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Blue Plaques
THE DULWICH TEENAGER WHO GAVE VERA LYNN A RUN FOR HER MONEY!
19 November 2007
It has come as no surprise to the 'News’ that Anne Shelton has picked up a nomination for a Blue Plaque. She was profiled back in July on these pages and you would be hard pushed to find a more deserving nominee.
Anne was a Dulwich girl with a beautiful voice, who by the age of fifteen had already secured her first recording contract. This was on the back of touring the country at various bases entertaining troops and this girl gave Vera Lynn a run for her money in the popularity stakes.
She was so popular in fact that it wasn’t long before the BBC came knocking at her door and she fronted shows such as 'Calling Malta' and 'Introducing Anne' that were heard across the Mediterranean and north Africa. A welcome relief to the boys abroad who otherwise would be forced to listen to Nazi broadcasts.
Anne's profile then began to rise in a more friendly territory, the USA. Glenn Miller and his big band began a tour of the U, doing the rounds of the US bases and he asked a teenaged Anne if she would collaborate with him. How could she say no?
Anne obviously impressed Miller as he asked her to come to Europe to tour with him in France. But before she could jump at the chance her mother reminded her that that she had gigs and shows at home that she had promised to do and she turned it down.
The decision must have been crushing at the time but proved to be life changing in a variety of ways, especially as Miller and his band died on the return trip to Europe in a plane crash.
Obviously feted for other things it was collaborations with Bing Crosby that saw her star continue to rise. These collaborations started towards the end of the Second World War and continued afterwards.
By the time she was 21 she had done something most of today's modern bands and X-factor wannabees yearn to do but never achieve, she cracked the US market.
In 1949 two of her tracks 'Galway Bay' and 'Be Mine' were huge chart successes across the pond. A three month tour that traversed the entire continent had to be extended for another eight months to meet the demands for tickets. The only thing stopping the runaway success was that Anne came back home for a family Christmas.
She continued touring Europe over the next couple of decades, with the Dutch taking a particular shine to her, but she did return to the US, as well as performing in South Africa, Hong Kong and Canada.
After two appearances on the Royal Variety show in the 1960s there was a ten year gap before returned in 1978.
Although not seen as often, she was far from forgotten for when it was put to the vote who the troops wanted to sing at cabaret to commemorate the D-day landings in 1979, it was Anne Shelton who topped the polls.
She wasn't loved just for her lilting voice however. The love she received from the troops was reciprocated as she took part in numerous campaigns for ex-servicemen charities, but the one closest to her heart was the Not Forgotten Association.
The association put on concerts and holidays for those who took part in conflicts, as well as providing more practical support, and Anne played a huge role with them.
Her last two appearances of note were both at Buckingham Palace. The first in 1990 was to pick up a well deserved OBE and the second in 1994 was her final concert performance.
She died soon after but there could be no more fitting way to remember her than her singing in regal splendour. She is buried in Benchley Gardens in Nunhead.
Her memory lives on and numerous books are available about her life, an excellent website has also been set up at www.anne-shelton.co.uk where you can also find details of how to vote for her in the Blue Plaque awards.
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Comments (2)
1. At 07:46 AM on 29 Nov 2007, Kelly Richards wrote:
I am Anne Shelton's niece, and I am so very pleased that my aunt has been nominated for the Southwark Plaque. Anne was not only a truly talented singer, but also the kindest most feeling person you could ever hope to meet.I know she would be so honoured to receive this tribute. She really does deserve it.
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2. At 05:08 PM on 06 Dec 2007, Jim Woolley wrote:
I couldn't agree more with what has been written about Anne Shelton. She was a lovely lady with a wonderful voice. No airs or graces with her, what you saw was what you got. She was so down to earth. I frequently went backstage after the shows in which she took part, and she always had time to have a few words, as did David, her husband and her Mother. A lovely family and I am sure Dulwich residents were proud to have them live there. In my opinion, she should have been created a Dame of the British Empire for all her hard work for various charities over the years, but thankfully she did receive an OBE in 1990. I sincerely hope the blue plaque nomination is successful.
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