Sitting in the audience at The Memorial Theatre’s production of ‘Sleeping Beauty’ back in 2015, I was very taken with the King who kicked his leg as high as the rest of the cast and projected his voice with the same vim and vigour as the younger actors.
To hear that this royal was the princely age of 78 at the time blew me away. I was curious about what lay behind such energy when many of his peers are enjoying a more sedate and peaceful retirement.
Meeting in the Memorial Theatre on a cold and wet Monday morning looking out over the statue of World War 1 soldier, Charlie Robbins, and Christchurch Street, Humphrey very eloquently gives me an insight into what drives him onward.
Born and raised in The Butts, Humphrey points out his old school, Christchurch School (now converted into flats) on Park Road. A Fromie through and through, his family owned and ran a confectioner’s shop on Kings Street (now Emporio La Strada), his wife Gill’s family owned and ran a bakers shop on Badcox.
Humphrey’s parents went to the dances at The Grand on Christchurch street whilst his sister would tread the boards with The Bright Lights Theatre Troupe who formed during the Second World War.
Humphrey reluctantly took to the stage upon his sister’s insistence, his debut in the guise of a young boy bearing a balloon. He laughs as he recalls that he hasn’t looked back since.
60 years on and Humphrey has been awarded a BEM (British Empire Medal) in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours list. The honour has been bestowed on this community stalwart for many good reasons, not least the fact that he has played a pivotal role (along with many others he is at pains to point out) in keeping The Memorial Theatre afloat through tempestuous seas.
The Frome Memorial Theatre has evolved from a building that was originally known as the Memorial Hall. It was built in 1924 in memory of the fallen of the First World War.
The funding for the building was raised from efforts by the general public in Frome and the surrounding area. In the 1920s and 1930s it was used primarily as a dance hall or place for meetings.
When films became popular in the 1930s, seats were installed, it was turned into a cinema and named ‘The Grand’. It was a thriving cinema until the 1970s when the impact of television kept away many cinema goers. Eventually, The Grand was closed as a cinema and the building was used for other purposes, mainly by FAOS.
In the early 1980s, the trustees of the Memorial Hall were under great pressure to sell the building to the Mendip District Council for development – this was the moment where Humphrey and his fellow trustees stepped up to the plate and fought to save their beloved Theatre.
Many trials and tribulations followed in what was a battle well fought and won, and the Theatre, although saved, became a huge responsibility for these brave people who fought for her. Humphrey explains that there are over 100 volunteers who give their time, love and energy into keeping this great community resource alive.
The dedication is obvious when, despite the early hour on a Monday, the ticket office is manned by two ladies who have been involved with the Hall for years, and the maintenance man who jokingly bows on one knee and doffs his cap to Humphrey whilst mentioning the impending bad weather and the need for salt for the car park.
The Memorial Theatre is a Frome success story and, along with The Assembly Rooms (once derelict for seven years), it runs efficiently – not once in its history going overdrawn, and continuously helped by clever fundraising events. These include the sponsorship of seats in the auditorium where people are prepared to pay up to £250 to have their names forever indelibly linked to the Theatre that has given them so much joy.
In just under an hour of chatting with Humphrey I can see that the Memorial Theatre is not just bricks and mortar, it has a beating heart. This wonderful community space is a home to an extended family – Humphrey’s wife, daughters and their husbands, grandchildren are all involved as actors, dancers directors/choreographers, front of house or backstage.
We end our conversation with Humphrey pointing outside to the statue of Charlie Robbins, one of Frome’s own who fought in WW1. This makes him proud, he says, as this is what this hall was built for; a celebration of the lives of Frome people past, present and future.
How fortunate we are that men like Humphrey have had the foresight and fighting spirit to protect this incredible legacy for future generations.
Congratulations on your honour Humphrey, well deserved, I’m sure we’ll all agree, although again he is at pains to say it is not just for him and that he accepted it on behalf of all the volunteers who keep the Memorial going.
I’m sure it’s this inclusivity and generosity of spirit which has gone a long way in helping to keep this big family together and dedicated to their beloved Memorial Theatre over the years.
