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Azzabuv

This message was updated on 9/6/2004 7:57:14 PM by Azzabuv

Cecil Berle
replied on: 9/6/2004 12:51:35 AM

Cecil Berle - 1861 - 1937
Obituary from 'The Observer and Langley Mill Chronicle', Thursday, February 11th 1937.

Mr. Thomas Cecil Wightman, better known locally as Cecil Berle, of Derby Road, Heanor, passed away in Heanor Memorial Hospital on Sunday at the age of 76 and by his death, Heanor has lost one of its best known and most popular personalities.

Mr. Berle was born on Derby Road, Heanor, in 1861, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Wightman, Mr. Berle being a tailor by trade. Cecil received his first education at Smalley School and after a while removed with his parents to Oldham, Lancashire. There he secured employment as a telegraph boy and one of his earliest recollections was of carrying a telegram in connection with the famous Tichborn trial. During the time he was engaged as a telegraph boy, Mr. Berle visited a pantomime and was so taken up with the performance that he renewed his visits until he knew every word of the whole show. Mr. Berle later moved to Manchester to take up a situation at Mr. Watt's warehouse where he stayed for ten years. He joined the Mechanics Dramatic club and played all the halls in the Manchester district. He was complimented by Sir Abel Heywood on his costume character song "Flippity Flop, Young Man" and was the first character humorist engaged by Edward de Jong for his popular concerts at the Free Trade Hall, Manchester.

Mr. Berle also appeared at the Old Queen's Theatre, St James's theatre and at the Comedy Theatre for Mrs. Lottie Collins's benefit, after which he fulfilled a three months engagement in the Isle of Man at the Wellington Hall, returning to fulfil engagements at Southport Pier and the Empire, Blackpool. He was subsequently engaged by the Oldham Educational (Co-op) Committee to give his entertainment 'Tears and Smiles', occupying the whole of one Winter season, appearing at Halifax, Leeds and Burnley and singing in the presence of the notorius Jabez Balfour.

Entering a competition at Burnley, in which there were 33 humorists, Mr. Berle was successful in winning the character prize. He also won prizes at Leeds, Accrington, Bolton, Preston, Rochdale, Southport, Bradford, Hebden Bridge, Lilleboro' and other places.
Mr. Berle also appeared with the famous Ben Brierley (Aboth O'Yate), the Lancashire author at Rochdale Town Hall. Soon afterwards this place was burnt down. Joining Robertson and Holmes's Kentucky Minstrels, forty in number, all went well for a time until eventually the company were left stranded at Bishop Auckland.

Returning to Oldham and finding acute distress prevailing in the town, Mr. Berle arranged a charity performance to provide the kiddies with clogs Etc. and in a very few days handed forty guineas to the Chief Constable of Manchester.
Mr. Berle also appeared at Stockport, where he was on the same programme as the famous Simms Reeves. He next toured with Charlie Cookson's Comic Carnival Company appearing at Todmorden, Earlstown, Northwich and many other places.
Visiting Scotland, he appeared at Stirling with John Paley, the great cornet player, this being followed by Alloa, Falkirk, Selkirk, Edinburgh Etc. Afterwards he went on a Yorkshire tour with the Bros Newman Concert Party.

In the cause of Charity.
In his travelling days, Mr. Berle generally happened to be on a visit to his home at the time of the Heanor Old Fellowship(?) Trust at which he delighted to give assistance. On the death of his father, he was naturally called nearer to his mother, who was an invalid. Though settling down among his friends, he was called away many times in the cause of charity and was never known to refuse when it was possible for him to help. Promoters of entertainments never appealed to him in vain and though he helped to raise large sums of money over a long period of years for various individual and collective charities, it was not until 1925 that a concert was arranged for his own benefit. This was organised by a publicly chosen committee, the programme arrangements being mainly the work of Mr. Edward Buxton. Eight years later, another benefit was arranged for Mr. Berle by Mr. Percy C. Smith. On both occasions the Town Hall was packed to overflowing, the attendance being a notable tribute to Mr. Berle's popularity and the esteem in which he was held by all sections of the community.

The Internment.
Preceding the internment at the Marlpool cemetery on Tuesday, a service was conducted at the Heanor Wesley Church, where in his boyhood days Mr. Berle was a scholar in the Sunday School. This was conducted by the Reverend Eric Kenworthy and attended by a large congregation which included representatives of the numerous organisations in which the deceased had been interested - Heanor Town and Trades Association, Heanor Labour Club, Heanor Social Club, Heanor Memorial Hospital and others.

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