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| Joy Beverley obituary | Joy Beverley obituary |
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| The marriage of David Beckham and Victoria Adams was not the first union of major stars of football and pop. Almost half a century earlier, the England captain Billy Wright married Joy Beverley, the eldest member of the country’s most famous vocal group of the time, the Beverley Sisters. | The marriage of David Beckham and Victoria Adams was not the first union of major stars of football and pop. Almost half a century earlier, the England captain Billy Wright married Joy Beverley, the eldest member of the country’s most famous vocal group of the time, the Beverley Sisters. |
| Joy, who has died aged 91 following a stroke, and her younger twin sisters, Teddie and Babs, purveyed flawless harmonies with what the Stage called a “slightly naughty girlishness and sophisticated simplicity” in TV appearances, summer shows and cabaret turns. Their hit records included I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus and Little Donkey. Their theme song, Sisters, was composed for them by Irving Berlin. | Joy, who has died aged 91 following a stroke, and her younger twin sisters, Teddie and Babs, purveyed flawless harmonies with what the Stage called a “slightly naughty girlishness and sophisticated simplicity” in TV appearances, summer shows and cabaret turns. Their hit records included I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus and Little Donkey. Their theme song, Sisters, was composed for them by Irving Berlin. |
| The Beverley Sisters were one of the first light entertainment acts to become stars through television. During the 1950s they had their own long-running BBC series – and, well into the next decade, they were frequent guests on the shows of such figures as David Nixon, Ted Ray and Morecambe and Wise. | |
| The sisters were known for dressing alike and for being almost inseparable. For many years, they lived next door to each other in north London. As late as 2002, a journalist reported that their phones were answered with: “Hello, one of the Beverley Sisters speaking.” These idiosyncrasies made them a favourite with impressionists, from the 50s music hall act Albert and Les Ward to the comedian Victoria Wood, who gently guyed them in her 2012 Christmas television special. | |
| Joy and the twins came from a show-business family. Their parents, George Chinery and his wife, Victoria (nee Miles), were a successful music-hall act as Coram & Miles, until they retired to run a shop and start a family. Their daughters would later pay tribute to them by including a medley of music-hall numbers in their own stage act, as well as buying them a house in Highgate, north London. | Joy and the twins came from a show-business family. Their parents, George Chinery and his wife, Victoria (nee Miles), were a successful music-hall act as Coram & Miles, until they retired to run a shop and start a family. Their daughters would later pay tribute to them by including a medley of music-hall numbers in their own stage act, as well as buying them a house in Highgate, north London. |
| Joy (Joycelyn) was born in Bethnal Green, east London, and her sisters arrived three years later to the day, with the given names of Hazel and Babette. During the second world war they were evacuated to Northampton, where their vocal talents were first discovered. A photographer, Jock Ware, chose them to be featured in an advertisement for Ovaltine. When they sang a hymn for him in perfect harmony he arranged for the sisters to audition in 1944 for BBC light entertainment. On the day, the sisters sang for the BBC producer Chris Madden – and another visitor was the American bandleader Glenn Miller. He was so impressed that he offered some of his musicians to accompany them. | Joy (Joycelyn) was born in Bethnal Green, east London, and her sisters arrived three years later to the day, with the given names of Hazel and Babette. During the second world war they were evacuated to Northampton, where their vocal talents were first discovered. A photographer, Jock Ware, chose them to be featured in an advertisement for Ovaltine. When they sang a hymn for him in perfect harmony he arranged for the sisters to audition in 1944 for BBC light entertainment. On the day, the sisters sang for the BBC producer Chris Madden – and another visitor was the American bandleader Glenn Miller. He was so impressed that he offered some of his musicians to accompany them. |
| Madden contracted the Beverley Sisters to appear on a series of six wartime radio shows. He was also involved with the BBC’s fledgling TV service, and when it reopened after the war, the Beverley Sisters appeared in brief segments almost daily, wearing costumes made by their mother using lace curtains and cushion covers. They were also invited to New York to appear on NBC television with Miller’s orchestra. On their return to London, they appeared at the fashionable Bagatelle club and at the London Palladium, supporting Danny Kaye. | Madden contracted the Beverley Sisters to appear on a series of six wartime radio shows. He was also involved with the BBC’s fledgling TV service, and when it reopened after the war, the Beverley Sisters appeared in brief segments almost daily, wearing costumes made by their mother using lace curtains and cushion covers. They were also invited to New York to appear on NBC television with Miller’s orchestra. On their return to London, they appeared at the fashionable Bagatelle club and at the London Palladium, supporting Danny Kaye. |
| Their first television series was Three Little Girls on View in 1947, which was soon renamed Those Beverley Sisters and ran for seven years. Despite their wholesome aura, there were clashes with the BBC hierarchy, which banned certain songs because of risqué lyrics and prevented them from appearing in dresses that exposed their navels. | Their first television series was Three Little Girls on View in 1947, which was soon renamed Those Beverley Sisters and ran for seven years. Despite their wholesome aura, there were clashes with the BBC hierarchy, which banned certain songs because of risqué lyrics and prevented them from appearing in dresses that exposed their navels. |
| They recorded prolifically throughout the 50s, for the Columbia, Philips and Decca labels. Like other British singers and bands of the era, the sisters were required to make cover versions of songs that were already hits in the US. Many of their singles lost out to versions by singers such as Patti Page, Kay Starr and even the Everly Brothers. Their only top 20 hits were of seasonal songs, including the novelty number I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus in 1953, and Little Donkey and Little Drummer Boy, both in 1959. Their sole American hit was a modernised version of Greensleeves in 1956. | They recorded prolifically throughout the 50s, for the Columbia, Philips and Decca labels. Like other British singers and bands of the era, the sisters were required to make cover versions of songs that were already hits in the US. Many of their singles lost out to versions by singers such as Patti Page, Kay Starr and even the Everly Brothers. Their only top 20 hits were of seasonal songs, including the novelty number I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus in 1953, and Little Donkey and Little Drummer Boy, both in 1959. Their sole American hit was a modernised version of Greensleeves in 1956. |
| Irving Berlin’s Sisters was not an immediate hit with the trio. “In 1954 Irving took us out for lunch at Le Caprice,” recalled Joy. “He told us he had a song for us. We thought, ‘Oh good, it will have a lovely harmony.’ But when he played Sisters to us, we didn’t know where to look. We didn’t fancy it.” Eventually, however, they were reconciled to the song and it became an inevitable part of their repertoire. | Irving Berlin’s Sisters was not an immediate hit with the trio. “In 1954 Irving took us out for lunch at Le Caprice,” recalled Joy. “He told us he had a song for us. We thought, ‘Oh good, it will have a lovely harmony.’ But when he played Sisters to us, we didn’t know where to look. We didn’t fancy it.” Eventually, however, they were reconciled to the song and it became an inevitable part of their repertoire. |
| Their TV success led to numerous live shows at the Palladium and summer seasons at Blackpool, Great Yarmouth and Bournemouth. There were also appearances in pantomime, including Cinderella in Liverpool in 1956, where the inseparable sisters played a trio of principal boys. | Their TV success led to numerous live shows at the Palladium and summer seasons at Blackpool, Great Yarmouth and Bournemouth. There were also appearances in pantomime, including Cinderella in Liverpool in 1956, where the inseparable sisters played a trio of principal boys. |
| In 1958 Joy married Wright. A keen Beverley Sisters fan, the famous footballer had invited all three to view his trophy collection, but only Joy accepted. “It was love at first sight,” she told an interviewer. “And we never had a cross word throughout our marriage.” The couple had two children, Victoria and Babette. Teddie and Babs also married in the 60s – and the sisters began to restrict their stage appearances to the London area, although they maintained their popularity through television. | In 1958 Joy married Wright. A keen Beverley Sisters fan, the famous footballer had invited all three to view his trophy collection, but only Joy accepted. “It was love at first sight,” she told an interviewer. “And we never had a cross word throughout our marriage.” The couple had two children, Victoria and Babette. Teddie and Babs also married in the 60s – and the sisters began to restrict their stage appearances to the London area, although they maintained their popularity through television. |
| As teenagers, Joy’s daughters formed a vocal group, the Foxes, with Teddie’s daughter Sasha. They made their stage debut with the Beverley Sisters at the London Palladium in 1978. When the Foxes were appearing at the London Hippodrome in 1985, the nightclub impresario Peter Stringfellow persuaded the Beverley Sisters to return to the stage. Their act now exuded nostalgia and camp in equal measure. There followed a new disco recording of Sisters, appearances at gay pride events and a national tour with the Syd Lawrence Orchestra, in which the 50s stage act was faithfully recreated, causing one reviewer to remark that “the time-warp element is uncanny”. | |
| In 2002, they reprised their 1952 Royal Variety Performance act (the first of five) with Max Bygraves for the Queen’s golden jubilee celebrations; and two years later, the sisters appeared at a D-day anniversary event. In later years, the Beverley Sisters supported the ex-service-personnel charity the Burma Star Association. In 2006 they were all appointed MBE. That year, Joy contracted a chest infection that caused shows to be cancelled and resulted in a decision to give up live performances. | In 2002, they reprised their 1952 Royal Variety Performance act (the first of five) with Max Bygraves for the Queen’s golden jubilee celebrations; and two years later, the sisters appeared at a D-day anniversary event. In later years, the Beverley Sisters supported the ex-service-personnel charity the Burma Star Association. In 2006 they were all appointed MBE. That year, Joy contracted a chest infection that caused shows to be cancelled and resulted in a decision to give up live performances. |
| Wright died in 1994. Joy is survived by her daughters Victoria and Babette, a son, Vincent, from a marriage to Roger Carocari in 1945 that ended in divorce in 1950, her two sisters and five grandchildren. | Wright died in 1994. Joy is survived by her daughters Victoria and Babette, a son, Vincent, from a marriage to Roger Carocari in 1945 that ended in divorce in 1950, her two sisters and five grandchildren. |
| • Joy Beverley Wright, singer, born 5 May 1924; died 31 August 2015 | • Joy Beverley Wright, singer, born 5 May 1924; died 31 August 2015 |