Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Winifred Emms

best known by her stage name Hetty King, was an English entertainer who played in the music halls over a period of 70 years.

Emms was born in Shoreditch, London on April 4, 1883.

Emms adopted the name Hetty King when she first appeared on the stage of the Shoreditch Theatre, at the age of six with her father, William Emms (1856-1954), a comedian who used the stage name of Will King. By 1905, she was appearing in music halls, with her solo act, as a male impersonator, often dressed as a "swell". Her career spanned both World Wars when she performed in the uniform of either a soldier or a sailor. She also played the "principal boy" in many pantomimes.

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