about the history of the banjo - the instrument became very popular at all levels of society in Victorian England (there is a photo of one of Victoria's sons - Leopold? - holding a banjo) and, according to the TV program, Benjamin Doubleday was a major exponent.  It was mentioned that he played a wonderful version of 'Home Sweet Home'.  

 

Sheridan said her father, with whose C&W band she had sung, also played banjo:  impressively, during the making of the show, she went out and bought a banjo and taught herself to pick out 'Home Sweet Home'.