Eighteen items relating to British Salonica Army concert parties in the First World War, including three programmes, ten photographs and four ALsS from Captain G. M. Butt of the Army Service Corps to his father G. W. Butt of Littlehampton

This collection provides an evocative and unusual snapshot of First World War social history, comprising eighteen items relating to British Army concert party performances in Salonica towards the end of the First World War, including three scarce programmes (only one copy of Item 13 below on COPAC, and Items 1 and 14 unknown), ten photographs of members of the concert party in character (several in drag), and four letters from Captain Butt (Items 15 to 18), three of them containing well-written, appreciative and informative comments on productions. The collection is in fair condition, on aged paper. Butt's four letters (Items 15 to 18) are in envelopes addressed to 'Geo. W. Butt Esq | Wilbury | Littlehampton | England', and each is addressed to 'Dear Guvnor' (Butt senior being head of the family Brighton and Littlehampton timber business), with three signed 'George'. All four letters carry the circular black Army Post Office postmark and the red stamp of the Field Censor. ITEM ONE. Programme. 3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, on aged cheap paper. Title reads: 'K. P. T. | 2nd SEASON. | BLUEBEARD | A PANTOMIME IN TWO ACTS | BY G. G. HORROCKS'. The pantomime can be dated from a reference by Butt in a letter of 8 June 1918 (Item 18). The programme states that it has been produced 'With music specially arranged and composed. | The book and lyrics by Pte. G. G. Horrocks.' Giving the names and ranks of the sixteen cast members (photos of whom are Items 3 to 12). For example, the characters 'Lieut. Jack Carruthers R.N.' and 'Midshipmann [sic] Dick Hilton' and 'Gerald Moore', all three described as 'Officers of H.M.S. in Salonica Harbour', are played by 'Pte A. M. Lewis', 'Pte H. Sharpe' and 'Pte L. Gamble'. The names and ranks of the others connected with the production are given, 'The entire production under the direction of Cpl. W. H. DRURY. | Orchestra composed by members of the regimental bands of the Division by the kind permission of their Commanding Officers.' At the foot of the third page: 'Costumes and wigs specially executed for this production by B. & H. DRURY, Brighton.' No copy on COPAC and no record of Horrocks having published. ITEM TWO. Handbill. 1p., 12mo. Headed 'NOTICE'. In the same style and on the same paper stock as Item One, which it presumably accompanied. Aged, worn and creased with closed tears. Headed: 'NOTICE', it reads: 'In case of danger, the curtain will be dropped and a notice displayed at each side of the Stage showing the word | DISPERSE | Emergency exits will be opened and all Ranks will leave quietly by the nearest emergency or ordinary exit. On reaching the open all Ranks will scatter to a distance of 400 yds from the Theatre, they will then comply with any orders they may have received or in the absence of orders go Home.' ITEMS THREE to TWELVE. Ten 11 x 8 cm black and white photographs of concert party members, in character, for the 1918 production of 'Bluebeard' whose programme is Item One above. The photographs accompany the letter of 8 June 1918 (Item 18). Slightly faded, and with a little wear to extremities, but in fair overall condition. Thirty-five men are shown, eleven of them dragged up. Captions on the reverse in pencil by Butt: 'Sister Anne, a cheery duck', 'The heroine, not bad to look at', 'Village publican & barber Stropper & Mopper', 'Rescuing nurses from Bluebeard', 'The pièce de resistance of the piece', 'one of the harem' and 'another'. ITEM THIRTEEN. Programme. 3pp., 8vo. Bifolium. On yellow paper. Title reads: 'TWENTY-SEVENTH DIVISIONAL PANTOMIME | 1917-1918 | Dick Whittington & His Cat | (In Blighty and the Balkans) | Written, Produced & Arranged | by | 2nd Lieut. R. Kennedy-Cox [later Sir Reginald Kennedy-Cox (1881-1966)] | 3rd Hampshire Regiment | Attached 3rd K. R. R. C. | STAGED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF | 2nd Lieut. S. G. Evans. R.F.A. | 82nd S.A.S.A.C.' Providing more detail about a larger cast than in either of the other two programmes. 'Mortals' include 'The Pasha's Six Little Kirchner Wives', and 'Immortals' include 'Four Lucky Black Cats'. The final character, in a reference to Churchill, is 'WINNIE (Short for "Winston" - THE CAT) B.Q.M.S. Webb R.F.A. 82nd S.A. S.A.C.' One of the scenemakers is 'Pte D. McPhail, 2nd Cameron Highlanders (Alhambra Theatre, Glasgow), and 'Carpentry and Property By Gr. J. Ampleford, 95th Battery R.F.A. (Royal Theatre, South Shields)', with 'Electric Light and Effects by Bombr. J.A. Jones, 19th B.A.C. (Empire, Golders Green)'. The 'Principals' Dresses from Paris and Athens', and 'Wigs by Stinis, Athens and Athens Oper House'. Several other individuals are named, with the 'Orchestra Under Direction of Sergt. A. P. COLE 4th K.R.R.C.' Final announcement: 'Owing to Length of Programme | No Encores will be Allowed.' The only copy on COPAC at the National Library of Scotland. ITEM FOURTEEN. Programme. 3pp., 4to. Bifolium. Typed and mimeographed in purple ink. Title reads: '738 M. T. Company A. S. C,. | 1917 | Programme. | Slip your Clutch. | A Revue | In Three Acts | by | 2nd Lt. J. A. Lincoln Reed.' The second page carries a 'Synopsis of Scenery': 'Act I A Village Green in Blightly | Act II Scene I - Mikra Bay | Scene II - Serres Road | Act III Interior of the Follies Bergeres Night Cafe Salonique (out of bounds)'. Also the announcement: 'The entire production by members of 738 MET. COMPANY A.S.C.' Names of 'Musical Director and Pianist'; and 'Violinists' given, with a full page of 'Dramatis Personae', characters including 'Seccotine Blake from Scotland Yard' and 'Ivor the Dwiver', with four soldiers playing the 'Village Girls', Phyllis, Elsie, Vera and Milly. The final character, 'Fifi' is accompanied by a '?'. No copy on COPAC. Referred to by Butt in his letter of 18 August 1917 (Item 16). ITEM FIFTEEN. Autograph Letter from Butt to his father. First two leaves only, and so lacking signature. 26 January 1917. In envelope with note in red ink: 'Contains Pantomime Programme'. 4pp., 12mo. 'I enclose a programme to show you we also have our but I should prefer the ones you have seen; the one here was quite good & the funny men quite exceptional, it was interesting to see how articles had been adapted for the job trench tools for cymbals, backs of biscuit tins shaped for footlight reflection & the quaint hovel is a theatre, this really has never seen anything like it before. I stayed the night with a field ambulance & slept between solid walls for the first time for over a year'. ITEM SIXTEEN. Autograph Letter Signed from Butt to his father. 18 August 1917. 4pp., 4to. After dealing with other matter he reports that 'the other night I went to a "Revue. Slip your clutch" done by our M. T. Co [the programme of which is Item 14 above] and it was really most awfully good, it is astonishing how well men make up as girls, better than girls make up as men, of course there was no plot, all written & got up out here, the scenery first rate & the drama & the acting really good, electric light and all modern amenities including a bar, the whole thing is self contained & is touring round it is an eyeopener to see how much can be done with small resources. Programme girls were a few Greeks brought in: the next evening went down to the A[rmy]. S[ervice]. C[orps]. & saw a terribly [sic] cinema show, not very good, there was a Charlie Chaplin picture, last night took a walk of about 3 miles over the hills to hear the Follies in a new programme; it will probably sound strange to people to hear about such things out here, but if people only knew the ennui of existence & the conditions of life out here they would argue that it is a good thing provided it does not impair fighting efficiency & it costs the public practically nothing: it may sound funny but there has been a football competition going on the whole summer, such is the English'. ITEM SEVENTEEN. Autograph Letter Signed from Butt to his father. 12 January 1918. 4to, 4pp. Envelope with note in red: 'Contains Panto Programmes'. After a page on other topics he writes that 'the last 2 days have been delightful. I am sitting in the open at the tent door writing this, basking in the sunshine an aeroplane buzzing overhead, a bosche one just been fired at, roosters crowing, puppies quarrelling & all the other sounds of peace & warfare going on. The last 2 nights I have been to 2 pantos, I enclose the programmes; one divisional one was good, a professional ran it & the shows & effects were very good, female voices are missed of course, but again it is marvellous how well selected men dress up as girls, their actions are masculine perhaps none of them had such good actions as those in the revue, but we did a sort of <?> requiring dance which was wonderful, he was a thin ugly devil but his actions were good , they all seem to enjoy a joke against the ASC & the great bit now and then is "in lieu of" because so often different commodities run out & then something else is issued "in lieu" such as oranges in lieu of jam, rice for oatmeal, rice for bacon etc ad infinitum. The other show was really magnificent & when you see it was run by a Drury & wigs & costumes by Drury's no wonder he in that division so professional advice is available & any costume imaginable can be got, but the talent was so good, the singing A1, even to quartets, the funny man a scream, the whole thing full of wit & free from vulgarity, it would take even at home I believe. I know you would enjoy it, better than the Grand Theatre any day, the stage & scenery were equally in keeping the house in the poor part of it a great barn like building with hard seats of course, we had to travel out in the little railway about 10 miles, most beautiful country'. ITEM EIGHTEEN. Autograph Letter Signed from Butt to his father. 8 June 1918. 4pp., 4to. In envelope docketed in red: 'Contains photos of Panto. characters'. A long letter touching on a number of topics, in which the photographs which are Items Three to Twelve above were enclosed, with the note: 'About this | The photos are of the next division's pantos, the really good [ones] with Drury's dresses.'?>