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Brooks, John, entertainer in 1950s who lived in Kings Heath

Jason Ellis

Jason Ellis

master brummie
Can anybody help me with Information on the stage career of the entertainer John Brookes in the 1950s. His act included miming some of the big names of his day such as Al Jolson. I don't know his date of birth but he married Dorothy May Southerton in 1950. Dorothy was born in 1918, so it would be a reasonable assumption that John Brooks was born about 1918 as well. They lived at 35B Partons Road, Kings Heath
 
Only Dorothy seems to be listed at the Parton's Road address on the ERs, first as Southerton and then as Brookes. John is not listed on any of the years online, not sure what that implies.
 
Thank you MWS. That is consistent on several levels:
1. His name was John Brookes with an "e". That was just careless on my part.
2. Dorothy May Ellis first married Henry (Harry) Wilfred Southerton in 1936, but he died in 1948. Dorothy May then remarried to John Brookes in 1950.
3. It is not unreasonable to assume that as a stage performer John Brookes might have been "treading the boards" permanently on the road. But I do have family recollections that John Brookes and his wife Dorothy May lived as a married couple at Parsons Road.

While I am grateful for the information from the Register of Electors, I suspect the answer to my question about John Brookes' stage career will most likely be found in newspaper articles. Can anybody please help me with this.
 
I have searched papers including The Stage but at the moment have drawn a blank. Will search again tomorrow.
 
To help try to track him do you have his Father's name from the marriage cert when he married Dorothy?
 
Hello Janice, I do now have his father's name from his marriage certificate. John Brookes, born about 1927, married Dorothy May Southerton, a widow, nee Ellis (my aunt) 23 December 1950 in Birmingham. His address at the time was 130 Malmesbury Road, Small Heath and his occupation was glass grinder in glassworks. His father was Henry Charles Brookes, journeyman tailor. I have spoken to somebody who remembers him performing at the Swan pub in Yardley, so not necessarily top line vaudeville! But, I have also been informed that the BBC did a documentary about John Brookes' career (I think TV, rather than radio) but I have no idea when the BBC did that and apart from emailing them, no idea how to track it down. I suspect that finding that documentary might be the answer to all my questions. Any suggestions would be gratefully received.
 
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