The News
Friday January 16, 1931
Page 10
HAPPY THREE MONTHS
Before the President (Lord Merrivale) on wednesday, Mrs Irene Adelina West, Cowley-mansions, Cowley-road, Brixton, petitioned for the dissolution of her marriage, on the ground of the misconduct of her husband, George William West, with a woman at an address in Cathcart-street, Kentish Town. The suit was not defended.
Mr. and Mrs. West were married in 1924 at the Brixton Register Office, and there are no children. They were happy for about three months, and respondent commenced ill-treating his wife. In 1928 petitioner was granted a decree of judicisl separation. Later she heard rumours of her hasband's association with another woman, and after consulting her solicitors, filed her petition for divorce.
Evidence was given by petitioner and by Mrs May Cadogan, of Cathcart-street, Kentish Town.
His lordship granted petitioner a decree nisi with costs.
THE DERBY DAILY TELEGRAPH
Tuesday, September 8, 1931
Page 3
DERBY LADY BURIED
The funeral of Mrs. E. Milner, of Macklin-street, Derby, took plave at Nottingham-road Cemetery, Derby, after a service in Christ Church, conducted by the Rev. C. M. Greenwood.
Mourners were: Mr. W. Milner (widower), Mrs Salt, Mrs. Littlefield, Mrs. Jones, Mr A. Milner, Mr. E. Milner, Mr. H. P. Littlefield, Miss I. Littlefield, Miss V. E. Wayland and Mrs H. Littlefield.
Wteaths were sent by: The widower: Mrs Salt (daughter): Mr. and Mrs. H. P. Littlefield: Mr. and Mrs. A. Milner: Mr. and Mrs. Jones: Mr. and Mrs. E. Milner: Mr. and Mrs. Wayland: Mr. and Mrs H. Littlefield, Irene, Violet and Steve: Cecil: Sam and Rene: Joan, Raymond and Brenda: Peter: Mr. and Mrs. A. Green and Rupert: neihbours and friends.
Mr. H. Wathall supervised the arrangements on behalf of Messrs. G. Wathall and Son, Derby.
Derby Evening Telegraph
Thursday, June 17, 1937
Derby Stage Artist
Renee Amigo, a member of the Three El Amigos, appearing in the variety bill at the Grand Theatre this week, is a native of Derby.
Her real name is Rene Littlefield, and she was born in Macklin-street, Derby, within a few yards of Derby Hippodrome, where her parents, who are well - known wire - walkers. frequently appeared.
She is a grand-daughter of the the late Mr W. Milner, who was in business in Derby as a tailor, and has a brother and several other relatives living in Derby and district.
Tours Abroad
Miss Littlefield went on tour when she was but a month old, and she made her first appearance on the stage as a dancer just after her eigth birthday.
Whit her parents she toured Spain, South America, and several Continental countries, returning to the Argentine later as a dancer.
Her last stage appearance in Derby was at the Hippodrome 12 years ago, but Miss Littlefield frequently visits the town to see her relatives.
Derby Daily Telegraph
[Friday] 15 September, 1978
Page 15
Trombonist earned more than the singer
WILBUR HALL recalls his days with Paul Whiteman band and his chance to replace Stan Laurel
ONE of the few remaining musicians from the famous Paul Whiteman Orchestra, America's self-styled "King of Jazz" is currently on holiday in Derby.
And at the age of 83, pint-sized Wilbur Hall is still playing a mean fiddle and trombone.
Back in the days when he was with the Whiteman orchestra -- 1924-1930 -- his weekly pay was 350 dollars a week while the band's singer was getting only 150 dollars. The vocalist was a certain Mr Bing Crosby.
"The reason was that I was lead trombone player and stunt man," said Wilbur at the home of his nephew, Mr Ashley Littlefield, in Derby Road, Spondon.
Wilbur, a member of an American family of travelling showpeople, met his Derby wife, Renee Littlefield, in the 1930s when they were appearing on the same bill in the King Edward XIII Coronation Show at the London Palladium.
"The show featured the Jack Hylton Ochestra and the Crazy Gang," said 74-year-old Renee, "and even though the King abdicated, the show still went on. It ran for 13 months."
Wilbur came to England after being spotted by an English showbusiness agent while working in Vaudeville. He played trombone and fiddle and also played two horns at the same time - a cornet and an Eb horn, known as a peck horn.
The girl who was working as his "straight feed" in the comedy duo was unable to make the trip to England, and that is where Renee cane in.
She was on the same London Palladium bill doing a song-and-dance solo act and also playing banjo and marimba.
And as Wilbur needed a talented musical female, the two eventually linked up.
"We decided to tie the knot in 1942, after working together since 1936," said Renee, "because our agent in the States had offered us a tour of Brazil and had hinted that work permits and travel arrangements would be easier if we were man and wife.
But this was when the second world war was reaching its height and within five weeks of the offer all the commercial shipping had been taken off their runs.
Renee's mother Adelina Milner was born in Uttoxeter but moved to Derby as a girl when her father bought a tailor's shop in Macklin Street.
by Alan Smith
"When she met Hector Prince Littlefield the man who was to become my father he taught her stagecraft and she subsequnently went on the boards as Addy Littlefield. Dad was a wire-walker and hoop-jumper," said Renee.
My brother, Hector Littlefield died in 1955, leaving a wife and their four sons, Peter, Ronnie, Terry and Ashley who all live in the Deby area.
A second cousin in Derby is entertainment agent Brian Percival, who has arranged for Wilbur to borrow a trombone and a fiddle while on holiday in Derby.
In fact Wilbur played a fine chorus on fiddle at the crest Motel on Monday and is hoping to blow trombone there next week.
Wilbur's comedy talents and physical resembalance to Stan Laurel, part of the legebdary Laurel and Hardy comedy team, almost put him into the filmstar category.
Said Wilbur: "In 1939 when Laurel and Hardy separated I got a telegram to go for an audition to take his place."
Unfortunately a family bereavement prevented Wilbur from keeping the date.
When Wilbur and Renee return to their home in Newbury Park, about 40 miles from Hollywood, they will be back on the boards again and in the spolight as Wilbur Hall and Renee.
