Evelyn Dove facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Evelyn Dove
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Portrait of Evelyn Dove, 1935, by Carl Van Vechten
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| Born | 11 January 1902 London, England
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| Died | 7 March 1987 (aged 85) Epsom, Surrey, England
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| Nationality | British |
| Other names | Norma Winchester |
| Occupation | Singer, actress |
| Parent(s) | Francis "Frans" Dove Augusta Winchester |
| Relatives | Frank Dove (brother) Mabel Dove Danquah (sister) Nah Dove (niece) |
Evelyn Mary Dove (born January 11, 1902 – died March 7, 1987) was a talented British singer and actress. Early in her career, people compared her to the famous performer Josephine Baker. Evelyn's parents were from Sierra Leone Creole and English backgrounds.
She is known as a "trailblazing performer" because she achieved many firsts. In 1939, Evelyn made history as the first black singer to be heard on BBC Radio. She became very famous not just in Britain, but all over the world. She traveled to many countries like France, Germany, Italy, and the United States. On what would have been her 117th birthday in 2019, Google honored her with a special Google Doodle.
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Evelyn's Family Background
Evelyn Mary Dove was born in London, England. Her father, Francis Dove, was a well-known lawyer from Sierra Leone. Her mother was Augusta Winchester. Evelyn also had an older brother named Frank Dove. Frank studied law and later fought in the British army during World War I. He even received a special award called the Military Medal.
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Evelyn Dove loved music from a young age. From 1917 to 1919, she studied singing, piano, and public speaking at the Royal Academy of Music. After graduating, she joined a band called the Southern Syncopated Orchestra (SSO). This group was made up of musicians from the Caribbean, Africa, and America. They were very popular for playing black music in clubs across the UK.
In 1921, a sad event happened. The ship SS Rowan, carrying members of the SSO, sank after hitting another ship. Many people, including some band members, drowned. Evelyn and other survivors later performed in a special concert.
In 1925, Evelyn joined a touring show called Chocolate Kiddies. This show came from New York and traveled all over Europe. She even performed in Russia, where famous leaders like Stalin were in the audience.
Becoming an International Star
Evelyn's career really took off in the 1920s and 1930s. She performed in London and then in Berlin, Germany, with her own group called "Evelyn Dove and Her Plantation Creoles." People called them "the only singing and dancing act of its kind in Europe."
She became very popular in Italy, where she lived for several years. In 1932, she went to France to take over from Josephine Baker in a big show at the Casino de Paris. Later, she traveled to the United States. In 1936, she was the main performer at the famous Harlem nightclub, Connie's Inn, in New York. While there, a well-known photographer, Carl Van Vechten, took her picture.
Evelyn also performed in Bombay, India. A newspaper there praised her performance, saying she was "one of the leading personalities of Europe's entertainment world." They even said she was the closest rival to Josephine Baker.
Success with BBC Radio (1939–1949)
The years from 1939 to 1949 were the most successful for Evelyn in Britain. She did a lot of important radio work with the BBC. During World War II, she was as popular as the famous singer Vera Lynn. The BBC hired Evelyn throughout the war. She became one of radio's most loved singers. She appeared in many different music and variety shows.
One BBC producer described her as having a "perfect microphone quality." He said she was "the best coloured contralto in this country." A contralto is a type of female singing voice, usually deep and rich.
Evelyn was a regular on popular radio shows like Rhapsody in Black and Variety Bandbox. Her series Serenade in Sepia (1945–47) was especially successful. She did over 50 broadcasts with Trinidadian folk-singer Edric Connor. So many people listened that the BBC decided to make a television version.
In 1947, Evelyn and Edric Connor performed in Variety in Sepia. This was one of the first UK television specials that featured Black talent. It was filmed live in London and shown on BBC TV.
Later Career and Legacy
After leaving the BBC in 1949, Evelyn worked in cabarets in India, Paris, and Spain. When she came back to Britain in 1950, it was harder for her to find work. She did appear in a show called London Melody in 1951. She also worked as an understudy for another singer in the musical South Pacific. An understudy learns a role and performs if the main actor cannot.
In 1955, Evelyn even applied for a job as a telephone operator. But she soon found more television work. In 1956, she played Eartha Kitt's mother in a TV drama. She also had a role in the West End musical Simply Heavenly. Another actress in the show, Isabelle Lucas, later said that Evelyn's life became difficult. Her singing fame faded, and she became very ill.
Evelyn Dove passed away on March 7, 1987, at the age of 85.
Evelyn's voice can still be heard today. She is on a music collection called Negro Spirituals – The Concert Tradition 1909 – 1948. She sings a spiritual song called "Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray."
In 1993, a BBC Radio 2 series honored Evelyn Dove. It celebrated black British musical entertainers from the 1930s to the 1950s.
A book about her life, Evelyn Dove: Britain's Black Cabaret Queen, was published in 2016. On January 11, 2019, Google celebrated her life with a special Google Doodle.
Selected Film and TV Appearances
- 1958: The Green Pastures – Played Noah's wife
- 1957: Another Part of the Forest – Played Coralee
- 1956: Mrs. Patterson – Played Anna Hicks
- 1954: Halcyon Days – Played Mrs Carter
