Helen Clare (singer)
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Helen Clare (born Nelly Harrison; 29 November 1916 – 15 September 2018) was a British singer who was well known in the 1930s and 1940s through her work in variety, radio, television and recording. Clare worked extensively in
light entertainment Light entertainment encompasses a broad range of television and radio programming that includes comedies, variety shows, game shows, quiz shows and the like. In Great Britain In the early days of the BBC virtually all broadcast entertainment wou ...
, appearing on
BBC Radio BBC Radio is an operational business division and service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a royal charter since 1927). The service provides national radio stations covering th ...
and recording with
British dance bands British dance band is a genre of popular jazz and dance music that developed in British dance halls and hotel ballrooms during the 1920s and 1930s, often called a Golden Age of British music, prior to the Second World War. Thousands of miles aw ...
. Her distinctive soprano voice saw her working with some of the biggest names of the era, including bandleaders Jack Jackson and Henry Hall. She was one of the last surviving British singers who had been active in the 1930s.


Early life

Nelly Harrison was born in
Bradford Bradford is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Bradford district in West Yorkshire, England. The city is in the Pennines' eastern foothills on the banks of the Bradford Beck. Bradford had a population of 349,561 at the 2011 ...
,
Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...
, on 29 November 1916, during the
First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, and had an older brother, Tom. Aged four, she moved to Australia with her family, who settled in Burswood, a suburb of
Perth Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...
. She began performing in cinemas, often dressed to look like
Baby Peggy Diana Serra Cary (born Peggy-Jean Montgomery; October 29, 1918 – February 24, 2020), known as Baby Peggy, was an American child film actress, vaudevillian, author and silent film historian. She was the last living person with a substantial car ...
, a popular child star in Hollywood, and progressed to appearing in pantomimes in Perth, as well as Australia's major population centres of
Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
and
Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...
. Billed as "Little Nellie Harrison - Child Wonder", Harrison performed grand opera arias, such as the "Jewel Song" from ''
Faust Faust is the protagonist of a classic German legend based on the historical Johann Georg Faust ( 1480–1540). The erudite Faust is highly successful yet dissatisfied with his life, which leads him to make a pact with the Devil at a crossroads ...
'' for
Dame Nellie Melba Dame Nellie Melba (born Helen Porter Mitchell; 19 May 186123 February 1931) was an Australian operatic dramatic coloratura soprano (three octaves). She became one of the most famous singers of the late Victorian era and the early 20th century ...
, who she duetted with. Harrison's voice brought her to the attention of the critics and audiences, with Melba remarking, "this voice must be preserved and not be used for years to come". A 1926
Sydney Opera House The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in Sydney. Located on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour, it is widely regarded as one of the world's most famous and distinctive buildings and a masterpiece of 20th-century architec ...
production of ''Aladdin'' was reviewed by ''The Sydney Morning Herald'', in which it was noted that Harrison won applause from the audience. Harrison, "a diminutive child-prodigy, sang fluently and correctly, with shades and roulades, all in a tiny voice, the valse-air from
Edward German Sir Edward German (17 February 1862 – 11 November 1936) was an English musician and composer of Welsh descent, best remembered for his extensive output of incidental music for the stage and as a successor to Arthur Sullivan in the field of ...
's comic opera ''Tom Jones''", the review added.


Career


Early success

Following the
Wall Street Crash The Wall Street Crash of 1929, also known as the Great Crash, was a major American stock market crash that occurred in the autumn of 1929. It started in September and ended late in October, when share prices on the New York Stock Exchange colla ...
in 1929, and the subsequent
Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
, Harrison and her family returned to Yorkshire, living in Shipley, outside Bradford. After leaving school, she worked as a costing clerk in a raincoat factory, but sang in clubs during the evenings. She also appeared with her brother Tom Harrison's band in Bradford. "Unlike their usual singer, I didn't need a
megaphone A megaphone, speaking-trumpet, bullhorn, blowhorn, or loudhailer is usually a portable or hand-held, cone-shaped acoustic horn used to amplify a person's voice or other sounds and direct it in a given direction. The sound is introduced into ...
", she said. Harrison began getting bookings in the
North of England Northern England, also known as the North of England, the North Country, or simply the North, is the northern area of England. It broadly corresponds to the former borders of Angle Northumbria, the Anglo-Scandinavian Kingdom of Jorvik, and the ...
, and, having been offered an audition by
Eric Maschwitz Albert Eric Maschwitz OBE (10 June 1901 – 27 October 1969), sometimes credited as Holt Marvell, was an English entertainer, writer, editor, broadcaster and broadcasting executive. Life and work Born in Edgbaston, Birmingham, England, and desc ...
, the then-Head of BBC Variety, she started to broadcast for the
BBC North BBC North (Group) is an operational business division of the BBC. It is also a brand that has been used by the BBC to mean: *The large ''BBC North'' region, centred on Manchester, that was active from the late 1920s until 1968 and was based up ...
region in 1934. In the mid-1930s, Harrison joined Conri Tait's Orchestra, who appeared at the Grand Hotel in
Harrogate Harrogate ( ) is a spa town and the administrative centre of the Borough of Harrogate in North Yorkshire, England. Historic counties of England, Historically in the West Riding of Yorkshire, the town is a tourist destination and its visitor at ...
. By 1936, she was broadcasting under her
stage name A stage name is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers—such as actors, comedians, singers, and musicians. Such professional aliases are adopted for a wide variety of reasons and they may be similar, or nearly identical, to an individu ...
, Helen Clare, which she would be billed as this from this point on. In February 1937, she began broadcasting throughout Britain on the
BBC National Programme The BBC National Programme was a radio service which was on the air from 9 March 1930 – replacing the earlier BBC's experimental station 5XX – until 1 September 1939 when it was subsumed into the Home Service, two days before the outbreak ...
with Jack Jackson's band, who were resident at the
Dorchester Hotel The Dorchester is a five-star luxury hotel on Park Lane and Deanery Street in London, to the east of Hyde Park. It is one of the world's most prestigious and expensive hotels. The Dorchester opened on 18 April 1931, and it still retains its ...
in
London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
. Jackson had spotted her the previous year, and Clare became a household name, taking bookings from the
Radio Normandie Captain Leonard Frank Plugge (21 September 1889 – 19 February 1981) was a British radio entrepreneur and Conservative Party politician. Early years and political life Plugge was born at Walworth, only son of Frank Plugge (1864–1946), a com ...
, Lyon and
Luxembourg Luxembourg ( ; lb, Lëtzebuerg ; french: link=no, Luxembourg; german: link=no, Luxemburg), officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, ; french: link=no, Grand-Duché de Luxembourg ; german: link=no, Großherzogtum Luxemburg is a small lan ...
stations. Whilst there, she was befriended by a young
Danny Kaye Danny Kaye (born David Daniel Kaminsky; yi, דוד־דניאל קאַמינסקי; January 18, 1911 – March 3, 1987) was an American actor, comedian, singer and dancer. His performances featured physical comedy, idiosyncratic pantomimes, and ...
, who was appearing in cabaret at the hotel. Clare began appearing on
BBC Television BBC Television is a service of the BBC. The corporation has operated a public broadcast television service in the United Kingdom, under the terms of a royal charter, since 1927. It produced television programmes from its own studios from 193 ...
when the medium was still in its infancy, becoming one of the first female singers to appear on the small screen in 1937. That year, she sang
George George may refer to: People * George (given name) * George (surname) * George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George * George Washington, First President of the United States * George W. Bush, 43rd Presiden ...
and
Ira Gershwin Ira Gershwin (born Israel Gershovitz; December 6, 1896 – August 17, 1983) was an American lyricist who collaborated with his younger brother, composer George Gershwin, to create some of the most memorable songs in the English language of the 2 ...
's "They Can't Take That Away From Me" in ''
Cabaret Cartoons ''Cabaret Cartoons'' is a live light entertainment series broadcast by BBC Television 193639 and 1946.BBC Television suspended broadcasting on 1 September 1939 with the outbreak of World War II, and did not resume until June 1946. It was a spin- ...
'', a television programme produced by
Cecil Madden Cecil Charles Madden, MBE (29 November 1902 – 27 May 1987), was an English pioneer of television production. In 1936, he moved from BBC radio to its experimental television service, and was responsible for many programmes until the service was ...
. On 22 June that year, she made her recording debut at a Rex session with
Jay Wilbur James Edward Wilbur (1898–1968) was a British bandleader and prolifically recorded musician identified with and influential in the era of Big Band and British dance band music. Wilbur was born Wilbur Blinco in 1898 in Leamington Spa. He ...
and his Band, when Clare sang a duet with Jack Cooper, "
Let's Call the Whole Thing Off "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" is a song written by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin for the 1937 film ''Shall We Dance'', where it was introduced by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers as part of a celebrated dance duet on roller skates. The shee ...
", which had been introduced by
Fred Astaire Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz; May 10, 1899 – June 22, 1987) was an American dancer, choreographer, actor, and singer. He is often called the greatest dancer in Hollywood film history. Astaire's career in stage, film, and tele ...
and
Ginger Rogers Ginger Rogers (born Virginia Katherine McMath; July 16, 1911 – April 25, 1995) was an American actress, dancer and singer during the Classical Hollywood cinema, Golden Age of Hollywood. She won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her starri ...
in the film ''
Shall We Dance Shall We Dance may refer to: Films * ''Shall We Dance'' (1937 film), a Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers musical * ''Shall We Dance?'' (1996 film), a Japanese film about ballroom dancing * ''Shall We Dance?'' (2004 film), an American remake of the ...
''. She made several more recordings with Wilbur's band, and also broadcast with him. On 26 November 1937, she made her first recording with Jack Jackson and his Orchestra at a
Decca Decca may refer to: Music * Decca Records or Decca Music Group, a record label * Decca Gold, a classical music record label owned by Universal Music Group * Decca Broadway, a musical theater record label * Decca Studios, a recording facility in W ...
session in which she sang "I'm a Little Prairie Flower" as part of a vocal ensemble with Jackson, Jackie Hunter and Jack Cooper. In December 1937, the ''Popular Music and Film Song Weekly'' wrote of Clare:
"…there are relatively few dance-band crooners who possess what the professors would describe as a 'real voice'. Pretty Helen Clare, however is one of the very few. Maybe you can detect the 'quality' when you hear her on the air with Jack Jackson from the Dorchester."
She also recorded three duets with Jackson – one of the most prominent bandleaders of the era – for his orchestra in January and May the following year. In addition, she appeared on television with him until 1939.


War and post-war fame

Following the outbreak of the Second World War, Clare was asked to join the BBC Variety department in
Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...
, where they had evacuated to, and were forming a variety company. Clare remarked that "It was hard work to begin with, we were just one little company and had to dash from one studio to another but the company was lovely, people you'd worked with for years and we were all together and doing our bit". She worked with stars such as
Flanagan and Allen Flanagan and Allen were a British singing and comedy double act most active during the 1930s and 1940s. Its members were Bud Flanagan (1896 – 1968, born Chaim Weintrop) and Chesney Allen (1894–1982). They were first paired in a Florrie For ...
,
Tommy Trinder Thomas Edward Trinder CBE (24 March 1909 – 10 July 1989) was an English stage, screen and radio comedian whose catchphrase was "You lucky people!". Described by cultural historian Matthew Sweet as "a cocky, front-of-cloth variety turn", he was ...
and
Leslie 'Hutch' Hutchinson Leslie Arthur Julien Hutchinson, known as "Hutch" (7 March 1900 – 18 August 1969), was a Grenada-born singer and musician who was one of the biggest cabaret, cabaret stars in the world during the 1920s and 1930s. Early life Born in Gouya ...
, appearing regularly on BBC Radio. She broadcast with the BBC's in-house orchestras and those led by such notable bandleaders as
Carroll Gibbons Carroll Richard Gibbons (January 4, 1903 – May 10, 1954) was an American-born pianist, bandleader and popular composer who made his career primarily in England during the British dance band era. Image of Gibbons from the W.D. & H.O. Wills ...
, Henry Hall,
Billy Ternent Billy Ternent (10 October 1899 – 23 March 1977) was a British orchestra leader, popular from the 1940s to the 1970s, best known for backing Frank Sinatra and his work at the London Palladium. Biography Ternent was born Frederick William Terne ...
and
Jack Hylton Jack Hylton (born John Greenhalgh Hilton; 2 July 1892 – 29 January 1965) was an English pianist, composer, band leader and impresario. Hylton rose to prominence during the British dance band era, being referred as the "British King of Jazz" a ...
. It was thought that Bristol would be safer than London, but this was proven wrong when the city suffered air raids in November 1940 and into 1941. The BBC Variety department consequently moved even further from London, this time to Bangor in
North Wales , area_land_km2 = 6,172 , postal_code_type = Postcode , postal_code = LL, CH, SY , image_map1 = Wales North Wales locator map.svg , map_caption1 = Six principal areas of Wales common ...
. She became a freelance singer in 1941, and toured Britain's variety theatres. She also gave concerts for the troops at factories, naval stations, army bases and factories. In June 1941, she recorded a cover of "Beneath The Lights Of Home (In A Little Old Sleepy Town)", from
Deanna Durbin Edna Mae Durbin (December 4, 1921 – April 17, 2013), known professionally as Deanna Durbin, was a Canadian-born actress and singer, who moved to the USA with her family in infancy. She appeared in musical films in the 1930s and 1940s. With t ...
's film ''
Nice Girl? ''Nice Girl?'' is a 1941 American musical film directed by William A. Seiter, and starring Deanna Durbin, Franchot Tone, Walter Brennan, Robert Stack, and Robert Benchley. Based on the play ''Nice Girl?'' by Phyllis Duganne, the film is about a yo ...
'' as the vocalist on The Organ, The Dance Band and Me, a group led by Billy Thorburn. Two years later, with Thorburn's band, she recorded "Say A Pray'r For The Boys Over There", an Oscar-nominated song from Durbin's film ''
Hers to Hold ''Hers to Hold'' (aka ''Three Smart Girls Join Up'') is a 1943 American romantic musical comedy film and is the third film in the unofficial ''Three Smart Girls'' trilogy. In ''Hers to Hold'', Deanna Durbin reprises her role as Penny Craig, who ...
'', and " Comin' In On A Wing And A Pray'r", both wartime-themed songs. Offered the chance to work with bandleader Jack Payne, she broadcast with him for the
Entertainments National Service Association The Entertainments National Service Association (ENSA) was an organisation established in 1939 by Basil Dean and Leslie Henson to provide entertainment for British armed forces personnel during World War II. ENSA operated as part of the Navy, ...
(ENSA), singing songs such as " I'll Walk Beside You", a popular hit during the war. She also appeared in BBC programmes such as ''
Music While You Work ''Music While You Work'' was a daytime radio programme of continuous live popular music broadcast in the United Kingdom twice daily on workdays from 23 June 1940 until 29 September 1967 by the BBC. Initially, the morning edition was generally ...
'', ''Calling Forces Gibraltar'' and '' Workers' Playtime'' singing requests for the troops and their loved ones. Clare hosted ''It's All Yours'' from 1942 to 1944, in which she read out messages and performed songs sent in by children with relatives in the Allied forces. It was in this programme that the 9-year old
Petula Clark Petula Sally Olwen Clark, CBE (born 15 November 1932) is an English singer, actress, and composer. She has one of the longest serving careers of a British singer, spanning more than seven decades. Clark's professional career began during the ...
made her broadcasting debut, later described by Clare as "this lovely little thing". In early 1944, she recorded vocals at three sessions with
Harry Leader Henry George Leader (March 10, 1880 – May 9, 1946) was a politician, farmer, and cattle breeder from Manitoba, Canada. Leader served as a councillor in the township of Burnside, Manitoba, from 1906 to 1912 and was reeve from 1912 to 1914 as w ...
and his Band for
Regal Zonophone Regal may refer to: Companies * Regal Beloit, usually referred to as Regal, an American manufacturer of electric motors * Regal Cinema (disambiguation), several cinemas of that name * Regal Cinemas, a major American theater chain * Regal Cinemas ...
, who were based at the Astoria Ballroom in London. In addition to ENSA, Clare also performed for the Overseas Recorded Broadcasting Service, which made radio programmes for British forces stationed abroad. One of her favourite songs was
Jerome Kern Jerome David Kern (January 27, 1885 – November 11, 1945) was an American composer of musical theatre and popular music. One of the most important American theatre composers of the early 20th century, he wrote more than 700 songs, used in over ...
's "
All the Things You Are "All the Things You Are" is a song composed by Jerome Kern with lyrics written by Oscar Hammerstein II. The song was written for the musical ''Very Warm for May'' (1939)
", which she often sang on the BBC, notably with the
Allied Expeditionary Force Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF; ) was the headquarters of the Commander of Allied forces in north west Europe, from late 1943 until the end of World War II. U.S. General Dwight D. Eisenhower was the commander in SHAEF t ...
band in April 1945. Commenting on this, she said, "When I sang I was part of that song, and the songs then spoke of so many sentiments, and they tell a story". Following the end of the war in Britain, Clare continued to work in
variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
and light music. The latter included
operetta Operetta is a form of theatre and a genre of light opera. It includes spoken dialogue, songs, and dances. It is lighter than opera in terms of its music, orchestral size, length of the work, and at face value, subject matter. Apart from its s ...
, in which she would be accompanied by orchestras led by
Sidney Torch Sidney Torch MBE (born Sidney Torchinsky; 5 June 1908 – 16 July 1990) was a British pianist, cinema organist, conductor, orchestral arranger and a composer of light music. Early life Torch was born of Russian Jewish origin to a Ukrain ...
and
George Melachrino George Melachrino (born ''George Miltiades''; 1 May 1909 – 18 June 1965) was a musician, composer of film music, and musical director who was English born of Greek and Italian descent. He was an accomplished player of the violin, viola, oboe, cla ...
. She continued to broadcast on popular radio shows such as ''
Variety Bandbox ''Variety Bandbox'' is a BBC Radio variety show transmitted initially in the General Forces Programme and then the Light Programme. Featuring a mixture of comic performances and music, the show helped to launch the careers of a number of leadin ...
'' and ''Palace of Varieties''. In 1957, '' Friday Night Is Music Night'', which had begun on the
BBC Light Programme The BBC Light Programme was a national radio station which broadcast chiefly mainstream light entertainment and light music from 1945 until 1967, when it was replaced by BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio 1. It opened on 29 July 1945, taking over the ...
in 1953, featured Clare, accompanied by the
BBC Concert Orchestra The BBC Concert Orchestra is a British concert orchestra based in London, one of the British Broadcasting Corporation's five radio orchestras. With around fifty players, it is the only one of the five BBC orchestras which is not a full-scale symp ...
.


Later life

Clare continued performing professionally and appearing in broadcasts until the 1960s, when she had a mild heart attack. However, she gave singing lessons for the next thirty years, and, until the age of 90, was active in the Wallington Operatic Society. In May 2015, aged 98, she was interviewed by
Pam Rhodes Pam Rhodes (born 22 September 1950) is an English television, radio presenter and author, known for presenting BBC Television's long-running religious series ''Songs of Praise'' since the early 1980s. Early life Rhodes was born in Gillingham, Kent ...
for ''
Songs of Praise ''Songs of Praise'' is a BBC Television religious programme that presents Christian hymns sung in churches of varying denominations from around the UK. The series was first broadcast in October 1961. On that occasion, the venue was the Ta ...
'' on
BBC One BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, p ...
, in a programme marking the 70th anniversary of
VE Day Victory in Europe Day is the day celebrating the formal acceptance by the Allies of World War II of Germany's unconditional surrender of its armed forces on Tuesday, 8 May 1945, marking the official end of World War II in Europe in the Easter ...
. In 2016, at the age of 99, Clare was reunited on live television with
Petula Clark Petula Sally Olwen Clark, CBE (born 15 November 1932) is an English singer, actress, and composer. She has one of the longest serving careers of a British singer, spanning more than seven decades. Clark's professional career began during the ...
, whom she had worked with during the war on BBC Radio's ''It's All Yours''. They appeared together on
BBC One BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, p ...
's ''
The One Show ''The One Show'' is a British television magazine and chat show programme. Broadcast live on BBC One weeknights at 7:00 pm, it features topical stories and studio guests. It is currently co-hosted by Alex Jones, Jermaine Jenas, and Ronan K ...
''. Clare was taken to the
Grosvenor House Hotel ] JW Marriott Grosvenor House London, originally named the Grosvenor House Hotel, is a luxury hotel that opened in 1929 in the Mayfair area of London, England. The hotel is managed by JW Marriott Hotels, which is a brand of Marriott Internationa ...
for a celebration of her
100th birthday A centenarian is a person who has reached the age of 100 years. Because life expectancies worldwide are below 100 years, the term is invariably associated with longevity. In 2012, the United Nations estimated that there were 316,600 living cent ...
, in a visit featured on ''Holding Back the Years'', a BBC One programme hosted by
Ainsley Harriott Ainsley Denzil Dubriel Harriott (born 28 February 1957) is an English chef and television presenter. He is known for his BBC cooking game shows ''Can't Cook, Won't Cook'' and ''Ready Steady Cook''. Early life Harriott was born in Paddingto ...
. Joined by her daughter, granddaughter and great-grandchildren, she was serenaded by Alex Mendham and His Orchestra. In 2018, the first album of Clare's recordings was released, ''All The Things You Are''. Asked for the secrets to a long life, Clare said "There isn't a secret. You just have to be interested in things, in what's happening in the world. And keep your sense of enjoyment going."


Personal life and death

In 1939, following the start of the Second World War, Clare lived at 88 Maida Vale (later a
Grade II In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...
listed building) in the area of the same name, then part of the
Metropolitan Borough of St Marylebone The Metropolitan Borough of St Marylebone was a metropolitan boroughs of the County of London, metropolitan borough of the County of London from 1900 to 1965. It was based directly on the previously existing civil parishes in England, civil par ...
, west London. She married musician
Frederick Riddle Frederick Craig Riddle OBE (20 April 19125 February 1995) was a British violist. He was considered to be in the line from Lionel Tertis and William Primrose, through to the violists of today such as Lawrence Power. Early life and career Frederic ...
in
Kensington Kensington is a district in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in the West End of London, West of Central London. The district's commercial heart is Kensington High Street, running on an east–west axis. The north-east is taken up b ...
in 1946, who was later awarded an OBE, and described as "one of the most eminent viola players of his time". The couple had met at
BBC Bristol The BBC campus, Broadcasting House Bristol, is located on Whiteladies Road, Bristol. The first building to be occupied was 21/23 Whiteladies Road, which was built in 1852 and is a Grade II listed building, with four radio studios. It was formal ...
whilst he was in the BBC Salon Orchestra, and were together for over forty years. They had a daughter, Elizabeth, who was said to have inherited her mother's vocal talents. Riddle died in 1995; Clare received her 100th birthday card from
Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. She was queen ...
addressed to her married name, Mrs Helen Riddle. Clare lived in Wallington, in
Sutton Sutton (''south settlement'' or ''south town'' in Old English) may refer to: Places United Kingdom England In alphabetical order by county: * Sutton, Bedfordshire * Sutton, Berkshire, a List of United Kingdom locations: Stu-Sz#Su, location * S ...
, south London from 1952 to 1987, when she moved to the
Isle of Wight The Isle of Wight ( ) is a county in the English Channel, off the coast of Hampshire, from which it is separated by the Solent. It is the largest and second-most populous island of England. Referred to as 'The Island' by residents, the Isle of ...
, where her husband died. She returned to live in
Carshalton Carshalton () is a town, with a historic village centre, in south London, England, within the London Borough of Sutton. It is situated south-southwest of Charing Cross, in the valley of the River Wandle, one of the sources of which is Carshalton ...
, Sutton, in 1995, where she remained until 2011. Clare later moved into sheltered accommodation in Wallington, and died on 15 September 2018, aged 101. She was survived by her daughter, granddaughter and three great-grandchildren.


See also

* Mary Lee (1921–2022), the last surviving British dance band singer of the 1930s


References


External links


Helen Clare singing Star of the 1930s 1940s & 1950s. BBC, Radio, recording and concert artist.

The Organ the Dance Band and Me - Comin' in on a Wing and a Pray'r (1943)
Original 78rpm recording featuring Helen Clare's vocals
Saturday Live (Radio 4) Saturday 29th Aug 2015
Interview with Helen Clare (18 minutes in)
BBC One - Songs of Praise, 75th Anniversary of VE Day, Feature: Forces' Sweetheart Helen Clare
Pam Rhodes interviews Helen Clare for the 70th anniversary of VE Day {{DEFAULTSORT:Clare, Helen 1916 births 2018 deaths Big band singers English women singers English radio personalities Musicians from Bradford 20th-century English singers 20th-century English women 20th-century English people Women centenarians English centenarians English sopranos People from Maida Vale People from the Isle of Wight People from Carshalton People from Wallington, London People from the London Borough of Sutton