For interest, anyone!?
I met Ruby while she played with Norman Wisdom at the London Pallidum in winter 1955/56, I was returning from Vancouver, Canada, where I had met a Belfast chap by the name of Jimmy Mc Garry ,a singet /performer who went by the stage name of Larry Peters, he and Ruby did the concert hall circle around Belfast area,and for awhile became boyfriend/girl friend, As I was going to visit family/ friends in London and Belfast, Jimmy said if I should be in Belfast, look up Ruby Murray, right says I. Myself and another Belfast lad ,John Wright, arr in Southhampton,Dec 1955 cought the boat train to London,and here we notice advertising on the train, re Ruby Murray and N. Wisdom performing at the Pallidium,we were both shocked and suprised as we were led to believe that Ruby was just doing the Nth Ireland circut.Needleass to say I went to the Palladium, gave a little bell boy half a crown and a note to take to Ruby back stage, some time later the boy came with a back stage pass for after the show!!
Needless to say I met Ruby, chatted arranged to met during the day time for lunch,talked some more,I realized she was out of my league financially and prestige wise, however we went out a few times as we enjoyed each other, met her folks etc.I was 21 and she was going to be 21 in Mar.56',so I was her escort to her 21st birthsay party in her home in Regents park,WOW!! A whole bunch of British Celebs including Tommy Steel. Her Moms instructions to me was not to let things get too out of hand??? ME I'm 21 and looking for a great night myself, In awe at the whole thing!!! I remember Tommy Stell with a bottle of scotch on the pioano, singing Oh My Papa, and eventually we all were doing the congo dance up the stairs and down again!!! By this time I'm well into the sauce, but do remember a BBC radio announcer and his wife giving me a lift home in their chauffer driven limo, and dropping me off nr the Olympia in West Kensington!!What a night??Ruby and I kept in touch but as I said before she was out of my circle. In 1957 I returned to CAnada and became a Canadian citizen, I made several trips to UK , but it was not until some time in the 90's, a couple of years before she died that I made contact, she was living in Sth England, I think near Southampton?We chatted about old times, she said her son had just got into the finals of an all England singing contest, she was doing the odd concert, but had not been well[ the gossip papers had, that she was drinking quite heaverly??] I don't know?. The next I heard from a mate of mine that she passed away.I phoned the number I had to pass on my condolences, I guess it was her Husband who answered, but although I explained I was calling from Canada, he was very abrupt to the point of rude!! I guess he most of thought I was from the media. Ruby was a sweetheart and a very warm person in the few months that I knew her, I hope she is happier in Heaven now, than the last few years of her life, as was told??
My personal meeting with Ruby Murray, years ago!!
My personal meeting with Ruby Murray, years ago!!
a friend of Ruby's in 1955/56'
Jimmy McGarry
Hello, badams. I am very interested in your comments about Jimmy McGarry. Tell us more if you can.
Please refer to my earlier posting "Jimmy McGarry, Britain's Al Jolson", currently near the bottom of the first page of topics.
I would be pleased to tell you more about Jimmy's life and death in Whitehorse, Yukon, a subject I have shared privately with Bernie Burgess.
Thanks. Ralph
Please refer to my earlier posting "Jimmy McGarry, Britain's Al Jolson", currently near the bottom of the first page of topics.
I would be pleased to tell you more about Jimmy's life and death in Whitehorse, Yukon, a subject I have shared privately with Bernie Burgess.
Thanks. Ralph
Getting together with Barry Adams & Jim Perry
August 2, 2008
On this day, during a trip to Whitehorse to visit my brother and friends, an ‘old’ school pal drove me up the Klondike Highway to Fox Lake, the site of the terrible accident that caused Jim McGarry’s death 51 years ago. Of course, the land looks much different now. The highway is paved, and the big curve has been redesigned and is now much less severe. Trees that hadn’t then even started to sprout are now 20-25 feet tall.
August 8-10, 2008
On my way back to Ontario, I spent 3 days in British Columbia, in the lower reaches of the Fraser River. Between visits with a cousin and several ‘old’ school friends, I went to see Barry Adams, Jim McGarry’s Irish friend, who told us the story about meeting Ruby in 1955-56. Barry is very nice man, which I already knew from our many email conversations. We had a very interesting 6-hour visit. We listened to Ruby's LP, "The Voice of Ireland", several times.
After 4 hours with Barry, my ‘old’ school friend from Whitehorse, Jim Perry, joined us. Coincidentally, Jim was born in Belfast. His family came to Canada in about 1956, and knew Jimmy McGarry in Whitehorse.
On this day, during a trip to Whitehorse to visit my brother and friends, an ‘old’ school pal drove me up the Klondike Highway to Fox Lake, the site of the terrible accident that caused Jim McGarry’s death 51 years ago. Of course, the land looks much different now. The highway is paved, and the big curve has been redesigned and is now much less severe. Trees that hadn’t then even started to sprout are now 20-25 feet tall.
August 8-10, 2008
On my way back to Ontario, I spent 3 days in British Columbia, in the lower reaches of the Fraser River. Between visits with a cousin and several ‘old’ school friends, I went to see Barry Adams, Jim McGarry’s Irish friend, who told us the story about meeting Ruby in 1955-56. Barry is very nice man, which I already knew from our many email conversations. We had a very interesting 6-hour visit. We listened to Ruby's LP, "The Voice of Ireland", several times.
After 4 hours with Barry, my ‘old’ school friend from Whitehorse, Jim Perry, joined us. Coincidentally, Jim was born in Belfast. His family came to Canada in about 1956, and knew Jimmy McGarry in Whitehorse.