Arts and Culture
Mary was a great supporter of arts and culture. Whether it was helping to provide the University College students and Basque refugees with dances and performances through which to relax and unwind, or devoting a number of years to Leicester Drama Society and The Little Theatre. She was a great advocate for the artistic talents and interests of her family, including her son, Richard’s acting, or, equally, her foster-daughter, Helga Bejach’s love of dancing.
Student Dances and Parties for Basque Refugees
In a letter of reference recommending Frederick Attenborough for the role of Principal of University College Leicester, Mary was described as a key support to him. Mary was said to possess “charming tact and courtesy” that made her the “graceful and reliable leader in the social life of a large educational institution.”[1] This role within the social life of the University College, a support to Frederick’s academic work, can be seen in the student dances. An inaugural student dance was held in February 1933, with the Leicester Mercury attributing its success to both Mary and Frederick.[2] These dances became an annual event, with Mary regularly welcoming the guests alongside Sir Jonathan North, Chairman of the Governors of the University College.[3]
However, Mary’s success in organising social events extended beyond supporting her husband’s work. Mary co-organised parties for the Basque refugee children, who stayed at Evington Hall in the 1930s. The aim was to help the children feel at home during their forced separation from their families in Spain. These parties allowed the children to dress in traditional Basque clothing, and take part in performing folk-songs and dances.[4] In 1938 the Leicester Committee that supported the refugees provided the children with the chance to perform a concert at Edward Wood Hall in Leicester.[5]
Leicester Drama Society and The Little Theatre
Mary’s interest in culture and the arts extended into the wider city of Leicester. Between 1936-1938 Mary was president of Leicester Drama Society (LDS), which owned, and regularly performed at, The Little Theatre in Dover Street.[6] She held this role during a time when LDS and the Theatre were extremely vibrant and busy, throwing herself wholeheartedly into fundraising.[7] It was during her tenure as President that her son, Richard, made his stage debut in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, in the role of Lucius.[8] Mary was always supportive of her son’s love of acting and wanted all her sons to succeed in their career aspirations.[9]
Support of Helga Bejach’s Dancing
Mary’s support of Richard’s acting is mirrored in the support she gave to Helga Bejach, when Helga and her sister, Irene, were staying with the Attenboroughs during the Second World War. The two sisters had arrived on the Kindertransport. Helga had a strong affinity for dance, particularly ballet, learning all she could about its technique and history. Mary and Frederick provided her with the opportunity to take dance lessons and, when they were informed that Helga had great talent, they sought the best possible advice as to whether Helga would be able to make a career on the stage.[10] Having written to Ninette de Valois, the founder of the Royal Ballet, Helga attended a summer workshop at Sadler’s Wells.[11] Although noting Helga’s talent for character dance, de Valois did not believe Helga would be successful in a performance career, but would likely succeed as a teacher. Honest with her from the start, Mary and Frederick made Helga aware of de Valois’s assessment, but allowed her to continue dance lessons, as long as she promised to achieve her School Certificate.[12]
Following completion of her School Certificate, Helga attended the Ginner-Mawer School of Dance and Drama, which had evacuated to Boscastle, Cornwall.[13] In a letter Mary wrote to the uncle of the Bejach sisters (whom they joined in the USA after the War), Mary made clear that they had allowed Helga to attend this school with the aim that it would enable her to become a dance teacher. Mary voiced her hope that Helga would be able to finish her teacher training in the USA and find opportunities for employment.[14] Helga went on to teach modern dance at Rockland Center for the Arts, West Nyack, New York, later becoming Director for Dance Education at the Center.[15]
Page researched and written by Amy Wilkinson.
References:
[1] ‘Astley Clarke’s Scrapbook on the foundation and early development of University College Leicester; letter of recommendation for F.L. Attenborough from F.F. Potter’. ULA/D2/1 p.78B.
[2] “Students’ First Dance: Happy Social Event in Leicester”, Leicester Mercury, February 18th 1933, University of Leicester: Archives and Special Collections, Press Cuttings Book June 1920-December 1946. ULA/PCB/2 p.154.
[3] Ibid.
"Gay Scene at College Ball", Leicester Evening Mail, February 18th 1933, University of Leicester: Archives and Special Collections, Press Cuttings Book June 1920-December 1946. ULA/PCB/2 p.154.
"University College: Guests Received by Sir J. North at Annual Dance", Leicester Mercury, January 27th 1934, University of Leicester: Archives and Special Collections, Press Cuttings Book June 1920-December 1946. ULA/PCB/2 p.164.
"A Leicester Woman's Diary", Leicester Evening Mail, January 27th 1933, University of Leicester: Archives and Special Collections, Press Cuttings Book June 1920-December 1946. ULA/PCB/2 p.165.
[4] Richard Graves, ‘Leicester’s Refuge for Basque Children from the Spanish Civil War (Part 1)’, Leicestershire Historian, no.52 (2016), pp.3-10 (p.9).
[5] Ibid, pp.9-10.
[6] John Graham, Before My Time: The Story of the Leicester Drama Society (Leicester: Leicester Drama Society, 1983), Appendix 2.
Story of Leicester, The Little Theatre, 2020 <https://storyofleicester.info/leisure-entertainment/the-little-theatre/>[accessed 3 August 2020].
[7] John Graham, Before My Time, p.1 and p.3 of Chapter 3.
[8] Leicester Drama Society and The Little Theatre, The Attenborough Season: September 2013 to July 2014, c.2014 <https://www.ldsmembers.co.uk/richardattenborough/> [accessed 31 July 2020], p.4.
[9] Richard Attenborough and Diana Hawkins, Entirely Up to You, Darling (Hutchison: Great Britain, 2008), p.10.
[10] Acc 2019/21 Letter from Mary Attenborough to Helga and Irene’s Uncle, October 22nd, 1946, p.2.
[11] Ibid, pp.2-3.
Royal Opera House, Ninette de Valois, 2020 <http://www.roh.org.uk/people/ninette-de-valois> [accessed 24 August 2020].
[12] Acc 2019/21 Letter from Mary Attenborough to Helga and Irene’s Uncle, October 22nd, 1946, p.3.
[13] Acc 2019/21 Five Year Diary of Helga Bejach recording the years 1944-1946.
Richard Graves, 'From Berlin to New York via Leicester: The Long Journey of the Attenboroughs' 'Adopted Sisters' (Part 2)', Leicestershire Historian (2015), pp.36-42 (p.38).
[14] Acc 2019/21 Letter from Mary Attenborough to Helga and Irene’s Uncle, October 22nd, 1946, pp.3-4.
[15] Richard Graves, 'From Berlin to New York via Leicester', p.41.